Arepas
2 cups cornmeal (I usually go with fine or medium ground)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup shredded vegan cheese (optional)
1 cup sweet organic corn (optional)
In a mixing bowl, add cornmeal, salt, pepper, baking powder. Mix well.
Add the cheese at this time if you're going to use it and mix well.
With a spoon, stir ingredients while adding about a 1/2 cup of boiling water at a time ( 2 1/2 cups maximum) to control how much liquid you introduce into the mix. Some brands of cornmeal need more or less liquid than others. You be the judge. You only want the dough to be moist but not like cake batter.
Knead dough with your hands only enough to form a ball which should be a little bigger than a golf ball in size.
Flatten balls and shape like those in the picture and fry in a lightly greased pan until golden which takes about 3-4 minutes per side. Use a tablespoon of butter or oil. You can also use a nonstick pan to reduce calories.
Personally, I like to bake them at 350 for twenty minutes.
Let cool for a minute or so and serve.
Enjoy!
SO HOW'D IT GO?
Do you bake your arepas in addition to lightly frying them? I have seen other recipes that have done this, but if the frying part can be skipped I would love to give that a try instead!
Sorry for replying this late. I don't receive e-mails telling me when someone has replied to one of my recipes. Anyway, I don't fry them at all. I prefer to bake them until they're done. Sometimes, I like to poke the arepas with a fork once or twice so that the vegan butter melts into the center.
Thank you so much Cade Foster and Yabbitgirl! I'd never heard of these before but they sound yummy!
Arepas are known in many Latin American countries, with variations, and each claims its invention. Like pitas or wraps, they can be filled with anything that takes your fancy--kind of like a sandwich.
Hi, I wondered what nationality this is and what is typically served with it? I would like to make these but and am thinking of making some sort of lentil dish and salad on the side.
I modified a Colombian recipe. It's traditionally served with butter or cheese but by all means, use it in combination with your lentil dish and salad.
I understand that arepas are eaten during breakfast in Colombia but they can be eaten at any time throughout the day.
They are meant to be fried but I like to bake them to avoid the all that grease and potential cancer.
Hi, I wondered what nationality this is and what is typically served with it? I would like to make these but and am thinking of making some sort of lentil dish and salad on the side.
Do you bake your arepas in addition to lightly frying them? I have seen other recipes that have done this, but if the frying part can be skipped I would love to give that a try instead!
Baking before frying is a step I haven't tried before. I guess it would cut down on the frying time. But I prefer to bake the arepas since the frying part is so unhealthy in the long run.
Experiment and see what you like. However, if you're going to go through all that trouble of cooking the arepas "twice," I suggest you make a big batch so it'll be worth the effort.
Good Luclk
Do you bake your arepas in addition to lightly frying them? I have seen other recipes that have done this, but if the frying part can be skipped I would love to give that a try instead!