It is known by the name of Hallaca, it is part of the Venezuelan Culture, in December it is customary to prepare them, and to eat them in company of family and friends, but what is the Hallaca, it is a plate wrapped in banana leaves, based on corn flour, flavored with a rich broth of chicken, and painted with onoto and achiote, this mass is filled with Pork, Beef and Chicken . Legend has it that this dish originated in the Colonial era, the Colonizers were looking for the best way to improve the pre-Columbian dishes that existed in the country, because the Indians ate a kind of tamale or corn-based bun, but this was consumed without anything else, so the Europeans decided to add new ingredients to this interesting dish, and Hallaca was born.
Such creation helped to improve the palate of the Spanish in America, however there are many stories that arise about the origin of this delicious dish, some say that the Slaves were the creators of so much desired preparation, the leftovers that were thrown away by the great families and their slavers, They decided to create a new dish gathering all the ingredients that they managed to obtain, the case is that this dish represents flavors, and ingredients of the world, for that reason the great Venezuelan writer and politician, Arturo Uslar Pietri dedicated these words to him; "In it they are: the raisin and the olive of the Romans and Greeks, the caper and the almond of the Arabs, the meat of the cattle of the captains of Castile, the corn and the leaf of the banana tree of the Indians". This exquisite dish is present in many countries today, due to the migrating population of Venezuelans, who take with them their culture and gastronomy, everyone who has the opportunity to taste the Hallacas, is captivated and wants to eat more. According to some rumors, the name Hallaca, means; "There (referring to the components of the stew that come from other countries) and Here (referring to the dough and banana leaves)". That is why the name Hallaca was born, no doubt it was improved, but these are only rumors, there are no exact data, where the name of this great dish comes from, we hope you enjoy the recipe and you will be encouraged to make it with your family, you will not regret it.
Ingredients for the preparation of the Stew:
2 large chickens.
3 kg. of beef.
3kg. of pork.
1 kg. of onions chopped in cubes.
400 gr. of finely chopped garlic.
200 gr. of finely chopped chives.
¾ cup peeled and crushed garlic cloves
1 kg. of paprika without seeds and in thin strips.
1 kg. of paprika without seeds and in fine strips.
½ cup of capers.
½ cup of raisins.
1 cup of red wine.
1 ½ cup of lard.
1 ½ cup of vegetable oil
400 gr. Of Onoto (Achiote)
8 Kg banana leaves
Salt to taste
Cumin to taste
Marinade to taste
6 rolls of wick
A packet of salt
Black pepper
Steps for the preparation of the Stew:
Wash meats very well and remove excess fat
Then the pork and beef are cut into medium sized cubes, left to macerate from one day to the next, seasoned with marinade and cumin to taste.
Reserve the broths that result from the cooking of the chicken.
Separately, in a large pot, sauté onion, garlic porro, scallion and garlic, and fry for 5 minutes.
Add the paprika, sweet bell pepper and 2 cups of broth.
Let it cook for a few more minutes.
Incorporate the meats, and add the rest of the ingredients
Cook the stew for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, with care to prevent it from falling apart.
Cook the stew until it thickens and leave it to rest covered with a cloth from one day to the next.
Ingredients for the dough:
5 packs of corn flour
1 cup of lard
Important:
In a frying pan put the lard and the onoto (Achiote) turn off when boiling otherwise it will have an unpleasant bitter taste and we don't want that. The result is that color and delicious flavor that the dough will have for our hallacas.
Steps for the preparation of the dough:
In a large cup place 2 packages of flour, salt to taste, knead the corn flour with the butter. And so on until you finish the flour and the stew.
Form balls with your hands of approximately 5 or 7 cm.
Steps for the Preparation of the Hallaca
Clean and dry the leaves correctly.
In the center, place a ball of dough and crush it strongly, until the dough is very thin, about 1 to 2 millimeters thick, uniform and in the shape of a circle.
Then, pour in the center of the dough 2 ½ spoonfuls of the already cold stew.
On top, place the decorations evenly distributed: 2 strips of paprika, 2 olives and 6 raisins; the amount depends on the taste.
You can also add pickles, bacon or ham, (optional).
To wrap them, fold the sides successively and then the two ends inwards.
Wrap the large sheet first, then the smaller sheet as a waterproof wrap.
Tighten carefully and tie with a wick, crossing it 3 times in each direction. Always finish in the center to make the tie more secure.
Finally, in a pot of boiling water and salt, place the hallacas.
Let them cook for 1 hour.
Remove from water and let them drain.
Serve hot.
Once cold, refrigerate the hallacas that are not consumed, so they can be kept in good condition for up to 4 weeks.
Practical Advice:
Chop up the banana leaves by removing the thick nerve, then cut them into 30 x 40 cm rectangles and smaller ones of 20 x 25 cm for the protective cover. Then wash and rinse them very well, dry them with a cloth.
And for the bean paint, put a cup of oil in a pot and add the bean. Let it boil until it has a dark caramel color, then turn it off. Strain this reddish oil to eliminate the onoto grains, and let it cool.
Today the Hallaca has been internationalized, thanks to the majority of Venezuelans who make life in many countries of the world, it is a dish loaded with emotion, love, affection, flavor and many varieties, to taste it, is to forget about any diet, and to ask for another Hallaquita to continue with the party, in spite of the problems that today Venezuela presents, this dish represents us and will unite us wherever we are. It is worth noting that many believe that the Hallacas are the same as the Tamales, but there is a lot of difference, the Tamales are mostly "Sweet", the Hallaca is clearly "Salty", it is always stuffed, different meats, both beef and pork, and can not miss the Chicken or Chicken, and is wrapped in banana leaves, unlike the famous Tamales. We hope you have enjoyed such a special Post, and dare to prepare such an exquisite dish someday.
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Written Sources
This text was translated from Spanish to English thanks to the translator Deepl.
Thanks for the quick recipe