Recipes of corn porridge are included in the cookbooks of many countries of the world. This is a hearty, tasty and high-calorie dish that is hypoallergenic and often used in baby food. In Moldova, they make a wonderful mamalyga, and in Ukraine they are proud of the banosh cooked in the oven. On the territory of Georgia, you can try gomi, in Serbia - kachamak, in sunny Turkey - muhlama, and traveling around Italy - polenta. There are dishes from such cereals even in such exotic countries as Antigua and Barbuda, in the menu it is called "ku-ku".
You can cook corn grits in water and milk, with the addition of cream or sour cream for softness and tenderness of taste. However, when cooking, you must follow certain rules, otherwise the porridge can be made of stone and filled with lumps. Such a dish can be made sweet and served with greaves or mushrooms, used as a separate dish or as a side dish for meat and vegetables.
In the article, we will consider how to cook corn porridge in milk and on water, teach how to cook a delicious banosh with feta cheese and mushrooms, give tips on how to make the dish tender and without lumps. We’ll tell you what benefits it brings to the body, as well as harm when eating porridge in large quantities.
Structure
The popularity of corn porridge is easy to explain, because it is not only a delicious dish, but also invaluable in its chemical composition. Ground corn contains a lot of vegetable protein, as well as unsaturated fatty acids. Porridge is rich in vitamins A, PP, E, H, C, K and also group B. A huge amount of minerals, such as calcium and potassium, nickel and phosphorus, iron and copper, silicon and beta-carotene, make it indispensable for many diseases.
Beneficial features
Vitamins B1 and B5 are used for depressive states, as well as for the prevention of many neurological diseases, and vitamin E gives the skin elasticity, nourishes hair and nails, and vitamin A enhances human immunity. Corn porridge is indispensable for cleansing the body of toxins and decay products, it removes fats and helps cleanse the intestines.
Doctors recommend adding yellow porridge to the diet for people suffering from an enzymatic pathology of the intestine called celiac disease, since gliadin is completely absent in the composition of the product. Thanks to its arachidonic, linoleic, and linolenic acids, this porridge helps to regulate blood cholesterol.
Corn porridge is prescribed by doctors for diabetes mellitus, pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, and blood diseases. The dietary fiber of this product stimulates intestinal motility, and the antioxidants contained in its composition increase the level of hemoglobin in the blood. The cereal contains absolutely no gluten, so it is considered hypoallergenic, it is allowed to eat for people suffering from allergies to wheat gluten. It can be cooked for babies after 1 year.
Scientists have noticed that people who regularly eat porridge from corn suffer less from Alzheimer's disease, silicon favorably affects the strength of tooth enamel, and phosphorus improves brain activity and accelerates the transmission of nerve impulses.
Harm
What is useful porridge from corn, we have already considered, but it is noticed that with its excessive use there are unpleasant symptoms of increased intestinal motility, which leads to painful sensations and constipation.
You also need to carefully include it in the diet for people who want to lose weight. Calorie content of 100 grams of the product is 337 kcal. It rises when boiled in milk and with the addition of other products.
What cereal to cook porridge
Before you cook porridge from corn, you need to choose the right cereal in the store.
First, you need to look at the color of the cereal. A quality product has a bright yellow color, without gray spots and black spots.
Secondly, they choose cereals of different grinding, depending on the type of porridge. If you cook grits for a side dish to meat or vegetables, then choose coarse grind. To prepare mamalyga or banosh, the smallest fragmentation of grains is needed, then a puree-like tender mass is obtained.
How and how much to cook corn grits in water
Since this porridge is cooked for a long time, then 200 grams of cereal will need 750 ml of water. Before cooking, rinse the groats several times with water until it ceases to be white. If black specks come across, remove these hard grains by hand.
Take a pot with thick walls for cooking, pour the cereal with water and put it on the fire. When the water boils, reduce the gas and remove the white foam on the surface with a slotted spoon. Next porridge should be simmered for about half an hour. Add a pinch of salt immediately and do not forget to stir often. Porridge is boiled with the lid closed. It thickens quickly, so do not go far from the pan.
If you leave it unattended, lumps may form, and porridge will burn at the bottom, which will ruin its taste and smell. At the end of cooking, add butter to taste. Some use vegetable.
How much to cook corn grits in water depends on its grinding. So, small cereals are cooked for 30 minutes, and with large crushing of grains, cooking may take longer. Before turning off the fire, try the porridge for softness. Grains should not be felt on the teeth. If corn porridge is cooked for a child or will be eaten without meat, you can add a pinch of sugar to it.
Pumpkin and corn porridge
This is a delicious and dietary porridge that can be boiled in water for fasting or for a child. According to the recipe, you need to cook such products:
- corn grits - 100 grams (half a cup);
- pumpkin - as much;
- 2 glasses of water;
- butter - 20 grams;
- salt and sugar to taste.
The pumpkin needs to be peeled and cut into small cubes, or grated. It is cooked quite quickly, so they are not added immediately to the grits. Some housewives boil corn grits separately in water, and stew the pumpkin in a bowl with the addition of a small amount of water until tender. Then the ingredients are mixed and boiled together.
You can cook differently. First, cereal is cooked in water for 10-15 minutes, then chopped pumpkin is poured, salt is added and cooked until tender. At the end, put a slice of butter and sugar to taste, close the porridge with a lid and let stand for another 10 minutes. During this time, it stomps and becomes even more tender.
Corn grits porridge with milk
The classic recipe for making cereal from this cereal with the addition of milk includes the following products:
- 1 cup medium grits;
- as much milk;
- 2 glasses of water;
- a pinch of salt.
