Cachapa
Cachapa: Venezuelan Corn Pancake
Discovering new dishes from different parts of the world can be really exciting. Food is a way to connect and learn about new things. Today, we’re going to discover a traditional Venezuelan dish, the Cachapa.
The first time I heard of it was from a Venezuelan friend that I met on an online platform back in 2009. I had bought some fresh corn and I wanted to try something new. So, Christy told me about this Venezuelan dish.
Cachapas are pancakes made of freshly grated corn and some corn flour. In Venezuela, they have a special cornmeal for this. Cachapas can be made either as a sweet dish (with sugar) or as a savory dish.
In Venezuela, Cachapas are a common street food and you can find food stalls and can be served for breakfast or as a main meal. For breakfast, sweet Cachapas are served with a Venezuelan cheese known as queso de mano (handmade cheese). Savory Cachapas are usually served with roasted meat and queso de mano. In fact, Cachapas can be served with anything.
I decided to have mine with a slice of mozzarella since we do not have the special queso de mano here. Cachapas are very thick and filling but so delicious. I could taste the corn which is the main ingredient. This is a dish that I will make whenever I can find fresh corn at the market.
Ingredients for savory Cachapas
- 3 fresh Corn( grated)
- 1/2 cup cornmeal ( rinse and soak for 30 mins)
- 1tbsp Milk powder
- 1/2 cup whole purpose flour
- Salt to taste.
Preparation
- In a blender, blend the grated fresh corn, soaked corn meal with the water, and milk.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the all purpose flour and mix well.
- Add enough water to get a thick pancake batter consistency. Add salt.
- Let the mixture rest for at least 15 minutes.
- Put a pan on a low-medium heat and add some butter. Using a ladle, start to cook the Cachapas as you would cook pancakes. Let the mixture dry before flipping the Cachapa. Cachapas usually take around 3-4 minutes to cook.
- Serve with the filling of your choice.