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Hallacas are Venezuelan sweets made with meat or vegetables and a ground corn wrapper, similar to empanadas or tamales. They have European, African, and South American influences and are traditionally eaten at Christmas. The preparation is complex and includes herbs and spices. They can be filled with beef, chicken, pork, or vegetables, and are commonly served with a milky alcoholic drink called ponche.
Hallacas are tasty Venezuelan sweets made with meat or vegetables that surround a ground corn dough wrapper. They are quite similar to Spanish empanadas or Mexican tamales. There are varying stories about the origins of the dish, although it is generally accepted to include influences from European, African and South American cultures. Included are several types of herbs and spices native to all three continents. The preparation of hallacas is complex, these desserts are commonly part of Christmas celebrations.
Allaca is almost identical to tamale. Both dishes have a wrapper of ground corn or masa, filled with meat, vegetables, or both. Hallacas and tamales can be boiled or steamed in banana leaves, although tamales are often steamed in corn husks. Some sources do not acknowledge a difference between the two dishes, while some cite minor differences regarding fillings or size differences.
One theory suggests that hallaca was invented by Spanish settlers in Venezuela who craved the empanadas they ate at home. Not having all the necessary ingredients, nor the iron molds required to form the distinct shape of an empanadas, the invention of the hallaca may have resulted. As similar as these dishes may be, hallacas feature a more complex concoction surrounded by a ground corn wrapper.
Beef, chicken, pork and vegetables can be used to fill hallacas. Featuring Spanish and African influences, spices can include cumin, coriander, black pepper, and achiote (also known as annato seed). Herbs can include thyme, parsley and coriander. Garlic, leeks, and onions are common, as are chili peppers or chili sauces. Most hallacas include olives, although capers or other pickled and pickled vegetables can be used in addition or as a substitute. Some recipes also include raisins, nuts or boiled eggs.
Preparing hallacas requires many steps. A typical recipe begins with a stew made with meat, vegetables, and spices, which is usually set aside overnight. The next day the paste is prepared and the banana leaves are washed and greased with butter. The dough is spread over each banana leaf, which then encloses the stew filling. The pastries are then cooked in boiling water for about an hour, removed from their leaves, and then served.
Venezuelan citizens of all socioeconomic lines enjoy preparing and eating allacas. These dishes are traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve. In some regions, they are enjoyed with a milky alcoholic drink called ponche.
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