Nanna’s Arepas Recipe
Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, then stuffed with guac, salsa, and seasoned beans — Nanna Mirella has made so many arepas in her lifetime she could probably do it with her eyes closed. They’re a celebration of her Venezuelan roots, and every bite bursts with zesty flavours and textures.
You will need
Serves 6
For the arepas:
- 4 cups PAN white corn flour
- 5 cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- Light oil, for frying
For the guacamole:
- 2-3 ripe avocados
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/4 red onion, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 birdseye chilli, finely chopped (optional)
- Salt, to taste
For the capsicum and mango salsa:
- 1 large mango, chopped
- 1 red capsicum, chopped
- 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- Small handful fresh coriander, chopped
- Salt, to taste
To serve:
- 1 1/2 cups corn kernels, cooked
- 1 1/2 cups black beans, cooked
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Salt, to taste
- Extra fresh coriander, to garnish
Recipe: Nanna Mirella
Photography: Brendan Cherry
Directions
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Step 1
To make the dough: In a large bowl, add the PAN white corn flour and make a well in the center.
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Step 2
In a separate bowl or jug, combine warm water and salt. Stir until the salt is dissolved.
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Step 3
Gradually pour the salted water into the corn flour, mixing with your hands as you go. Use your hands to squish and combine. Note: Don’t add all the water at once – this helps prevent lumps.
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Step 4
You should have a soft dough, slightly softer than play dough, that holds its shape and no longer sticks to your hands. Adjust water or flour as needed.
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Step 5
Form dough into balls slightly smaller than tennis balls –this should make around 16-18. Flatten each ball between your palms to about 1 cm thick.
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Step 6
Lightly drizzle oil across a large frying pan. Before turning on the heat, spread with a brush or paper towel. Wipe away excess oil to prevent burning. Then, turn on to a medium-high heat.
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Step 7
Place arepas in the pan. Cook for around 7-8 minutes on each side until crisp and golden. (you can also deep fry them for a quicker, crispier result)
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Step 8
Place cooked arepas on a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil.
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Step 9
In a bowl, toss the corn with lime juice and salt. In another bowl, mix black beans with olive oil, paprika, and salt.
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Step 10
To prepare the guacamole: Mash avocado and mix with lime juice, salt, and optional onion and chili, to taste.
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Step 11
To prepare the salsa: Combine chopped mango, capsicum, red onion, coriander, lime juice, and salt, to taste.
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Step 12
Slice arepas in half. Fill with guacamole, mango salsa, seasoned corn, and black beans. Garnish with fresh coriander. Serve warm, as a filled sandwich or open-faced like tostadas.
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Recipe: Nanna Mirella
Photography: Brendan Cherry
