Travel by Stomach - Colombia

I love Latin American food. Having lived in California, I fell hard for the bright flavors that result from the combinations of onions and garlic and tomatoes and avocados and oregano, combined with lots and lots of varieties of chilies. The ingredients are familiar to an Indian palate yet their distinct application results in a flavor very different from the Indian cuisine that I grew up with. I visited Puerto Rico recently and that food solidified the favored status of Latino food for me. After I tried Peru, we stayed in the South American continent and moved on to Colombia. Picking just a few dishes for this project was difficult and I have decided to go back and try some more of the recipes that I have gathered for Colombia, later. I have used this beautiful blog a lot in my research and kudos to Erica for introducing her native Colombian culture in such an amazing way.
The ingredients are easy to find and the dishes taste as good as they look. Enjoy!!

Fried plantains - Platanitos.

Every South American country has its version of these delectable chips. These chips are twice fried and hence have a dense center yet crispy exterior. Cut the plantains on a bias so that when the chips are flattened after the first frying, they get long and thin, perfect for scooping the spicy aji or hogao sauce.

 Ingredients:

3 semi ripe plantains, peeled and cut on a bias into 1 inch ovals

Canola oil for frying

Bowl of cold water

Salt

Fill a wrought iron skillet 1 -2 inch deep with canola oil and heat. Peel and slice the plantains on a bias. Fry the slices, in small batches in a single layer, without crowding. Fry for 2-3 minutes till golden. Do not fry till brown!

Take the slices out and drain on a paper towel, dip in a bowl of cold water for a few seconds and drain again on paper towel. Place on a smoot surface, cover with a plastic wrap and press down with a mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan. Fry these flattened slices in hot oil till golden brown. Take them out, drain on paper towels and season with salt while warm. Serve with hogao or Colombian aji made with jalapeno peppers.

Hogao

A traditional Colombian sauce, this can be used with any dish as a dipping sauce or a condiment. I stored some in the refrigerator and it was good even after 7 days. A variation of this can be made by adding chili powder or chili flakes to add a little heat.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)
2 cups fresh chopped tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tbsp canola oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the tomatoes, scallions, garlic, ground cumin and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring until softened.

2. Reduce the heat to low, add the salt, pepper and cilantro, cook for 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened. Check and adjust the seasoning

Colombian Aji with jalapeno

10 jalapeno peppers, seeded

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

 1 1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 cup chopped cilantro

2 tsp salt                                         

Blend all the ingredients well until smooth. Serve cold.

Arepas

The first time I ate Arepas was when a dear friend from Venezuela made them for me. At the time it seemed a lot of work and I remember her cooking them in the oven. This recipe is easy.  If you have any experience making tortillas or roti, this will be a natural progression. The areapas however, do not taste like either of them. The cornmeal makes an earthy bread that is rich and grounded at the same time. Lightly brush with butter as soon they are done and serve warm.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup pre-cooked cornmeal or arepa flour
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup queso blanco, grated
2 tbsp butter
Salt to taste

Makes 6 arepas.

Combine the cornmeal, warm water, cheese, 1 tbsp butter and salt, mixing thoroughly. Let mixture stand for five minutes. Knead with your hands for about 3 minutes moistening your hands with water as you work.

Form small balls with the dough. Place each ball between 2 plastic bags and with a flat pot cover flatten to ¼ inch. Or flatten them on the palms of your hands after you oil them. Add the butter to a nonstick pan over medium heat. Place the arepas in the pan, and cook about 3 minutes on each side, until a crust forms or they are golden brown.

Bistec a la criolla - Steak in creole sauce

Ingredients

2 pounds skirt steak, trimmed and cut into 4-6 equal portions
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp.  ground mustard
1 tbsp.  ground cumin
Salt and black pepper
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 cups hogao (creole sauce)

 Place the steaks between sheets of wax paper, then pound until each steak is about ¼ inch thick.

Place the pounded steaks in a zip lock plastic bag. Add the mustard, cumin, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper.

Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight making sure that the steaks are evenly covered. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Place the steaks into the skillet and cook for 3 minutes per side.

Add the hogao, cover and cook for 7 minutes more.