Description
Coconut Arepas are fried breads made with coconut milk and white flour. They have have an outer crispy golden crust with a soft dough inside. The Coconut Arepas can be served as a snack with a cup of Puerto Rican coffee or served as a side dish to accompany your main course. They can also be stuffed with your favorite filling (meat, fish or cheese with guava paste) since a pocket is created in the middle.
Scale
Ingredients
- 2 cups of pre-sifted all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon lite salt
- 1 tablespoon of baking powder
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 cup Coconut Milk*
Instructions
- In a bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Pour small amounts of coconut milk into dough mixture and stir with a spoon.
- With your hands, mix dough (add more coconut milk if necessary) until there is no longer any excess dough on the sides and bottom of mixing bowl.
- Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Shape into a ball and place in a bowl. Cover bowl with kitchen towel or plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
- Roll out dough into ⅛-inch thickness. Cut dough into 3 to 4-inch circles.
- Place each circle on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll out any leftover dough and cut into circles.
- In a skillet, heat 2 to 3 cups of cooking oil to 365°F. Add the coconut arepas and fry until golden on both sides, flipping them to the other side. Once the dough comes into contact with the heated oil, the dough will start to puff up and create air pockets.
- Place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excessive oil.
- Serve warm with a cup of coffee or as a side dish with your main course. They can also be split in half and stuffed with your favorite meat, fish, or cheese with guava paste.
Notes
Depending on the flour and room temperature, you might need ¾ cup to 1 cup of coconut milk.
The dough should be smooth and moist, but not too dry or sticky.
The prep time includes 30 minutes of rest time.
- Category: Breads
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican