Add the water in slowly to the arepa flour. You can stop adding the water when you feel the dough is properly hydrated. You may find you need more or less water depending on various environmental factors.

What to look for with your dough. You can test a small piece of your dough by rolling it into a ball and then lightly flattening it with your finger. If the dough is showing a lot of cracking or crumbling, it needs more water. If the dough is really sticky, you need to add more cornmeal. Add small amounts of either while mixing until a play-doh consistency is reached.

Swap the arepas for bread. Don’t feel like making arepas? Pile the filling up on your favorite slice of toasted bread.

Arepas can be made ahead of time. Shape the arepa into disks and place a small sheet of parchment between each disk in a stack. Wrap the stack in plastic wrap then store in an airtight container. Place the container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Cook as instructed.

Taste before you mix. My biggest tip for cooking is to taste as you go along with the recipe. If something is tasting bland, add a little more salt to help bring out those flavors. If something tastes flat, add a splash of vinegar or citrus to liven up your filling. This is especially true when making sauces as this will be the main flavoring component for your tofu salad. Make it bold and flavorful!