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Sorghum Arepas South American Grain Cakes

https://www.sorghumcheckoff.com/recipes/sorghum-arepas-south-american-grain-cakes/

  • Gluten Free icon
  • Vegetarian icon
Sorghum Arepas South American Grain Cakes recipes

Prep Time

45 Minutes

Make Time

25 Minutes

Yield

8 servings

Sorghum Form

Arepas are a traditional cooked cornmeal flatbread from Northern South America and the Andes that have been consumed by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years across Venezuela and Colombia.

Arepas being so engrained in such a vast region for so long means that their preparation is similar but depending on the country or region the fillings are different. This allows for a ton of fun and customization in your cooking.

Similarly to our tortilla recipe, arepas can be made by creating a base masa and shaping into small rounds and cooking on a flat top. Please feel free to use that recipe as a reference for a more traditional preparation, it may take a bit longer, but you won’t be disappointed!

This recipe celebrates sorghum as a flavorful, nutrient rich base grain and is formulated to be a quick and delicious recipe for anyone looking to make arepas at home. Customize it to your liking with your favorite cheeses, meats, beans, salsa or any other favorite topping, you can’t go wrong!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole grain sorghum flour
  • 1 ½ tablespoons psyllium husk powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup water, warm
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for cooking
  • ¼ cup cotija cheese, crumbled

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the sorghum flour, psyllium husk powder and salt.
  3. Slowly add in the water, vegetable oil and cotija cheese, kneading until it becomes a smooth dough. Rest the dough for 30 minutes.
  4. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll into balls. Flatten each dough ball into a ½-inch thick disk.
  5. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat, and brush with vegetable oil. Cook the arepas in batches.
  6. Cook the arepas for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, pressing gently with a spatula to ensure even browning. Cook until each is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
  7. Transfer onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake for roughly 10 minutes to finish cooking all the way through.
  8. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then slice in half and fill with your favorite toppings, meats and cheeses.

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