![]() You decide which one you prefer, just consider the packet’s instructions when you cook the polenta. It has a longer cooking time – 40 to 50 minutes – than the polenta made of medium ground cornmeal, but it doesn’t matter, there is no extra work involved and I like to think that that is the original mamaliga I know from my childhood. ![]() It tastes good as well and it has the advantage of being ready in only about 15 minutes.īut I usually prefer the coarse cornmeal/polenta I can buy at the Turkish store, it is the kind I used to eat in Romania. Never use fine cornmeal to make polenta, I did once – it was not good.įrom time to time I buy the medium polenta sold in the regular German supermarkets (which by the way is at least twice as pricy as the Turkish cornmeal). The cornmeal used to make polenta comes in different textures: medium or coarse. Reduce the amount of salt only if you are cooking the polenta in broth. Read the instructions on the polenta packet and add the amount of salt required and maybe ¼ teaspoon more than that. Salt is very important when making polenta.I make polenta using only salted water most of the times, but if you like you can use half milk and half water or you can even cook the polenta in vegetable or chicken broth (made with organic bullion cubes).The cooking procedure is the same, the only difference is the amount of water used. However, every now and then I like to make a softer, creamier polenta, especially when I intend to serve the polenta as a side dish for something with lots of sauce. That is the way my grandmother cooked her basic polenta and that is how I cook it most of the times myself. The traditional Romanian polenta is of a sturdier kind, a bit different from the Italian version you might know. So the people started cultivating and eating more polenta cooked from coarsely ground cornmeal in order to be able to escape the payment of so much taxes. Interesting fact I found out while reading about polenta: the reason why it became so popular in the Romanian territories is that hundreds of years ago, when the Romanians were forced to pay tribute towards the Ottoman empire there were taxes to be paid on wheat but not on corn. ![]() It has always been considered to be peasant food, but trust me, you will find polenta in any household in Romania, villages and cities alike. Polenta or mamaliga is a staple in Romanian cooking. It goes well with any kind of meat, any kind of vegetable or dairy product. You can make casseroles, you can grill it, you can bake it, you can make cake, you can make polenta chips and so on. You can have mamaliga or polenta as a side dish for other dishes with sauce or it can be a meal in itself with some cheese and yogurt/creme fraiche/ sour cream on the side.Īnd the possibilities of making a main dish using polenta are endless. ![]() You have an excellent, healthy and delicious meal. Some water and some salt, a little bit of cooking and you’re done. Polenta is a dish made from coarsely ground cornmeal. If you happen to have a Romanian or Italian friend, I am pretty sure you got to taste mamaliga or polenta at least at their house, if not, well, it is time you do. I suppose most of you have at least heard of polenta, but to tell you the truth, I know lots of people who actually never tasted polenta. How to cook basic polenta or Romanian mamaliga, creamy or sturdy.
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