 Arepas inMonagas, Venezuela | |
| Alternative names | Tijitafun, fectegua |
|---|---|
| Course | Any course |
| Place of origin | Colombia andVenezuela |
| Region or state | NorthernSouth America |
| Associatedcuisine | Colombian cuisine,Venezuelan cuisine |
| Main ingredients | Corn flour (maize meal orflour) |
Anarepa (Spanish pronunciation:[aˈɾepa]) is a type offlatbread made of groundmaize dough that may be stuffed with a filling, eaten in northern parts ofSouth America sincepre-Columbian times, and notable primarily in the cuisine ofColombia andVenezuela, but also present inBolivia,Ecuador, andCentral America.[1][2][3]
Arepa is commonly eaten in those countries and can be served with accompaniments, such as cheese,[4]cuajada (fresh cheese), various types of meat, avocado, ordiablito (deviled ham spread). It can also be split to make sandwiches. Sizes, maize types, and added ingredients vary based on preparation. It is similar to the Mexicangordita, the Salvadoranpupusa, the Ecuadoriantortilla de maíz,[5] and the Panamaniantortilla orchanga.[6]
Thearepa is apre-Columbian dish from the area that is now Colombia, Panama and Venezuela.[3] Instruments used to make flour for thearepas, and the clay slabs on which they were cooked, were often found atarchaeological sites in the area.[citation needed] Although it has not been specified in which country anarepa was cooked for the first time, it has been possible to define the oldest dates of the presence of maize in Colombia and Venezuela. For example, in Colombia, the first record of the presence of corn cultivation dates from about 6,000 years ago.[7] However, the presence of arepas dates from 3,000 years ago (specifically in theAltiplano Cundiboyacense by theMuisca),[8] while in Venezuela, the estimate is about 2,800 years ago.[9]
Throughout its history, thearepa has stayed mainly unchanged from thearepas that pre-Columbian native peoples would have consumed, making thearepa one of the few pre-contact traditions that have remained popular in the years sincecolonization.[3] The namearepa is related toerepa, the word for 'cornbread' in theCumanagoto language.[9]
Thearepa is a flat, round, unleavened patty of soaked, ground kernels of maize, or—more frequently nowadays—maize meal or maize flour. It can be grilled, baked, fried, boiled, or steamed. The characteristics vary by color, flavor, size, and the food with which it may be stuffed, depending on the region. Simplearepas are filled with butter or cheese and baked. Depending on the meal, more filling varieties can be added with combinations of ingredients like beans, meat, avocados, eggs, tomatoes, salad, shrimp, or fish. Friedarepas are often consumed in northern South America, filled with white cheese on top and served with fried eggs. Sweet friedarepas are another variety often prepared withsugarloaf (papelón) and anise (anís). Venezuelan white cheese is another topping for friedarepas that can be combined with feta cheese.[10]
Initially,arepa flour was made by grinding maize at home. In the 1950s, precookedarepa flour was invented by Dr.Luis Caballero Mejías [es], a Venezuelan engineer, and became an instant success. The flour is mixed with water and salt, and occasionally oil, butter, eggs or milk. Because the flour is already cooked, the blend forms into patties easily. After being kneaded and formed, the patties are fried, grilled, or baked. Some varieties ofarepas are made with "peeled" corn using thenixtamalization process; they are known asarepa pelada.[11]
Arepa flour is specially prepared (cooked in water, then dried) for makingarepas and other maize dough-based dishes, such ashallacas,bollos,tamales,empanadas,atole andchicha. The flour may be calledmasarepa,masa de arepa,masa al instante, orharina precocida. It is not nixtamalized.[12] The most popular brand names of maize flour areHarina PAN and Harina Juana in Venezuela produced by the companies Alimentos Polar and Monaca; Doñarepa in Colombia produced by the company Harinera del Valle; and Goya elsewhere.[13]
However, in countries such asColombia, it is not common to reconstitute corn flour as it is in Venezuela. Thus, inColombia, it is more common to see pre-roasted arepas ready for consumption in stores and supermarkets, giving rise to an industry that in 2019 alone had sales of USD $124 million with companies such as Arepas Sary andAlpina Productos Alimenticios.[14]
The dish is known in multiple cuisines. According to food anthropologistOcarina Castillo of theCentral University of Venezuela, the dish is likely thousands of years old and originated in the region now occupied by the two countries beforecolonizers of the area drew borders.[15]
Bolivianarepas are made from corn. There are different ways to preparearepas, but one of the most traditional is theCotoca recipe. Several varieties ofarepa can be found in the country, such as the Cruceña and Andina varieties.
