1 pinch sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying
Combine flour, sugar, and garlic powder (optional). Add the butter and knead with your hands until forming grainy dough. Dissolve salt in water. Add the saltwater to the dough and mix until you get a consistency that is somewhat sticky but still comes off your fingers. Transfer the dough to a glass bowl or dish, cover with saran wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and let rest for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, divide the dough into 8 small balls of equal size. Take one ball and roll it out on a clean, dry surface with a rolling pin until you get an arepa that's about 5 inches in diameter. Do the same with the remaining dough balls. Heat the oil in a skillet, take one arepa, and carefully drop it in the oil. Fry for 45-50 seconds until the edges become golden. Turn it over carefully and fry for another 30-40 seconds. Repeat until you are done with all 8 arepas. Serve them with beef, fish, roasted vegetables, or a bowl of soup.