These delicious, crunchy, flaky, deep-fried Yaniqueque wonders are a must-have on a visit to Boca Chica, the popular Dominican beach.
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What is Yaniqueque, and where did it come from?
You know what? there seems to be a lot of theories and quite the disagreement. The most widely accepted theory is that it came from the British West Indies with Cocolo immigrants and that its name is a corruption of the name Johnny Cakes, a dish with which it shares very little in common.
Other equally argued-for theories exist. But I am not a food historian and I am comfortable accepting that the answers to these questions are not quite vital.
To further complicate things, this dish is known as "arepa" in some parts of the country, and "hojuela" in Samana, the North, and Northwest, where the more famous "Arepa" is known as "Torta".
Yaniqueque from Samana is something entirely different, and I won't touch upon that one here.
About our recipe
There are also several variations of the same dish throughout the island, This is the Yaniqueque Dominicano as I know it. There may be differences between regions, and even between homes, but they won't be too far from each other. If you have a different Yaniqueque recipe, I'd love to hear about it.
Buen provecho!
[Recipe + Video] Yaniqueque (Fried Crispy Johnny Cake Tortillas)
Ingredients
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon of baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ¼ cup of water
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil for the dough
- ¼ cup of flour for working the dough and sprinkling on the counter., (you might not use all)
- 2 cups of vegetable oil for frying
- ½ teaspoon of coarse sea salt for sprinkling.
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Make the dough: Mix flour with water and the oil for the dough and mix in. Work the dough on a lightly floured surface until everything is well mixed. You may need to add some flour if it is too sticky or a little bit of water if it is too dry. Don't knead the dough more than absolutely necessary to combine all the ingredients.Let dough rest for 10 min covered in plastic film.
- Roll out the dough: Divide the dough into 8 portions, and extend each with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface until it is very thin, nearly translucent. The thinner it is, the crispier it will be. If the dough is sticking, dust with flour as it becomes necessary. For better looking yaniqueques, you may cut them into perfect circles using an empanada cutter, or a cup adn knife, this is optional.Cut a couple of small slits into the dough circles two 1-inch [2.5 cm] using a paring knife. If the circles are a bit misshapen when you lift them, don't worry, that's how they look when you buy from street vendors.
- Frying the yaniqueques: Heat oil over medium-high heat (350 ºF [175 ºF]). Fry the circles of dough, turning them halfway until they turn golden brown on both sides, rest on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
- Serving: Sprinkle with sea salt to taste and serve.
I enjoy cooking, I also love varying taste. When I make my Yañiqueque I vary it by adding onion, garlic or chili powder for a little spicy kick. I also add cinnamon and and sugar when I want a little sweetness.
La receta fue muy fácil . Los niños la disfrutaron mucho y se comieron todo los yaniqueque.
The directions were very easy to follow. It was my first time making them. They carme out pretty & tasted delicious! I'll be making more!
Thank you! Satisfying cravings with childhood snacks. Yaniqueques, made following Aunt Clara's recipe, so easy to follow. The amount of ingredients and instructions listed was so precise! yielding the perfect consistency and these beautiful bubbles!
Very simple and easy to follow recipe. My kids loved making these and have already asked when I'm making them again!
Great recipe!! I didn’t read it entirely through so I added another 1/4 cup of water but they came out riquisimo 😉 mine are a little gordito but next time I’ll slim them up !
It was very easy to make, loved the simplicity and straightforward directions. In my first attempt, the shape weren’t perfect but it turned out fine and the flavour which is the most important, was amazing, reminded me of A day at the playa at Boca Chica 🏖.
I tried making this today twice. I followed directions to the t snd it didn't come out right. The dough was very dry. The amount of oil and water in the instructions doesn't seem to be enough for the flour to mix properly. What can I add additionally to mix… Read more »
Dear Aunt Clara, I would like to sincerely thank you for making all of these wonderful traditional recipes available and for representing our culture(sense of humor & hospitality) so graciously. As a Dominican and a chef, I am grateful. Keep up the great work. It would be my pleasure to… Read more »
Can these be made in an air fryer? I just bought one this week.