Where Have These Four Venezuelan Dishes Gone?

If it was not already obvious from previous posts, the economic crisis in Venezuela has greatly affected all aspects of the Venezuelan life. Venezuelan cuisine is no exception to this.

One of the main ingredients in virtually every traditional Venezuelan dish is the pre-cooked white corn flour that is better known in Venezuela as Harina PAN, which is the name of the most popular brand of this staple. Due to recent shortages and the almost 218% increase in corn prices (yes, you read that right), this product has become almost impossible to find in the supermarkets of Venezuela. For now, Venezuelans will have to live with the reality of a Venezuela without Harina PAN. For those that are curious about some of these dishes, I am including four of the most popular Venezuelan dishes made with Harina PAN.



1. Arepas: These are traditional corn cakes. These salty cakes can be accompanied with butter, cheese, black beans, shredded meat, shredded chicken, etc. Arepas can be fried, grilled, or baked. Due to its versatility, arepas are consumed for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. 
2. Bollitos: This is a go-to food when one is pressed for time. Unlike with arepas, bollitos consist of boiling the corn-flour dough. Bollitos are traditionally served during breakfast time with scrambled eggs and shredded cheese.  
3. Hallacas: These are very similar to the Mexican tamales with the exception that they are prepared with Harina PAN. Since this popular Venezuelan dish usually requires a very long prep time and consist of many ingredients, this dish is mainly prepared during Christmas time. 
4. Empanadas: You can think of these as hot pockets or calzones made with Harina PAN. As with arepas, these can be filled with virtually any leftovers from last nights dinner, but Venezuelans especially like them with cheese and  shredded chicken. They are usually served as appetizers, but can also be served for dinner depending on the filling. 



Arepas



Bollitos



Hallacas

Empanadas
 

 

These dishes were very inexpensive and fulfilling options for the working class people of the country. One could only hope that these items can once again be enjoyed by all Venezuelans in the near future.