Wash cereals thoroughly by changing the water in a bowl several times. Then pour it into a pan with a thick bottom, pour water and put on fire. When the liquid boils, salt, make it quieter and immediately stir with a spoon, otherwise the grains will stick to the bottom and burn.
Cook the porridge, as mentioned earlier, for a long time, until it becomes soft. Remember to mix the contents of the pan often so that no lumps form. When all the water has boiled away and the porridge becomes thick, pour a glass of milk and boil for another 2-3 minutes over low heat. Take pasteurized or already boiled milk. After turning off the heat, cover the pan with a warm blanket and sweat for 10 minutes. Everything, porridge from corn grits in milk is ready! Arrange on plates and add a small piece of butter if desired.
Sweet porridge with dried fruits
Extraordinarily delicious crushed corn porridge will be obtained with the addition of the following products (per 1 cup of cereal):
- half a bag of vanilla sugar;
- 2 tbsp. l granulated sugar;
- 3 glasses of water;
- 2 cups pasteurized milk;
- 50 g oils;
- a pinch of salt;
- dried fruits - dried berries, raisins, sliced ​​into dried apricots, figs, etc .;
- nuts (any, but crushed in a blender into small pieces).
Next, consider how to cook corn porridge in milk. The first step is to rinse the cereal and, pouring it only with water, cook until tender for 25-30 minutes with the addition of salt. Stir constantly and do not miss the moment when all the liquid has boiled away.
Then pour the porridge with milk, add vanilla and regular sugar, mix and cook for a few more minutes, adding chopped dried fruits and nuts. You can separate them with boiling water and pour them into the prepared porridge in plates. At the end, put a piece of butter and hold it under a closed lid for 5-10 minutes. You can wrap the pan with a towel. Such porridge turns fragrant, sweet and healthy. Now you know how to cook corn porridge in milk and you can surprise your loved ones with an unusual breakfast.
Hutsul Banosh
For delicate cereal, a favorite dish of the Carpathian Hutsuls, the grits are taken finely ground. There are some secrets to making corn grits banosh. Firstly, it is necessary to mix porridge during cooking constantly, without going anywhere. Secondly, the composition of the dish includes sour cream (ideally, if it is made from sheep’s milk). Thirdly, you need to drive with a spoon in only one direction. In an urban setting, you can simplify the recipe a bit and cook banosh with regular fat sour cream. You will need such products:
- a glass of small cereals;
- 2 cups of milk;
- salt to taste;
- 3 tbsp. l oily sour cream.
Pour milk into a saucepan and set on fire. While stirring frequently, bring it to a boil and add the washed grains and a pinch of salt in small portions. Sieve pre-crushed corn through a sieve to get rid of large particles or remaining husks.
Then you have to stand at the stove and stir the porridge constantly, and when it becomes thick enough, pour in the sour cream. Stir with a spoon for another 7 minutes. Then turn off the fire, cover the finished porridge with a lid and then another 10 minutes. When serving, pieces of sheep cheese, feta cheese or feta are placed on top of each serving. It turns out very tasty and tender porridge.
Multicooking
It is much easier to cook corn porridge in a slow cooker. Prepare the following ingredients for mixing:
- fine grits - 100 grams;
- 300 grams of sour cream (choose the fattest - 25%);
- milk - 1.5 cups (you can completely replace it with liquid cream in the same amount);
- sugar - 1 tsp;
- a pinch of salt.
In a multicooker bowl, lay out all the components in turn according to the recipe and mix gently so as not to scratch the surface of the container. Then turn on the unit on the regime "Milk porridge". If this mode is absent on your multicooker, then you can set "Extinguishing". Cooking will take about half an hour. While the corn porridge is cooking, you can make mushrooms gravy.
Banosh with mushrooms and feta cheese
How to cook porridge from crushed corn, you already understood. Banosh is usually served with homemade cheese, which is made by shepherds from sheep’s milk. However, this porridge with mushroom sauce is very tasty. Mushrooms can be picked in the forest on their own, but regular store mushrooms are also suitable.
Wash the mushrooms from soil debris and cut into small pieces. Peel one onion from the husk and cut it finely or into half rings. First put the mushrooms in a preheated pan and cover them with a lid. They empty the juice and the pan is filled with liquid. To make it evaporate faster, the lid must be removed. When you hear that the mushrooms begin to fry, add vegetable oil and put the prepared and chopped onions.
When the mushrooms become soft, add a mixture of 2 tbsp. l sour cream and 1 tbsp. l flour. Stir and simmer with the lid closed for 5 minutes. Before serving porridge on the table, pour a portion of mushroom gravy and sprinkle with cheese cubes.
Mamalyga in Moldavian
Mamalyga is also porridge from corn grains. The smallest cereal is taken, and it is recommended to dry it in the oven first. Use the following products:
- 400 g cereals;
- 1.25 liters of water;
- 50 grams of butter;
- 2 pcs. onions;
- 300 grams of feta cheese.
Mamalyga needs to be cooked only in a cauldron. Boil water first, and then pour the groats in a thin stream. Be sure to stir the porridge for the whole cooking period with a wooden spoon. Mamalyga is cooked for half an hour, and then left to sweat for 15 minutes. Ready porridge is carefully separated from the walls of the cauldron with a spoon moistened with water. Turn the cauldron over and shake the contents onto a large plate. Hard porridge is cut with a knife or thread. Before serving, pour with sautéed onions and grated cheese.
Cook tasty and healthy porridge! Delight your loved ones with new dishes!