GitLab Gente TMRG, 23 Sep 2022

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From YouTube: GitLab Gente TMRG - Arepas tutorial

Description

The Gente TMRG (formerly Latinx) making Arepas with special guest Wren as part of GitLabs Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration.

Arepas Notes Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1snCvH2zubxNlXs_gFnbeZj6xl5OrS7NbUuw9b0oJWdM/edit
Celebration Guide Issue: https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/latinx-tmrg/-/issues/64

A

Okay, so good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you're coming in from thank you so much for tuning in today uh we are going to be making arepas or just learning about them. So it's it's something that I grew up eating, so I was born in the United States, but my family is from Colombia South America, not South Carolina, because yes, people ask me sometimes- and so this is something that we very frequently had for breakfast.

A

um It's something that's really fun to make with my kids. So we went ahead and hopped in the kitchen this weekend uh with my daughter, Ren and we're going to go ahead and take a look at how that went. Disclaimer I am not a uh official uh Smee subject matter: expert on arepas I just know: they're delicious I enjoy eating them, I enjoy making them.

A

So there's a lot of different ways to make it it's one of the like oldest most traditional dishes in Latin, America, Colombia and Venezuela are kind of the two major places that really really get after it without it bus so um so yeah. So we're going to take a look at how my family makes that at best at home and if you all have questions feel free to drop them in the chat or verbalize them very casual. Very informal, and here we go.

A

And I'll be making them also, you can never have too many Enterprise today.

B

I don't know if I can't hear anything, but I can hear.

C

It either I.

D

Was just gonna ask we lost audio okay.

A

Let's see you know what maybe yeah I needed myself to try and make sure you could hear that. Oh, but you know what let me go ahead and just leave the mute off. Hopefully, hopefully it won't be too crazy.

E

A

Right here we go. Oh my gosh The Experience. Thank you for saying something.

A

Today we are going to teach everyone how to make areas so I know this is something that's a pretty big Staple in Latin American Cuisine. We just spent three weeks in. Do you remember where we went to see all our cousins Colombia that's right and we can pretty much confirm that they are available at pretty much every meal. You.

E

A

To the grocery store, you can find them in the refrigerated section, there's all sorts of different versions. The kind we make at home is super easy. uh All you need are really like, I would say two and a half ingredients.

A

This is the one that you probably have to buy. It's, uh let's see what is this called pre-cooked white cornmeal? This is the brand that we use.

A

You can pick it up at Walmart or Target or um any International store that might be around some salt, some water and then, when you actually make them uh like a canola oil, so it doesn't stick to the pan, but I use butter because I like lattes, so okay, it's very easy to make and that's why red is here because she helps me make some all the time and that my kids actually eat it, which is a bonus. So oh I, didn't even have you introduce yourself? What's your name.

E

When yeah, how.

A

Old, are you five? That's right. Your birthday was like three weeks ago. So we're a brand new five and.

E

It was until August.

A

In August the very end of all the box, it was pretty beautiful. Are you ready to make help me make Oedipus.

E

And I want to Sweet and Sass.

A

We went to Sweet and sauce and that's correct. That is a salon for small girls. If anyone is interested in a really fun birthday party: okay, um first things: first, if you bought this, you actually have the recipe right on the back. How convenient so, let's put our water in our Bowl we're gonna: do it should I? Do it I.

E

Can do it all of it all.

A

E

A

Two and a half cups, easy cheesy. Now.

E

A

Right I like to put in the salt mixed and it's sweat, one teaspoon one teaspoon do some mixing.

E

A

Okay, now you know what go ahead and keep on mixing and then I'll start pouring. What do you think.

E

A

Do you want to put on the almonds.

E

A

Alcohol, okay, do it nice and slow okay.

A

So this is two cups of our um three cups white cornmeal, it's gluten-free by the way, if you're into that sort of thing, I like to add it in kind of little by little, you get all the lumps out as we go.

A

In my household we had pretty traditional roles growing up and my mom did pretty much all the cooking, but, and it was with something that my dad okay.

A

E

Let's take a look at this okay.

A

um Mix it up mix it up, it will come to have the texture of maybe something like a Play-Doh.

A

It's on this side too, and mix on this side too great idea.

A

Oh you're, absolutely right go ahead, it's a little bit thick now, so oh okay, I'm gonna, take a little extra muscle um if it feels too gushy. I'll just add a little bit more of this lovely cornmeal.

