Raymon Kim's Venezuelan Arepa

Cooking tips 💡

• Since cornmeal dough lacks gluten, it doesn’t have the same stickiness as wheat flour. Lightly wetting your hands during shaping helps prevent sticking.
• If the dough is too thick, heat won’t penetrate the center during cooking, so keep the thickness even and flatten the dough properly.
• Avoid using too much oil—excess oil can cause the dough to absorb grease instead of crisping. Use just enough to lightly coat the pan.
• Fresh mozzarella cheese works excellently as a substitute for the traditional Venezuelan 'queso de mano'—it’s widely available and melts beautifully.