the hallaca

the hallaca or hayaca is a tamale, typical of Venezuela, consisting of a mass of corn

flour seasoned with chicken or chicken broth and pigmented with onoto or achiote,
 stuffed with stew of beef, pork and chicken or chicken (although there are versions
that carry fish), to which are added olives, raisins, capers, paprika and onion (can
also be made of black beans), wrapped in a It is rectangular in banana or bijao
leaves (palm similar to the banana tree, although it has a stronger texture), to
finally be tied with wick or pita and boiled in water. It is a dish that, although typical
of the Christmas season, it can be served at any time of the year.

It is also popular in Colombian cities such as Cucuta and Barranquilla, where it can
be found all year round, as well as all the Eastern Plains (Arauca, Casanare and
Meta), on the island of Curaçao and its neighboring Aruba and Bonaire, in the
Canary Islands , Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Spain and Ecuador due to migratory
influences. In these places it has been adopted as one of its traditional dishes,
especially in special times like Christmas.
The recipe for preparing hallacas is divided into three parts:

The preparation of the stew

The preparation of the dough and packaging of the leaves
The preparation and cooking of the delicacy

Stew
1 Kg. Of finely chopped pork leg
2 Kg. Of finely chopped beef
2 Kg. Of boiled and chopped hen (without bones)
½ Kg. Bacon cooked and finely chopped
1 ½ kg of onions finely chopped into cubes
½ kg of finely sliced garlic
¼ Kg. Of finely chopped scallion
¾ cup of peeled and crushed garlic
½ cup of small capers
1 Kg. Red paprika without seeds and julienne
2 Kg. Of tomato without crushed seed
1 cup raisins
¼ cup of finely chopped sweet pepper
2 cups of marsala wine
1 cup of wine vinegar
½ Kg. Of ground paper
2/3 cup corn flour
Salt
Pepper
Oil with onoto
Ornament
1 Kg. Of paprika in julienne
½ kg of bacon cooked in ½ cm strips. x 5 cm
½ Kg. Of pork in strips of ½ cm. x 5 cm
½ kg of boneless breasts in strips
½ kg of onion in rings
200 grs. of capers
Stew
Verify that the meats do not have excess fat, and are cut into small cubes, cook
each meat separately in boiling water, without softening completely, reserve the
broths .In a large cauldron sauté the onion and garlic in hot oil, until transparent,
add the garlic and scallion and let cook for about 5 minutes, add the paprika and
sweet pepper, let cook a few more minutes and add the meats, leave them that
they are incorporated and add all the other ingredient leaving of last the tomatoes
and the wine. Salt and pepper to taste. Apart dissolve the foil in water and corn
flour. You should check that the stew does not dry and add broth of chicken or
beef. Add the dissolved paper and corn flour, and stir with a wooden palette, add a
little color with oil with onoto. Let cook for about 40 minutes, until the consistency
is thick. Let rest and restore it
Mass
Hallaca Masa List The next day you can prepare the dough, the leaves and the
trimmings to build the hallacas, the dough is prepared by pouring the corn flour
into a wooden pan or a large enough container to knead it, and adding pork lard , a
part (1 cup) boiled with onoto, the butter is strained to discard the onoto, and
another uncolored (3 cups), add the salt and add everything well, add 3 cups of
broth chicken and knead again until a soft dough is obtained.
The preparation and cooking of the delicacy
Worktable HallacaDisponga all the ornaments in a large inn, the leaves are
removed the thick vein that brings to the edge and washed very well, dry with a
cloth and arranged in the inn, place the dough and the stew so that they are at
your fingertips and surrender to the art of making hallacas, do not rush, take your
time, the practice will turn you into a teacher.
Now, first take a sheet of the largest and greases it with a little bit of butter, place
in the center of the sheet a ball of dough and thin it with your fingers, creating a
symmetrical circumference, then add the stew and cold and on this place the
ornaments distributed harmoniously. Then fold over the wide part of the sheet,
creating a fold until it is closed, fold the ends inward and wrap it with the smallest
sheet, then take the sheet strip and secure the blade in the middle, tie it with a
wick by crossing it two times in each direction.
When you have several ready hallacas introduce them in a large pot with boiling
water for an hour, remove them and drain them, let them cool completely, and if
possible wait a whole day to serve them so you can better appreciate their flavor.
To heat them, put them in boiling water for 20 minutes, remove and drain them.
how do you eat it?
This dish is eaten like a traditional tamale in Colombia