A

If it's feeling a little too dry water that'll help you out, but this looks pretty darn perfect.

A

The first time I made Oedipus. It was a hot sticky mess and I thought this is impossible, but the more you do it the easier it becomes. As you can see, it's kind of weirdoing how we describe it.

E

But don't make it into a pancake or it's gonna turn into a pinky.

A

Yeah, we certainly don't want to make it into a pancake and.

E

A

Can found it? Yes, so that's something that the kids enjoy doing in the morning they like to help by.

E

uh Like put them in my hands that.

A

Sounds like a great idea: okay,.

E

A

E

You forgot some.

A

Of this now, the instructions on the um package are very specific about the number that you can make, but we just kind of wing it. Yes, it doesn't have to be a specific number. You just have to roll them up into balls.

A

That's really easy mommy, it sure is ready what let's get after it. You want to reach in there.

A

We go the size of a half a palm. You know what honestly people make them all different sizes, I've seen ginormous ones, I've seen cute little fat ones. It's all about what you like. This is usually the size that ours end up being because um you know they just just kind of standard size.

A

Yes, looks good, oh funny, a little sticky. huh The package suggests letting it rest you can I. Cannot you can throw it on the page that could make it a little firmer and easier to handle um a little too flat, well feel free to roll it back up and try again: okay, I'm gonna go get the pan ready.

E

D

All right, let's do this I'm.

A

Gonna make some more of this. We are gonna, make some more out of us, so here's a pan, any pan will do regular frying. Pan, perfect, um normally can roll up. One is what is used preferred but I really like how butter tastes so I use butter just to grease the pan.

E

A

Reason why butter normally isn't used because it has like a lower burning temperature but yeah butter, tastes, delicious mommy.

E

Loves butter and so do I it's very. It will be like better than.

A

This household, but again, if you're, Dairy, freezing yeah go for it do some canola um other things you can actually add to I, don't like, because it's supposed to melt it's supposed to melt. That's actually very true. Thanks for for putting our minds at ease, um like sometimes I'll put flaxseed in here for the kids get a little extra nutrition.

A

um Oh yeah! We don't need black seed right now, Mommy I, don't.

E

A

How about you roll your own? Can you step down one though oh.

E

You don't tumble over. Please is this enough.

A

Go ahead and take a step down. Thank.

C

A

Yes, that's enough! Go ahead.

E

It's like how you did it. Yes,.

A

That's how I did it again? You can wait for the pan to get hotter, but sometimes I'm a little patient. I just go for it foreign, but as I was saying you can add other stuff to the jar you can get creative if you're into it sometimes I had Greek yogurt for some protein. My mom sometimes likes to put like different cheeses in there like parmesan. Oh thank you so much. This looks beautiful.

A

um So yeah you can totally get creative with it. uh The other option is, of course, after these are cooked. You slice them open like a pita, and you fill them with delicious things like shredded chicken shredded beef, pork or cheese.

A

We love cheese in this house.

A

So beautiful and you can share yes, that's very true. We are big on sharing in this household and it's fun to make different sizes too, because we have, let's see you have a couple Brothers, don't you yeah.

E

And look at each other when you like, sharing.

A

That's true: the two-year-old Luca is not a big share, but all that to say sometimes the bigger one likes bigger arepas and the smaller one enjoys the smaller size. Oh, my wonderful. Thank you.

A

Thank you, that's good, so we can make all sorts of different sizes correct.

E

Like that, you don't enjoy.

A

But the tree is full. Now: okay, wipe my hands.

A

Oh and we'll see.

E

How it's going.

E

I need to dry my hair, that's true! Yeah you're gonna take the store over there.

A

True story: when you get messy, you can wash your hands words of wisdom from Red.

A

um The instructions say: five minutes per side. You like to play it fast and loose.

A

All right, how are my uh my folks that are cooking it up as how's it going over there? You all look very official.

C

Good okay: it was the thing I added too much water in it. So I'm gonna have to firm it up a little bit, but.

A

It's all right, oh yeah. That was definitely me my first time. Oh look at that beautiful dough, gorgeous.

B

I'm doing a shredded chicken, so we can mix it in, but this is. This is done, we're ready for the pan to heat up and while that we're shredding chicken awesome.

A

Thank you. Are you gonna slice them vertically to put the meat in or would you me.

