Gluten is also used to help other naturally non-glutinous foods maintain a specific shape or texture. For example, it’s added to lots of soups, sauces and seasonings, such as soy sauce and gravy, to make them creamier or thicker. Basically, there are a lot of foods I cannot eat, and I have to be really careful so I don’t get sick.
Luckily, eating gluten-free isn’t too difficult here because corn flour is very common instead of typical harina de trigo, wheat flour. Two of the most popular and easy-to-find foods in Colombia are two (usually) corn flour snacks called arepas and empanadas. You’ll see them on every street corner, in various shapes and sizes, with lots of flavors and sauces. However, it can be tricky with street vendors because sometimes I’ll ask them, “Es harina de maíz o trigo?” (Is it wheat or corn flour?), and they might just guess because they don’t know and want to make a sale. Usually, I can tell from looking, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, so I often pass on empanadas, which can sometimes be a mixture of wheat and corn. The cool thing about arepas, though, is that they’re almost always corn flour, and there are tons of varieties depending on what region of Colombia you’re in. For example, a typical arepa you find in Bogotá might come in the size and shape of a tortilla, sliced in half and filled with shredded cheese, chicken or both. Meanwhile, in the plains of Villavicencio, I had arepas shaped like doughy buns, filled with melted cheese. The different regions all, of course, like to claim that their arepa is the best.
Arepas and empanadas are snack foods you might grab on a break from work or on your way somewhere else.
