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My Favourite Colombian Food: Arepas

Arepas colombiana- EHE Spanish

Colombia is well known for its coffee, but it isn’t well known for is food. When I arrived here, I was surprised to learn that Colombia has its own unique and delicious style of cuisine!

The food of Colombia is hard to define as it is very diverse, there definitely is a South American and Spanish influence, but each Colombian region has different dishes, flavours and delicacies.

However, there is one Colombian food which has a history going back thousands of years, it is culturally significant… and it is delicious! That food is called the arepa. It is one of most popular foods and you can find it all over the country. It is also one of my favourite Colombian dishes.

An arepa is a style of bread made from maize flour. It can be served on its own, with cheese or filled with meats and vegetables. There are even sweet versions. You can eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just for a snack. It is incredibly versatile!

The history of the arepa is just as good as the taste. It is a style of food which the Indigenous people of Colombia and Venezuela ate as a staple and its history predates Spanish settlement.

As part of our experience, the EHE school hosted an arepa cooking class for the students to gain an appreciation for this food of national importance. Arepas are actually very easy to make and amazing to enjoy with your own choice of fillings.

If you can’t wait to arrive in Colombia to try an arepa, here is our very own EHE recipe for you to try at home.

Arepas recipe

  • 2 1/2 cups chicken stock (luke warm)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups maize flour (in some speciality stores you may find arepa flour)
  • 1/4 cup butter (as needed)
  • Cheese (add to taste) – in my opinion the more the better, roughly ½ a cup should be enough!
Arepas colombianas- EHE Spanish

Method

  1. Add the flour and salt into a bowl and mix. Gradually add the stock. Mix your fingers until a soft dough is formed (Tip: Wear some disposable gloves to keep your hands clean of dough, which can get very sticky!). Adjust the amount of stock as required.
  2. Knead and knead. Use your hands to mix until all the ingredients are combined and the dough is smooth. Around 5 minutes should be enough.
  3. Divide the dough into balls – any size you prefer – and flatten. As a general rule, aim for about a 10cm diameter about 1.5cm – 2cm high – this is a perfect size if you want to make a filled arepa (like a sandwich). But of course, you can make your arepas as thick or thin, big or small as you like.
  4. Heat some butter or oil in a frypan over medium heat. Cook the arepa for about 5 minutes per side or until golden. Transfer to a paper towel and rest.
  5. Serve warm. I recommend filling (or topping) with avocado, salsa, meats (pulled pork, chicken), beans and more cheese!
  6. Enjoy!
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