A

Usually, on the narrow end: yes, so if it's, if the head up is like this, like a sandwich, you'd slice it right in the middle we we do so much he's filling very fancy in this household towards the end, so you will get the full-on demonstration all right here. We go good question, keep them coming our very basic Mehia, Cashman version.

A

You'll see It'll get kind of crispy.

A

I, like just squish them down a little bit because at the end of the day, you're gonna end up with a nice crispy outside and then soft warm inside.

E

A

Okay, so what we enjoy doing, we actually like to put cheese on top, we'll let it mix all the rest of the item is good. It.

E

Makes senseless be.

A

Careful so you don't burn yourself, that's correct! Thank you. Ben.

E

A

We got some uh in our imperfect box this week, so I'm gonna go ahead and see what happens when I put that on there, but then normally the plain, yellow cheddar is what my kids prefer. Yeah mozzarella is a very common one. Queso blanco is a very common one.

E

And you know it's 23. Mommy.

E

A

Cheese melting on these, they look pretty good, they're nice. What's that.

E

A

You want to see the question too. All right, don't worry, we're coming over right now, okay, looks pretty good, I think we're ready to sample them.

E

um We get a glass of cheese, see it's this phone and don't forget, you can't eat it. You put it on the bus.

A

Stop all right, so we got our adepas. We have some that we have decorated with oodles and cheese on top. Yes, because we really like household, um but now we have some plain ones too. Like I said you can get very creative with what's actually inside of them and.

E

A

Open it up, though, we don't normally do this, but it is one of the nice easy things to do. We're still hot springs.

E

A

Really hot you can still have steam floating up. Well, maybe they can't see it but go ahead and put some cheese in there.

E

A

Don't want to drop it in there. It's gonna get really basically go ahead, cheese, it up more cheese. Whatever words can I be so cheesy no need to be shy. You can put more in there.

A

Okay, wonderful, like close it up, just let it sit there.

E

A

And you can do this as you're cooking them too, like when the dough is still raw or whatever um you are welcome to just make a little careful, it's hot I think a little uh oh yeah I, don't know if you can see the steam.

E

A

Really huh yeah.

E

A

Because it's really fun yeah. Well, maybe that's a steam! Oh.

A

Do you think that's enough cheese put more cheese in there? Okay, we should probably pour shoes in there all right. Oh my gosh. There you go okay.

A

E

When I leave all the cheese but a little time.

A

So yeah well yeah I! Guess we don't want to use all the cheese in the household that would maybe be a little bit excessive yeah there you go so you've got cheese on top you've got. This will melt up very soon and be delicious. You can bite into it, it'll be all cheesy um and, like I said you can put protein in here or you can just enjoy your plain butter right with some scrambled eggs. It's my favorite! It's like! Instead of toast.

E

A

E

A

This is the best I agree, mommy.

E

But we can do black eggs, Flags.

A

E

E

A

Eggs still like hard-boiled eggs, yes,.

E

You're gonna do hard boiled eggs.

A

Or they are part of the banderasa which comes with meat and.

E

E

A

Say a word am I uh cramping yourself. This looks pretty melty I'm a little impatient. Should we take a bite um because you want to eat I should ask? Should we save any furry value in the boys.

A

Is it does it feel too hot, or do you think it's gonna be okay, I, don't see? Why not should we try them see if they're any good? Yes,.

E

And don't forget, the cheese is supposed to be in the meal. Yes,.

A

It's an integral part of how we eat our arepas in our house all right girlfriend. Let's do this.

A

Oh, my goodness, yep always good and you can save them easily, throw them in a Ziploc, throw them in the fridge toss them in the toaster oven for impromptu snacks. You can even take them to soccer practice. That's what we do sometimes yeah. When we get snacking, we have something to eat anything else. I think we covered it all.

A

Did you like making out at this was that fun.

E

A

What's your favorite part of making other bus.

E

My favorite part is making cheese and then David caught a baking list like me and Mommy is being together now.

A

I agree: that's my favorite part too.

E

Hi, everyone have a good day.

A

All right, so that was our little version of uh of arepas in our household um and yeah. It's a lot of fun, I'm.

D

Almost crying here at the end.

F

You couldn't uh have ended any better I.

A

Know and I have to tell you that was 100. Unscripted I was like. Oh man, that's right. This is kind up. This Friday and I was like get in the kitchen run. We're doing this. The.

