masarepa

Masarepa is cornmeal that has been precooked, dehydrated and ground into a fine powder. It’s used all over Colombia, Venezuela and Bolivia for a variety of recipes, including arepas and <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021300-colombian-beef-and-potato-empanadas">empanadas</a>.

Standard Masa for Empanadas

yellow masarepa (about 10 ounces)

salt

Combine masarepa, salt and 2 cups tepid water in a large bowl. Stir with your hands and massage into a smooth dough.

Take a small ball in your hand and press it flat. If the dough cracks, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is smoother and workable. (Small cracks around the edges are OK.)

Cover masa and set aside to rest for at least 15 minutes before using. Masa can be made several days in advance and stored in the fridge in a zip-top bag.

For empanada assembly and cooking instructions, proceed to Step 6 of this <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021300-colombian-beef-and-potato-empanadas">Colombian Beef and Potato Empanadas</a> recipe.

These vegan empanadas are a simple and delicious flavor-packed finger-food for parties, snack, appetizer, or a light meal. They have a crisp, corn flour pastry shell and delicious (customizable) veggie filling. Plus, this recipe uses gluten-free empanada dough and contains oven-baked, fried, and air fryer empanada cooking options!

Vegan Empanadas

precooked corn flour (yellow

tsp sea salt (or vegetable bouillon powder)

garlic powder

water

potatoes ((use Yukon Gold or Russet))

tbsp oil

onion

bell pepper (diced)

garlic

lentils (or beans)

peas

- 1 tsp cumin

onion powder

tsp smoked paprika

Salt (pepper, and chili powder,

Vegan cheese (to taste (optional))

You can watch the video in the post for visual instructions.Peel and chop the potatoes and cook in a pot with boiling water and salt until fork-tender, about 12-15 minutes. Drain the water and mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan/skillet over medium-high heat and add the chopped onion, and bell pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the minced garlic, all spices and sauté for a further minute.

Lower the heat to medium, add peas, and cooked lentils. Cook for a couple of minutes until the onion and pepper are softened. Turn off the heat.

Add the mashed potatoes and vegan cheese (optional) and use a fork to mix everything. Taste it and adjust seasonings if needed. Set aside.

Filling:

In a large bowl, combine precooked corn flour with garlic powder and salt (or vegetable bouillon powder). Stir with a spoon.

Slowly pour in hot water. Stir the dough with a spoon, then once it cools a little use your hands to knead it for 1-2 minutes. If it&#039;s too dry add a little more water and if it&#039;s too wet add more flour. Depending on the brand of the precooked corn flour (and your climate i.e. humidity) you will need more or less water. I live in the tropics with about 90% humidity and 1 1/2 cup of water was perfect. The dough should have the consistency of play dough.

Divide the dough into 14-16 portions and form each portion into a ball by rolling it between your hands.

Place a dough ball between two sheets of plastic (I used a sheet of parchment paper, lightly oiled). Press the dough ball down with something heavy (e.g. a pot or skillet), until it's about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. It shouldn't be too thin, about 1/4 inches (0.6 cm).

Remove the top sheet of plastic/parchment paper and place about 1/2 tablespoon of the filling into the center of the dough disk.

With the help of the plastic/parchment paper, fold the dough over the filling, forming a half-moon. Seal the edges with your fingers or a fork. Alternatively, you can place a medium-sized bowl or mug on the outer edges of the empanada and press it down firmly to seal the edges (see step-by-step photos in the post above). Do this with the remaining dough. Now you have 3 options to cook them:

Dough:

Brush the empanadas carefully from both sides with oil. Place about 5-6 into the air-fryer basket, choose 390 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) and set the timer to 15 minutes, then press start. There is no need to turn them, just wait 15 minutes, and they will be crispy with browned edges. If you prefer them even crispier and browner, then set the timer to 17 or 18 minutes. Serve warm!

Air-Fryer (my favorite method)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Brush all empanadas carefully from both sides with oil. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 35-40 minutes, flipping after 20 minutes. Unfortunately, they won&#039;t crisp up that much and it can happen that they burst.

Oven-Baked

This is the fastest and probably most delicious method, however, not the healthiest. To a large frying pan or pot add enough oil (to a depth of about 2½ inches) and heat it to 360 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).  Add a few empanadas (don't overcrowd the pan) and fry for about 3-4 minutes, turning as needed.  Place the fried empanadas on paper towels to soak up excess oil.

