TASTE OF VENEZUELAN, ITALIAN AND ARMENIAN CUISINE

cornmeal

🥗Healthier: quinoa flour

💰Cheaper: all-purpose flour

Quinoa flour adds nutrition while all-purpose flour is more accessible.

beef

🥗Healthier: turkey

💰Cheaper: chicken

Turkey is leaner, while chicken is often less expensive.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier, while margarine is budget-friendly.

black olives

🥗Healthier: green olives

💰Cheaper: canned olives

Green olives are lower in calories, while canned olives are often cheaper.

Prepare the dough by mixing cornmeal, water, butter, and salt until smooth.

Cook the dough over low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens, about 10 minutes.

Let the dough cool before rolling it out into circles.

In a separate pan, sauté chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic until fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Add diced beef, pork, and chicken to the pan, cooking until browned, about 10 minutes.

Stir in cumin, olives, capers, and raisins, cooking for another 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and let the filling cool slightly.

Lay out banana leaves and place a portion of dough in the center, flattening it.

Add a scoop of the meat filling on top of the dough.

Fold the banana leaves over the filling to form a package, securing tightly with kitchen twine.

Repeat until all dough and filling are used.

Boil a large pot of water and carefully add the hallacas, cooking for 1-2 hours.

Remove from water and let cool slightly before unwrapping.

Cooking Techniques

Spice Level:

Allergens