Venezuela: Paparepas – Cultural Lunches

Cultural Lunches – Especial Edition for Latino Heritage Month: Venezuela

Event date: Oct. 14, Thursday, at 12:30 on TEAMS

What are Arepas?

Arepas are cornmeal cakes that originated hundreds of years ago, in pre-Colombian times, in a region that now makes up Colombia, Venezuela, and Panama. Traditionally, they were cooked on a pan called a budare. But they can also be grilled, baked, or fried.

Arepas are made with pre-cooked cornmeal (masarepa – available in Latin food aisles in many supermarkets) mixed with water and a bit of salt.

Arepas are cooked on a griddle or skillet until the outsides are nice and crisp and golden brown, and the insides are soft and fluffy. Then they are split in half and filled with:

• spicy black beans and soft cheese
• Reina pepiada – Venezuelan chicken salad with avocado, mayonnaise, garlic, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno and cilantro
• mixed grilled seafood
• carne mechada (shredded beef)
• carnitas
• chicharrons (crispy pork skin
• avocados
• other things too numerous to mention here

Venezuelan arepas tend to be smaller and thicker, while Colombian arepas tend to be sweeter, thinner, and stuffed with cheese. 

We will have a special guest chef from Paparepas to teach us how to make authentic Venezuelan AREPAS!