Mamalyga is a national dish in Moldova and Romania. This is a cornmeal porridge, a close relative of the famous Italian polenta, Georgian gomi and Abkhazian abysta. This simple yet satisfying meal can be prepared with many different variations.
The history of hominy
Corn was brought from America to Spain by Hernan Cortez in the 16th century. It was from this country that it spread throughout the European continent. This culture requires warmth and humidity, and the fertile lands on the banks of the Danube were the best fit for the "overseas guest". The cheap and hearty food was to the taste of the peasants; it saved many from starvation during the frequent crop failures that hit Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Mamalyga was traditionally cooked in special iron pots, boiling corn grits with boiling water and seasoning it with salt. Often very little was added to the dish, making a very cool porridge, which was poured into flat dishes, cooled and cut into pieces, then used instead of bread. Modern nutritionists have proven that such food is even healthier than black bread, as it contains more vitamins.
Warm milk, sour cream, homemade cheese and even yogurt are added to hominy. This versatile food is also combined with eggs, mushrooms, meat products, but recipes with such a combination of products are more recent.
Traditional hominy
Traditional hominy is made from coarsely ground cereals. A deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan is half filled with cold water and salted. The liquid is brought to a boil and the corn grits are added. To do this, they take it in the palm of your hand and, as it were, sow it through your fingers into a saucepan. As a result, a small "mound" should form, protruding from the water. Reduce heat to minimum and start stirring the dish. Cook for about 20 minutes, kneading the cereal with a spoon all the time. When the mamalyga thickens, remove it from the heat, dip the spoon in cold water and, crushing the porridge from the edges, form a smooth mass. Put the hominy on the fire for another 2-3 minutes. Depending on how thick you cooked hominy, you can mix it with butter, sour cream, homemade cheese, or put it on a dish, cool and cut.
Fast hominy
Mamalyga can also be made from finely ground cereals, more like corn flour. Such a dish will take very little time, but it will turn out to be tasty and healthy. For 1 cup of corn grits, take 6 or 8 cups of water, depending on how steep you want to cook the porridge. Bring water to a boil, salt, add corn grits, stirring vigorously. Continue stirring for another 3-5 minutes, then cover the pot of porridge with a lid, reduce heat to low and cook the hominy for about 5-7 minutes. Stir and serve.
