Older people still remember the corn epic on the collective farm fields of the USSR and the praises of the “queen of the fields”: both high yields and feed value for livestock are invaluable, etc. etc. And all this was true, but ... In addition to the well-known advantages of fodder crops, it is also a beautiful cereal, from which cereals and flour are made, and from them ... As a food product, it was corn that was the main bread of the ancient Mayans - it is documented that 5000 years ago they already raised it and even engaged in the selection of this culture. It was from here that corn spread throughout the planet. Corn grits are popular in many countries and are considered national and have a long tradition there. This food product contains a “gentleman's” set of vitamins and among them provitamin A, B1, B2, C, PP, as well as two amino acids that are most important for the body - lysine and tryptophan
Among gourmets, the “corn” cuisine of Romania, Moldova, Italy and other countries is well known. Dishes from corn grits are headed by mamalyga, which appeared back in those days when corn, which yielded good crops, took root in the Danube steppes, more than three hundred years ago, in local conditions. The production of cereals and flour was a natural application of old rural crafts. At first, mamalyga became a kind of bread. They cooked it accordingly - steep porridge as an additive to liquid dishes. The undoubted advantages of mamalyga were and remain the simplicity of preparation, taste and nutritional value at low cost.
Mamalyga from corn grits is cooked in a thick-walled cast iron with constant stirring to prevent burning. For a serving, and these are two “small rolls”, 400 g of corn grits, salt, water and 30-40 minutes of time are required. Before laying, the cereal is washed and the cast iron is filled by a third. When the cereal breaks apart and the porridge thickens to a very “tight” state, it is laid out in the form or shaped into a shape on a cutting board. After cooling down, mamalyga is cut like bread, greens, vegetables, sour cream, cheese are added. But you can bring a little charm - cottage cheese, bacon, eggs, mushrooms. Taste will only win. For the children's menu, add jam. If this is a lunch dish, then the addition can be a frying from the arsenal of one's own imagination - onions, peppers, tomatoes and everything that is in the refrigerator.
In the Caucasus, sauce and fried meat are added to mamalyga, as they say, whoever has it adds. In Italy, corn porridge is not very thick. In addition, corn grits are also popular here. And sometimes mamalygu is boiled in the form of liquid porridge. To do this, take 3-4 tablespoons of cereal per 300 g of milk. Sugar, salt are added to the milk to taste and cook with stirring over low heat for 15-20 minutes.
Corn grits are not only the traditional varieties of Hominy. Just as you can make a lot of other “yummy” from bread, it’s easy to get a delicacy from mamalyga - just fry slices of the product in vegetable oil. Want even better? No problem: put slices of cheese on top. No cheese? It does not matter, replace it with slices of bacon. Ah, you have a diet, but one time is it possible? Moreover, fat is also a dietary product and the anathema has already been removed from it.
It has long been noticed that where cereal dishes are traditional food, the population has healthier teeth and fewer complaints of cardiovascular diseases. This is because corn, among other things, is a supplier of silicon and other trace elements, and in itself is low-calorie, although satisfying. In addition, the use of corn porridge has a good effect on the improvement of the gastric tract and intestinal motility.
When agriculture in the USSR slowly forgot about the “Queen of the Fields”, more precisely, the excitement gave way to a more calm and balanced attitude, corn production became less, but, nevertheless, everyone is well known and in good demand among adults and, especially, corn flakes for children , sticks, popcorn.