Yellow Corn Arepas Food

HOW TO MAKE AREPAS WITH CORN FLOUR

Steps:

• The traditional arepas recipe only requires corn flour, water and salt, so in addition to being delicious they do not contain gluten and so are perfect for people with celiac disease. However, if you want to get a much smoother and tastier dough, you can add a little milk and a teaspoon of butter to the mix. Your arepas will be simply delicious.It is important to note that the corn flour we use is not the same as cornstarch, which is sometimes also called 'cornflour'. Cornstarch is a very fine flour most often used as a thickening agent for sauces and stews, etc. The corn flour used for arepas is also known as maize flour and is made from ground cornmeal, although not as fine ground as cornstarch. Specifically, it is called masa flour as it has undergone the process of nixtamalization. Make sure you buy the right kind as cornstarch will not be coarse enough to make arepas.
• The arepa dough should always be soft and easy to shape. If it is hard then the end result will also be hard, which will make it difficult to enjoy and digest them.To keep your arepas soft and delicious, start by mixing a half cup of warm water with a half cup of whole milk, skimmed milk or lactose-free milk (whichever you prefer). Add a teaspoon of salt and stir. If you want to, you can make it without milk and instead use two cups of water.
• Add butter if you want to give the dough some more flavor. Then start gradually adding the corn flour while mixing it by hand. Do not put it all in at once or you run the risk of the dough becoming very tough.Stop adding the flour when the dough is compact but still soft and easy to shape. If you feel that it has become too hard, just add a little more liquid.
• Turn the oven to 250°C (482°F) to preheat it and place a non-stick skillet over medium heat at the same time so that it warms up. You do not need to add any oil.Now it's time to make arepas. Make balls with the dough and then flatten them gently to form a sort of round bread, about the thickness of a finger. The size of the arepa is basically however you want to cook them.
• Place the arepas in the pan on medium heat in order to brown and seal them. It is important not to make it too hot as they might burn on the outside and remain raw on the inside.Once golden brown and sealed, put them in the oven for 5 minutes on each side. Although many people skip this step and only do them in the pan, this final touch allows the arepas to become crispy on the outside but soft and cooked on the inside.
• When your arepas are browned on the outside, they're ready to be eaten. Now you just need to open them and fill them with whatever you want: ham and cheese, chicken, beef, etc. There is a long list of delicious possibilities to make a delicious and very complete meal. Bon appetite!

AREPAS

Steps:

• Put the cornmeal in a food processor and grind until fine.
• Put the cornmeal in a large bowl with the salt and cheese.
• In a small saucepan heat the milk over medium heat until it comes to a steady simmer.
• Add the butter to the pan and stir until melted.
• Take pan off the heat and add to the cornmeal mixture to form a thick batter.
• Fold in the corn kernels.
• Let the batter rest about 15 minutes to thicken into a soft dough.
• Form 1 inch balls from the dough and flatten with the palm of your hand into 1/4 inch thick disks.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the arepas until golden brown, about 5 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the other, working in batches until done.
• Serve hot with butter.

AREPAS WITH CHEESE AND CORN

Steps:

• Put cornmeal in a large bowl with salt and cheese. Put milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until steam rises, then add butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir into cornmeal mixture until a thick batter is formed. Fold in the corn kernels, scallion, cilantro and chile, if using.
• Let batter rest until it thickens into a soft dough, about 15 minutes. Gently form 3-inch to 4-inch balls from mixture and flatten with palm of your hand to a 1/2-inch-thick disk. (You can cover and refrigerate disks for a few hours if you like.)
• Heat oil in a large skillet and cook arepas, working in batches, until golden brown, about 5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3 minutes on other side. When all arepas are cooked and cool enough to handle, carefully slice them through the middle. If desired, serve with butter or stuff with beans, vegetables or sour cream.

HOW TO MAKE AREPAS (3 INGREDIENTS!)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Set out a baking sheet and line with parchment paper. And to a large mixing bowl, add water and salt. Stir to combine and dissolve salt.
• A little at a time, add the areparina and stir with a whisk or your hands (our preferred method). You may work your way all the way up to two cups, although we typically have 1-2 Tbsp leftover. You're looking for a dough that doesn't easily stick to your hands, is moldable and moist, and can be rolled into a ball. Once you have that consistency, cover with a towel for 5 minutes. We did mix both white and yellow areparina as inspired by Teote (optional).
• Uncover, grab a large handful of dough, and roll into a ball (as the recipe is written, our batch made 6 large arepas, but it could also make 8-10 smaller arepas).
• Carefully press the ball between the palms of your hands to form into a roughly 1/2-inch thick disc (for thinner, crispier arepas, press closer to 1/4 inch). If it cracks a lot on the sides, your dough may need 1-2 (15-30 ml) more water. A little cracking is OK - just use your hands to close the cracks by gently patting along the edges (see photo).
• Once the arepas are formed, heat a large cast-iron or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add a little oil and swirl to coat. Then add arepas, giving them a little room in between so they don't touch. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until deep golden brown (a few blackened spots are OK). You're looking to form a crust. Then flip and cook for 2-3 minutes more or until the underside is also browned.
• Transfer to your parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes or until slightly puffed up and a little more golden brown in color. Some people like to slice into them immediately, but I find they can be a little doughy in the middle at that stage, so I prefer to let them cool for 5-10 minutes and serve while they're warm but not piping hot.
• To enjoy, slice in half and enjoy as is, spread both sides with vegan butter and a little maple syrup (YUM), or cut the arepa 3/4 of the way around, leaving a seam on the edge so you can "stuff" it like a pita. Fillings could include everything from black beans to rice to guacamole or even our Vegan Barbacoa!
• Best when fresh. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month (cooked or uncooked). Reheat in a 350-degree F (176 C) oven until warmed through. If reheating frozen uncooked arepas, I'd recommend letting them thaw first and cooking them as instructed.

YELLOW CORN AREPAS

Steps:

• With a meat grinder, coarsely grind the corn kernels and place in a mixing bowl. Add the cornmeal, cheese, milk, sugar, and salt. Mix thoroughly with electric mixer. Using a 1 1/2 or 3 inch mold, shape the arepas. Stack them on a lightly greased baking sheet with parchment paper between the layers. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cook the arepas over a medium to low heat until golden brown, approximately 3 minutes.