The first record of the existence of arepas dates from about 3,000 years ago in what is currently Colombia.[8]
Thearepa is an iconic food inColombia, with some 75 distinct preparation forms. According to a study conducted by the Colombian Academy of Gastronomy, thearepa is part of the Colombian cultural heritage and can be considered a symbol of national gastronomic unity.[16]
In 2006, thearepa was named the cultural symbol of Colombia in a competition organized bySemana magazine with support fromCaracol Televisión, theMinistry of Culture and 'Colombia is Passion'.[16]
In thePaisa region, thearepa is especially important to the local people and sometimes accompanies all meals of the day. In addition,arepas are strung into necklaces and placed around the necks of honored dignitaries as a sign of praise. Many varieties ofarepa were introduced from this region.[16]
In Colombia, thearepa is sold commercially in neighborhood stores, chain supermarkets, and market plazas and packaged with preservatives as a pre-molded white or yellow corn dough ready to grill or fry at home.[17] It is also sold in the form of industrialized corn flour that requires hydration before preparation.[18] In addition,arepas are sold by street vendors, in cafeterias, and in neighborhood stores.
Restaurants of the Paisa Region offer a wide variety ofarepas, including a unique style of stuffedarepa that can be filled with eggs, meat, or cheese.[19] Colombians in theCaribbean region commonly eat a breakfast variation calledarepa con huevo, which consists of a cookedarepa which has been split open, stuffed with a raw egg, and fried.[20]
The Colombian Arepa Festival is celebrated inBarranquilla,Bogotá,Bucaramanga,Cali andMedellín. Each city takes turns organizing the festival between August and December.[21] There are also many other types of arepas, includingArepa de Choclo, Arepa de Queso, Arepa Frita, Arepa Costeña, Arepa de Yuca, and Arepa Paisa.
According to theSanta Marta City newspaper,El Informador, there are about 75 types ofarepas around Colombia;[22] among them is thearepaocañera, consumed in theDepartment of Norte de Santander, characterized by the addition ofqueso costeño (lit. 'coastal cheese') and other types of meat.[23] Some recipes for this type ofarepa can containdoble crema cheese and chicken.[24] One of its characteristics is that it is relatively thin unlike otherarepas and also has a toasted and golden colored shell.[25]
Another variation is thearepaboyacense, with theMunicipality of Ventaquemada being one of the most outstanding in terms of its production.[26] This type ofarepa may contain butter, eggs, and cheese.[27] It has a certain sweetness, and in some recipes, thisarepa may havecuajada.[28]
There is also thearepapaisa, which is consumed in theDepartment of Antioquia. It is prepared withmaíz trillado (lit. 'threshed corn'). This form most closely resembles indigenous cuisine.[29]
In addition, anotherarepa variation consumed in theAndean region of the country is thearepasantandereana, which contains cookedyuca andchicharrón.[30]
In theProvince of Guanacaste,arepas are prepared in the form of large, toastedsponge cakes, seasoned withBagaces type cheese. InCartago, during colonial times,arepas were filled withpork.[31]
InPuerto Rico, mainly in theSan Juan area and beach sides,arepas are popular. They can also be found in some restaurants, almost always asarepas de coco. The Puerto Ricanarepa is made with wheat flour, coconut milk, coconut oil, baking powder, and sugar. They can be fried, baked, or cooked on a grill. Once done, thearepa is cut open and stuffed. There are countless fillings. Crab, shrimp, and octopus stewed insofrito, lemon, coconut milk, and ginger, among other ingredients, are the most popular.
Arepas are present in theCanary Islands due to population flow between the islands andVenezuela. They are found in theprovince of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and rarely in the archipelago's eastern islands. Many of thearepas consumed in the islands' bars and restaurants are fried. Some incorporate ingredients from local gastronomy such assoft cheese or Canaryplantain.[32]
Thearepa is a symbol of Venezuelan gastronomy and one of the most common pre-Hispanic foods still popular inVenezuela.[3] The first records of this dish are about 2800 years ago.[8]
According to a 2015 survey of the Venezuelan people, nearly 70 percent of the nation atearepas regularly.[33] It is common for Venezuelans to eatarepas throughout the day, both as snacks and as sides to meals, creating a culture where thesecorn products (Harina PAN) can be found almost everywhere and in specific restaurants calledareperas.[34]
Thearepa is seen as a cornerstone of aVenezuelan diet; prior to the 2015 food shortages, it was estimated that each year the average Venezuelan consumed about 30 kilos of thecorn flour used to makearepas.[33] Venezuelanarepas are commonly filled with a great variety of different fillings, from beef andavocado to cheese, varying widely by the location of where they are sold and the ingredients that can be obtained.[3]
In Venezuela'sAndes region,arepas de trigo are made with wheat flour rather than cornmeal. These lighterarepas are generally eaten as a snack or an accompaniment to heavier meals.[35]
Venezuelan presidentNicolás Maduro "has tried to use arepas as a nationalist rallying point, if not a political tool, claiming the food is from his country alone", according to theNew York Times.[15]
En el caso de las islas Canarias, Francisco Javier Pérez dice: «La costumbre de comer arepas llegó a Canarias de la mano de inmigrantes venezolanos [...]»[In the case of the Canary Islands, Francisco Javier Pérez says: «The custom of eating arepas arrived in the Canary Islands thanks to Venezuelan immigrants [...]»]
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