Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US) an excl. of excitement, pleasure.

c.1940		‘Christopher Columbo’ in Bold (1979) 52: A sailor took his cock in hand / And shouted ‘Hot tomalley’.
1970		(con. 1930s) E. Thompson Garden of Sand (1981) 31: ‘H-h-hot tamale!’ he cried and backed wildly out the drive.