The World’s Crispiest Egg Might Be This Corn-Encrusted Colombian Snack

I dwell in a Queens neighborhood with a large Colombian neighborhood. There are two Colombian eating places and a bakery on three of my block’s 4 avenue corners, and dozens extra on all of the blocks past that. If I tripped, I might land face-first on an arepa.

However one arepa I do not see too typically even in my neighborhood is an arepa de huevo—a deep-fried corn cake with an egg inside. The great thing about the realm de huevo, except for its taste, is the vary of textures you get from it: potato-chip crisp on the skin, tender (even runny) egg inside. I am at a loss to think about a crispier egg preparation.

A well-liked breakfast and snack meals on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, arepas de huevo are straightforward to make at residence with just a bit observe. I first discovered to make them about twenty years in the past, when the Colombian mom of an ex of mine taught me throughout a go to. I fell for them instantly, and began frying arepa after arepa, each as a result of I needed to maintain consuming them, but additionally as a result of I used to be having quite a lot of enjoyable messing round with the yolk doneness ranges. There isn’t any proper method to cook dinner the egg: Some folks, together with my ex’s mother, like them totally cooked by means of with a set yolk, however others (like me) love the self-saucing impact of an arepa de huevo with a drippy heart.

The method for making them is fairly easy. You begin by mixing water with masarepa, a pre-cooked corn flour product that’s generally used to make arepas. You then kind that dough into balls, press them flat, and fry them till puffed. After that, you’re taking the arepa out of the oil, let it cool for a minute, then rigorously slice a gap within the aspect close to one of many edges. Into this gap you slip a uncooked egg. Then it goes again into the oil to fry simply lengthy sufficient to cook dinner the egg to your required doneness.

The way to Make Arepas de Huevo

The method, as famous above, is simple:

1. Combine water with masarepa.
2. Type the dough into balls, press them flat, and fry them till puffed.
3. Take away from the oil, let cool barely, then reduce a small gap close to the sting.
4. Slip in a uncooked egg, then fry once more to cook dinner the egg to your liking.

Listed below are some tricks to information you thru the method:

• Yellow and white masarepa work equally properly. Masarepa is bought in each yellow and white variants, relying on the corn used, however the distinction is primarily visible. I discover the yellow shade extra placing when fried till crisp and cradling that golden yolk.
• Press the arepas between plastic for ease. That is frequent method with tortillas as properly, simply slice open a zipper-lock bag on two sides and sandwich the ball of arepa dough between it. Then fold the flap of plastic over and press the arepa flat utilizing both a tortilla press or a heavy, flat object like the underside of a skillet. You may wash and save the plastic between makes use of.
• Modify water as wanted. In case your dough cracks or crumbles, work in additional water, one tablespoon at a time till the dough is a little more malleable and pleasant.
• Easy the arepa edges. After urgent the arepa, it should normally have a jagged edge. Smoothing this edge out will assist the arepa fry and inflate evenly. You are able to do this both with a fingernail by means of the plastic, or with a moist finger immediately on the arepa edge itself.
• Do not make them too giant and skinny. With out gluten for elasticity, the dough can tear simply. Maintain them round three inches in diameter and just below 1/4 inch thick for simple dealing with. If one falls aside, you may roll it again right into a ball and begin over.

The arepas do not essentially want something further—they’re scrumptious on their very own, possibly with a espresso on the aspect. However that does not imply you should not add condiments: scorching sauce, Colombian ají (a contemporary salsa served with many meals), and salsa rosada (a mixture of mayo and ketchup) are all nice choices.

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