The origin of the Hallaca dates back to colonial times. It is said that the Indians prepared a wild game stew, which was covered in its entirety with corn dough and was wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in water, the aborigines called this dish Hayaco Iritari, from there it derives its current name.
Other versions say that the word "Hallaca" comes from the guaraní and derives from the word "ayúa" or "ayuar" which means to mix or stir, from these words it is presumed that "ayuaca" is a mixed thing, that due to linguistic deformation happened to called "ayaca". A version more presumes that the word comes from some aboriginal language of the west of the country, whose meaning is "wrapping" or "bojote".
In the month of December when the Christmas holidays overflow with the joy of the Venezuelan, the hallaca is an important part of the celebration, they are exchanged, they are given away, they are sold ... in short, in the Christmas parties for the Venezuelan the can not miss so recognized hallaca.
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 hallacas
Ingredients for 50 hallacas
Stew
1 Kg. Of finely chopped pork leg
2 Kg. Of finely chopped beef
2 Kg. 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. 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
400 grs. of stuffed olives
½ Kg. Raisins
Optional: pickled pickles, almonds without shell
Leaves
50 pieces of banana leaves about 30x30 cm.
50 pieces of banana leaves about 20x20 cm.
50 strips of banana leaves about 15x20 cm.
1 roll of wick
Dough
2 ½ packets of corn flour
5 cups of cocoa butter
3 cups of chicken broth
2 cups of water
Salt
Onoto sedes
Preparation
Start the first day making the stew, let it rest and reserve, the next day prepare the dough and the ornaments to assemble the hallacas.
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 reserve 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 uncoloured (3 cups), add the salt and add everything well, add 3 cups of broth chicken and knead again until a soft dough is obtained.
Arrange all the ornaments in a large counter, the leaves are removed the thick vein that brings to the shore and washed very well, dried with a cloth and arranged in the inn, place the dough and stew so that they are at your fingertips and surrender to the art of making hallacas, do not rush, take your time, practice will make you a teacher.
The preparation and cooking of hallacas
Arrange all the ornaments in a large counter, the leaves are removed the thick vein that brings to the shore and washed very well, dried with a cloth and arranged in the inn, place the dough and stew so that they are at your fingertips and surrender to the art of making hallacas, do not rush, take your time, practice will make you 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.