Arepas
With more than 50 varieties from different corns and distinctive fillings or garnishes, arepas are one of the main dishes in Colombian gastronomy. Either for breakfast, as a snack, or for dinner, arepas are delicious, versatile, and filling. My favorite ones are filled with cheese and anything I have on my fridge … can be salmon, chicken, eggs, veggies, or avocado. Here I tell you how to make some of these:
Ingredients
3 portions - 6 arepas
2 cups of pre-cooked corn flour (Harina PAN)
Butter or ghee
2 cups warm water
100 gr. grated cheese
2 avocados
Chicken breast
1 small onion
2 tomatoes
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon tomato paste
Coriander leaves
Coriander seeds
Salt & Pepper
Mix the corn flour, warm water, and 1 tablespoon of butter/ghee in a bowl. Add some salt to taste. Mash with your hands until a soft dough is formed. If needed add more water
Let the dough rest for some minutes and start preparing the fillings
Avocado filling: simply cut avocados in slices or make a guacamole
Cheese filling: grate or crumble any preferred cheese
Chicken filling: cook the chicken breast in water for 20 minutes. Stir fry chopped onion, tomatoes, and smashed garlic in a pan along with some smashed coriander seeds, salt and tomato paste forming a sauce (guiso). Shred the chicken and combine it with the sauce. Top with some coriander leaves
Make the arepas by taking some dough, rolling it into a ball, and then pressing to get a flat rounded arepa. I like my arepas to be rather small and not too thick to cook them faster
Put little butter/ghee or cooking oil in a pan and fry the arepas on medium heat for some minutes. Flip to the other side and continue until deep golden brown. The best arepas are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside
Serve arepas along with fillings. Arepas can be enjoyed alone or they can be opened with a knife to be filled inside as you want!