Serve with salsa and enjoy!

Frying Method

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/ScvN9RqO.mp4

Vegan Empanadas | With Air Fryer Option (Gluten-Free)

Colombian Chicken Tamales have a filling with three types of chicken meat, tamale red sauce and chickpeas. This variation is popular in Bogota, Colombia. Celebrate the holidays with this delicacy, wrapped in banana leaves and served traditionally for Christmas Eve or New Year’s Day, or freeze and eat any day of the week for a special take on Colombian tamales!To develop this recipe, I consulted the seasoning recipe from Sweet y Salado, and several Colombian tamales recipes and preparations.

Chicken Colombian tamales recipe {gluten-free, kosher)

tbsp ground annatto (achiote, paprika

tbsp cumin

tbsp coriander

oregano

½ tbsp black ground pepper

green onions (chopped roughly)

tbsp homemade Sazon seasoning

chicken drumsticks

½ pounds boneless chicken thighs (diced)

chicken breasts (diced)

chickpeas (drained of liquid)

potatoes

carrots

onion (diced)

scallions (chopped)

red bell pepper (diced)

yellow bell pepper (diced)

tomatoes (chopped)

½ tsp black pepper

yellow precooked cornmeal (masarepa)

tsp salt

guiso

Sazon seasoning

banana leaves

Cooking twine

Salt

Directions

Mix all the seasonings together in a  bowl and set aside.

Homemade Sazon seasoning

Transfer all the marinade ingredients, along with 4 tablespoons of the spice mix, to a blender and process until smooth. Transfer into a large bowl or ziplock bag, add all the chicken meat and chickpeas (reserve potatoes and carrots). Refrigerate overnight to marinade.

Chicken marinade

Set a large pan to medium heat. Add oil and diced onion, and cook for 5 minutes until it changes color. Add green onions and garlic and cook for another minute. Add tomatoes and diced peppers, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until everything is soft and a slightly cohesive sauce is formed. Add 1 tablespoon homemade Sazon seasoning, salt and pepper and water. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, until thickened.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the guiso for the tamales masa.

Guiso

In a large bowl, combined boiling water with masarepa, salt, reserved guiso, and homemade Sazon seasoning. Mix well with a wooden spoon until well combined.

To make Masa:

Place one piece of banana leaf on a counter. Cover perpendicularly with another piece, forming the shape a cross.

Top with 1/2 cup of masa.

Top with two slices of potato, and 2 slices of carrot.

Top with chicken, trying to get a bit of each type of chicken meat piece and 1 tablespoon of chickpeas on top of the meat.

To close each tamal colombiano, fold each side of the the banana leaves up, one at a time, so the leaves overlap each other and enclose the filling. Tie the package with butcher's twine.

To make Colombian tamales:

How to make arepas — delicious 3-ingredient pan-fried cornmeal cakes stuffed with all your favorite fillings like refried beans, avocado, dairy-free cheese, and more. A quick, easy, gluten-free, vegan appetizer, snack, or main at breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Arepas + Filling Ideas

pre-cooked corn flour

You can watch the video in the post for visual instructions.First, pour the warm water into a large bowl with the salt and gradually sprinkle in the pre-cooked corn flour (masarepa), stirring between each addition.

When it&#39;s cool enough to handle, use your hands to gently knead it for a minute, then allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. When ready, it should be moist but not sticky.If the dough is too dry (cracking a lot when shaping), add a little more water. If it&#39;s too wet, add more flour (the flour brand, climate, and humidity can all affect this).

Next, divide the arepa dough into 6 portions (about 110-120 grams per arepa) and roll each into a ball before flattening them into disks about 1/2-3/4-inch (1,5-2 cm) thick.If any small cracks appear, use wet fingers to gently pat them until smooth (refer to the video for visual guidance).

Heat a large non-stick pan (or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet) over medium heat and add a swirl of oil. Working with 3 arepas at a time, cook them for about 5 minutes per side until they are golden brown on both sides.If you want the arepas to be very crispy, then bake them in the oven for 10 minutes at 360 °F/ 180 °C.

Finally, allow them to cool for just a few minutes before cutting each arepa (a serrated knife works best while holding the warm arepas with a kitchen towel) about ¾ of the way around to create a pocket and stuff them with all your favorite fillings (see below). Enjoy!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/q2xImC5j.mp4

How To Make Arepas + Filling Ideas

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