D

Rain is just too cute. Congratulations and thanks for sharing that.

C

With us, thank you so much.

A

Absolutely absolutely how's, oh Chris is still over there doing his Oedipus Leo. You look like a pro in the kitchen, I gotta say so.

B

Thank you. Thank you. It's perfect time. It's like lunch time. You know shredded chicken, perfect yeah.

A

My plan is to have these uh ready to go for the morning and probably for a soccer game tomorrow. So we do in fact maybe eat a little too much cheese in this household, but uh Hey kids, love, cheese.

A

I agree, but uh watching that back I was like wow, we really talk about Dairy quite a bit. Don't we the butter and the cheese I'm sure the purists would be furious, but again there's no wrong. Looking at it. By in my book, I have a.

D

Question yeah so in Mexico it's hard to find like the equivalent of like U.S cornmeal, there's like all different flowers, flower for tamales for tortillas and whatnot, so I'm just trying to figure out which one would be the closest match. I think I saw that Chris is using my second but I wanted to see what he's? What kind is it for Tamales or for tortillas.

C

Yeah, that's for uh at the moment.

D

Tamales and it worked that worked just fine.

C

uh We're gonna see: uh okay, the part of San Diego that I'm in is not the most Hispanic part of San Diego, so you did.

D

C

uh Right thanks, sorry, okay,.

A

And you know again, this was like an indigenous meal originally, so if you really want to get Brave with it, there are ways to make it without having to find you know one of these packages that involve you know, corn and eggs, um so I'll find that recipe and I'll drop it in the note stock as well.

F

Cool thanks, yeah yeah, you know, what's also really interesting, is my. My best friend is Venezuelan and um she makes arepas as well and they're they're slightly different right. So, but the concept is still the same, so um I'm gonna have to make these and and challenge her on hers and see which ones are better.

A

You go yeah, there's so many different ways that people make them the links in the notes, doc kind of point out some of them there's like sweeter versions.

A

um There's you know versions that are a full meal versus a side, but yeah we ate a lot of adepas on our trip. I was like they really are here. 24, 7 and I am here for it. So awesome thank.

F

You for sharing yeah.

A

Any other questions thoughts, comments, one.

D

More question: people are sorry I I love the idea of trying to put the cheese in before you cook. It um would would you recommend increasing the cook time if you stuff it with cheese or is five minutes per side still? Okay, it.

A

Should still be fine, it'll melt, okay, they're, just fine I know we'd like to do it on top, because my children are very visual creatures and um also it's a little less sticky for them to handle. They just put it on top, but normally it's in the middle again. I hope the purists don't come after me, but.

D

It I love this and I'm going to do this with my kids this weekend, you inspired me. It looks like such a fun project to do with them really great video I loved it yeah.

A

No thank you. The boys like partaking too, but the little one was napping and the big one was video gaming. So you know we just took it to the kitchen us girls.

B

So, who, who knows how many types of arepas are there there's different names? So there's, obviously the the just the general Venezuelan slash, there's also the Colombian version, but there's a also uh in Colombia yeah. There's a are chocolate which is the more more corn like actual it's just very just cooked corn, and you make it into arepa. It's delicious.

B

The Venezuelans have a similar version of uh are pachoklo, uh which is cachapas, which is just a Lego like a lot larger, um and then you have cheese uh in the middle yeah. There's a whole bunch. um There's the the one with like the the raw corn, it's from Venezuela. Also uh what else uh yeah.

A

I was looking at the Wikipedia and they were like. There are 75 different kinds. Just within Colombia and I was like. Oh my gosh. This.

C

A

That accurate but I, wouldn't doubt it just because again it's uh you can get really flexible with it. Yeah.

B

In Venezuela they also have a name depending on what you put inside of it. So there's the pelua like Harry it's uh and that was a shredded beef, um then there's a katira which stands for like blonde and that one is with Gouda cheese, just filled with Gouda cheese.

B

There's the someone with an avocado um I forgot, the name um there's just one where you mix chicken and avocado. uh That was pretty pretty famous to and there's a whole bunch. Oh yeah, definitely.

A

Make it your own I'm sure you all will come up with creative alternative recipes as well and I look forward to hearing all about them, so I know we're at time. So thank you. Everyone for tuning in have an amazing rest of your Friday, have an even more awesome weekend and we'll see you around the Virtual Office bye. Everyone.