Quesbo Little Chefs · Around the world · Destination 02
Let curiosity lead you
to Colombia.
Cheesy maize cakes, a colourful pot of chicken and rice, and golden coconut treats. Three delicious discoveries for your next kitchen adventure.
Welcome to the second stop in Quesbo’s Cooking Adventures Around the World. Tie on your apron, find a grown-up cooking companion and bring your best questions. What makes dough soft? Why does cheese melt? How does coconut turn golden?
These gentle family adaptations are inspired by Colombian dishes. Choose one for today or explore all three over several cooking sessions. Most ingredients are familiar supermarket finds; for the arepas, look specifically for pre-cooked white maize flour for arepas, also called masarepa.
Choose your first taste
A little taste of Colombia
Colombia is in South America. Its landscapes include Caribbean shores, Andean mountains, wide eastern plains and Amazon rainforest. Bogotá, its capital, is in the Andean region. Those different landscapes are home to many communities and food traditions.
Our three discoveries begin with maize dough, continue with a colourful rice dish and finish with coconut. They offer a small taste of a much bigger food story: arepas alone come in many regional varieties, with different fillings, shapes and ways of cooking.
Quesbo’s imaginary passport adventure
A warm maize scent led Quesbo to Mateo, who was patting arepa dough into circles. Could a flat little cake really hide a pocket of cheese? Mateo showed him how to fold the dough carefully around the filling. Quesbo watched, asked questions and tried again when his first circle cracked. At the table, each new flavour brought another question. His passport earned its second golden word: CURIOSITY.
First taste 01 / 03
Cheesy Arepas
Arepas con queso — golden maize cakes with a soft, cheesy centre
A golden crust, a soft maize centre and a little pocket of melted cheese: these arepas are made for curious hands to shape. Arepas are enjoyed in many regional styles across Colombia. This simple family version mixes cheese into the dough and tucks a little more inside.
Allergens: Contains milk from the cheese and butter. Check every ingredient label, including the masarepa and any substitutions; a maize-based recipe is not automatically suitable for someone avoiding gluten.
Your ingredients
For the dough
- 250 g pre-cooked white maize flour for arepas (masarepa)
- 350 ml warm water
- ½ tsp salt
- 75 g finely grated mozzarella or mild cheddar
- 1 tbsp melted butter
For the centres and pan
- 75 g grated mozzarella or mild cheddar
- A little oil for the pan
Get ready together
EquipmentLarge mixing bowl, Measuring jug, Scales and measuring spoons, Grater, if needed, Large frying pan, Spatula, Plate or tray for the shaped arepas.
Little hands can- Measure the flour and separate the two portions of cheese
- Mix the dough once an adult has checked its temperature
- Divide the dough into eight portions
- Hide the filling, pat the discs and smooth their edges
- Grate cheese if necessary and melt the butter
- Check water and butter are not too hot for children
- Control the frying pan and turn the arepas
- Check the centres are cooked and the hot cheese has cooled before serving
Let’s make it
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Choose the right flour and prepare the ingredients
Use pre-cooked white maize flour labelled for arepas or masarepa. It is different from UK cornflour/cornstarch, polenta and masa harina. Measure the two 75 g portions of cheese separately: one goes into the dough and the other becomes the filling. An adult melts the butter and checks that both the butter and warm water are comfortably warm before children handle the mixture.
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Mix the dough
Stir the salt into the warm water in a large bowl. Add the masarepa, the first 75 g portion of cheese and the melted butter. Mix with a spoon, then clean hands, until the dough feels soft and mouldable. Do not taste the uncooked dough.
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Rest and check the texture
Leave the dough for 5 minutes so the flour can absorb the water. It should feel like soft modelling clay. If it cracks when you press it, knead in a teaspoon of water at a time. If it is very sticky, work in a little extra masarepa. Add only what is needed to make the dough easy to shape.
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Hide the cheese
Divide the dough into eight equal balls. Share the reserved 75 g cheese between them. Flatten one ball in your palm, put its share of cheese in the centre, then close the dough around it. Repeat, keeping the filling enclosed.
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Make even discs
Gently pat each filled ball into a disc about 1.5 cm thick. Smooth cracks with a lightly damp fingertip and check that no cheese is showing through. Aim for an even thickness so the centres cook at the same rate.
