Arepas "South American"
By Simbooker on 27th March 2014
Files & Tags: recipes, index, rice and bread, caribbean & latin american
If you're going to talk about Colombian or Venezuelan food then you must start with Arepas. Arepas are the heart and soul of these two South American countries.
Everything begins and ends with Arepas. Arepas are eaten all throughout the year, for breakfast, lunch, and even dinner. They are eaten with soups, stews, hearty meals, basically anything. They are a staple in Colombia and Venezuela, as Tortillas are in Mexico, and Pupusas are in El Salvador.
When I was making these Arepas, I was reminded about how similar Colombian food is to Jamaican food. Not only are our soups and stews very similar, but also our staple diet of rice and beans, plantains, avocados, cassava, yam...the similarities go on and on.
Arepas are very similar to Jamaican Bammys, except Bammys are made out of Cassava instead of corn. Arepas also favor Mexican Gorditas and Salvadoran Pupusas, and no doubt other flat breads of the Americas.
These Arepas are common, everyday Arepas, but you can make an incision in the Arepa and fill them with meat, cheese, plantains, Avocados, basically anything you desire. They are truly a South American must have. For me, this recipe is more of a guideline than a die hard recipe. You see Arepas are made by instinct and feel. If you need to adapt the consistency, then add more water or flour until the dough feels right, and easy to manage without sticking to the surface or falling apart in your hands. Feel free to add more salt to this recipe if you wish.
WARNING: DO NOT USE ANY OTHER CORNFLOUR EXCEPT MASAREPA OR HARINA PAN, it must be cornflour made for Arepas.
WARNING: DO NOT USE ANY OTHER CORNFLOUR EXCEPT MASAREPA OR HARINA PAN, it must be cornflour made for Arepas.
THE AREPA RECIPE
1 cup of Warm water, 1/4 tsp of salt, 2 cups of Corn Flour, 1/2 cup of Milk or Cream, 1 Stick of Lard -This can make at least 4 Arepas
*POUR THE FLOUR INTO THE WARM WATER. Sprinkle the salt in, add the milk or cream, and the lard. Then stir and knead, form the mixture into a ball of soft dough, and let it rest for about twenty minutes.
*After resting time, check the consistency, if the dough is wet and sticky add more flour, if it's very dry and brittle, add a little more water. With your hands form the dough and then begin pinching off pieces of the dough, large enough to roll out like a tortilla.
* Heat up a pan on slightly higher than medium heat, but not very high heat. Add 1 tbs of butter. With a rolling pin roll out the dough and cut around it using a bowl as a guide to make a nice round Arepa. Once the pan or iron skillet is hot place place the Arepa flat in the pan. Cook on each side for approximately five minutes each. Repeat this with the rest of the dough.
And there you have it. Nice Round, well cooked Arepas.
*POUR THE FLOUR INTO THE WARM WATER. Sprinkle the salt in, add the milk or cream, and the lard. Then stir and knead, form the mixture into a ball of soft dough, and let it rest for about twenty minutes.
*After resting time, check the consistency, if the dough is wet and sticky add more flour, if it's very dry and brittle, add a little more water. With your hands form the dough and then begin pinching off pieces of the dough, large enough to roll out like a tortilla.
* Heat up a pan on slightly higher than medium heat, but not very high heat. Add 1 tbs of butter. With a rolling pin roll out the dough and cut around it using a bowl as a guide to make a nice round Arepa. Once the pan or iron skillet is hot place place the Arepa flat in the pan. Cook on each side for approximately five minutes each. Repeat this with the rest of the dough.
And there you have it. Nice Round, well cooked Arepas.