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Cook gently
An adult heats a lightly oiled frying pan over medium-low heat. Add as many arepas as will fit with space to turn them. Cook for about 8–10 minutes on each side, until golden outside and cooked through with hot centres. Lower the heat if the outside colours before the middle is ready. Cook in batches if needed; each batch takes about 16–20 minutes.
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Cool before the first bite
Rest the arepas for at least 2 minutes. An adult then breaks or cuts one open to check the centre is cooked and the melted cheese has cooled to a safe eating temperature. Allow longer cooling if needed: the filling can stay very hot after the surface feels comfortable.
Main meal 02 / 03
Colombian Chicken and Vegetable Rice
Arroz con pollo — a colourful one-pot family meal
Arroz con pollo means rice with chicken. Our mild, one-pan family version brings together chicken, golden rice, carrot, red pepper and peas. Children can measure and explore the colours while a grown-up takes care of the hob. A squeeze of lime adds a bright finish.
Allergens: Stock may contain celery, wheat, soya or other allergens depending on the brand. Check the stock and every other ingredient label, including any substitutions.
Your ingredients
Main ingredients
- 400 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 250 g long-grain rice, rinsed
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, diced small
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 100 g frozen peas
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Seasoning and liquid
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 650 ml reduced-salt chicken stock
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Get ready together
EquipmentLarge saucepan or casserole with a well-fitting lid, Separate chopping board and knife for raw chicken, Chopping board and knife for vegetables, Measuring jug, Scales and measuring spoons, Sieve for rinsing rice, Wooden spoon or spatula, Clean food thermometer, if available.
Little hands can- Rinse and drain the uncooked rice
- Measure spices into a small bowl
- Count the colours in the prepared vegetables
- Set out bowls and count the lime wedges
- Handle and cut all raw chicken and prevent cross-contamination
- Use knives to chop vegetables and cut the lime
- Control the hob and pour the stock
- Lift the hot lid, add frozen peas and fluff the hot rice
- Check chicken is fully cooked and rice is tender
- Cool and store any leftovers promptly
Let’s make it
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Prepare before the pan gets hot
Rinse and drain the rice, measure the spices and prepare the stock. An adult chops the vegetables, cuts the lime and prepares the raw chicken on a separate board. Do not wash raw chicken. Wash hands and clean any utensils and surfaces that touch it before handling other ingredients.
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Start the chicken
An adult heats the oil in the large pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes until lightly coloured on the outside. It is not fully cooked at this stage and must continue cooking with the rice.
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Soften the vegetables
Add the onion, finely diced carrot and red pepper. Stir over the heat for about 5 minutes, until the onion begins to soften. An adult handles the hot pan and spoon throughout.
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Add the colour and rice
Stir in the tomato purée, cumin, sweet paprika and turmeric. Add the rinsed, drained rice and turn it through the mixture so the grains are coated.
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Simmer with the lid on
Carefully pour in the 650 ml stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover with the well-fitting lid, reduce the heat to low and cook for about 18 minutes. Keep the heat gentle so the bottom does not catch. Pan size and rice brands vary, so this time is a guide.
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Add peas and check the food is cooked
The adult lifts the lid away from faces to release the steam safely, adds the frozen peas, covers again and cooks for about 5 minutes more. Check that the rice is tender, the liquid is largely absorbed, the peas are piping hot and the chicken is cooked through. A clean thermometer in the thickest chicken pieces should show 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds. If using visual checks, cut into the thickest pieces and check that they are steaming hot throughout, with no pink flesh and clear juices. Continue cooking if needed. If the rice is still firm and the pan is dry, an adult can add a small splash of boiling water and cook a little longer.
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Rest, fluff and serve
Once the chicken and rice are cooked, turn off the heat and rest the covered pan for 5 minutes. An adult removes the lid carefully and fluffs the rice gently. Serve with the lime wedges, allowing children's portions to cool to a comfortable eating temperature before tasting.
Sweet finish 03 / 03
Golden Coconut Cocadas
Cocadas de coco — a baked coconut sweet with lime
Cocadas are coconut sweets made in different ways in Colombia and elsewhere in Latin America. This Quesbo baked adaptation uses condensed milk, egg white and lime zest for tender coconut mounds with golden edges. It is a simple introduction to coconut baking, inspired by the destination’s sweet traditions.
Allergens: Contains milk and egg. Also contains coconut. Check every ingredient label, including any substitutions.
Your ingredients
For the mixture
- 250 g desiccated coconut
- 200 g sweetened condensed milk
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Finely grated zest of 1 lime
- Pinch of salt
Get ready together
EquipmentLarge mixing bowl, Whisk, Scales and measuring spoons, Fine grater or zester, Two spoons, Baking tray large enough for 16 mounds, or two trays, Baking paper, Cooling rack.
Little hands can- Measure the coconut and condensed milk
- Whisk the egg whites with supervision
- Fold the ingredients together
- Count and shape 16 even mounds
- Compare the chewy centre with the toasted edge once cooled
- Separate eggs if needed
- Finely zest the lime
- Set and use the oven
- Handle hot trays and check the centres are set
- Transfer the cocadas to a cooling rack
- Ensure no uncooked mixture is tasted
Let’s make it
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Prepare the tray and oven
An adult heats the oven to 180°C conventional or 160°C fan. Line a baking tray with baking paper; use two trays if needed to leave space around all 16 mounds. Wash and dry the lime before an adult finely grates the green zest, avoiding the bitter white pith.
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Whisk the whites
An adult separates the eggs if needed. Put the two whites in the bowl and whisk until foamy but not stiff. Wash hands and utensils after contact with raw egg, and do not taste the uncooked mixture.
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Fold everything together
Fold in the desiccated coconut, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, lime zest and pinch of salt. Mix until evenly combined. The mixture should hold together when gently pressed.
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Make sixteen even mounds
Use two spoons to divide all the mixture into 16 equal portions on the lined tray. Shape each portion into a compact mound with lightly damp fingertips, leaving space between them. These are portions of the whole mixture, not single teaspoonfuls; make their size and height similar so they bake evenly.
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Bake until set and golden
Ask an adult to put the tray in the oven. Start checking after 12–15 minutes. The tips and edges should be golden and the centres should be set, not wet. Continue baking as needed until cooked through; the time depends on mound size, tray position and the oven. Do not rely on colour alone if the centres are still unset.
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Let them firm up
An adult removes the hot tray. Leave the cocadas on it for 10 minutes, then carefully move them to a rack to cool. They become firmer as they cool. Let them cool fully before storing and check they are comfortable to eat before offering them to children.
Your tasty passport · Destination 02
You’ve tasted Colombia.
What will you ask next?
Open your cooking notebook and make a new passport page. Write COLOMBIA at the top, draw a dish you tried and add the date and your cooking companion’s name.
- Give it a taste score. Rate each dish you tried from 1 to 5. Everyone is allowed a different favourite.
- Choose your next step. Would you cook it again? Write “Yes”, “Maybe” or “Not yet”.
- Remember three discoveries. Arepas have many regional styles; arroz con pollo means rice with chicken; cocadas can be made in different ways.
- Earn your CURIOSITY stamp. Ask a question about an ingredient, a kitchen skill or Colombia. Find the answer together and write it beside your drawing.
Food detective: cheese and butter appear in our arepas, while condensed milk appears in our cocadas. Which food family connects them? Answer: they are all dairy ingredients, made from milk.
A word for your journey: Hola means “Hello” in Spanish. At the table, Buen provecho is a friendly way to say “Enjoy your meal”.
Your next destination clue: cross the Atlantic to a country where a round potato omelette can be served warm or cool. Where might your recipe compass take you?
Food and discovery notes for grown-ups
Recipes adapted from Quesbo’s Colombia cooking pages, with clearer preparation, supervision and storage guidance. These are family interpretations, not a claim to represent every regional version. The cocadas are a baked adaptation. Food imagery is AI-generated for illustration, rather than photographs from a kitchen test.
- Colombia Travel: Colombia’s regions and landscapes
- ProColombia: the variety of Colombian arepas
- Fedearroz: a Colombian arroz con pollo recipe
- Radio Nacional de Colombia: a regional cocada preparation
- Food Standards Agency: cooking food thoroughly
- Food Standards Agency: storing and reheating rice
- Food Standards Agency: chilling and storing food
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