Spicy festive hominy - incredibly tasty

Mamalyga (mămăligă) is a specific traditional dish made from corn flour in the Moldovan, Romanian and Western Ukrainian culinary traditions. Similar dishes from corn flour, common in the Caucasus, are prepared somewhat differently. Before the discovery of America and the massive spread of corn, hominy was prepared from millet.

Some people call mamalyga porridge, which is fundamentally wrong, because hominy is positioned as bread (polenta porridge is prepared from corn grits). About mamalyga: "boiled bread, a knife spun" (popular saying) - cut hominy with a tight thread.

Prepare this dish in the cauldron (preferably with a round bottom) using a special wooden stool-mixer (or tolikushki).

Spiced spicy festive hominy

Ingredients:

Preparation

You can cook hominych in different ways. Most often, the flour is poured into boiling water, followed by stirring during the cooking process. A more interesting method is known to few: first the flour is slightly calcined, followed by the addition of oil with continuous stirring. Then brew with steep boiling water and boil, mixing, several times pouring boiling water.

Mamaliga - the dish is almost mystical (traditional cooking goes back to the ritual activities associated with solar myths), so tune into a positive mood. In good need 2 people - (ideally, the wife, since hominy - a family dish): one of them will keep the cauldron during the kneading.

We fall asleep in the cauldron of corn flour and calcine it for 3 minutes, continuously stirring with a wooden spatula. On the next burner put the kettle with water. When the flour is calcined and dried, add dry ground spices, salt and mix thoroughly into the cauldron. We pour a little sunflower oil, continuing to mix. Must be a mixture, in consistence resembling wet sand. Within 5-8 minutes, warm up everything on medium-high heat, continuing to mix. Then the water in the kettle usually boils.

Now the most important moment. One of those present in the kitchen holds the cauldron tightly with both hands (of course, we use mittens or potholders), while the second participant in the process pours boiling water from the kettle and at the same time with the other hand vigorously mixes the prepared spicy oil and flour mixture with a stirrer. Stir several times very carefully from the edges to the center and put the cauldron on the fire. Varim, several times adding boiling water in small portions and stirring, for 15-20 minutes. First the volume increases, then it starts to decrease slightly.

The second crucial moment. Grabbing and holding the Kazan with both hands, we shake it and turn it in different directions so that the hominy mummy begins to lag slightly behind the walls, and then quickly and abruptly turn it over to the prepared clean dry wooden board. Without letting go of the edge, gently shaking, we remove the cauldron. Here it is, the real hominych is a symbol of the Sun. If on the body of the mamalyga in the process of separation from the walls of the cauldron irregularities are formed, we smooth them and cover the mamaliga with a clean towel - let it stand for 10-15 minutes. We cut the hominy on a slice stretched by strong white cotton thread.

Mamaligu is served to a table with cracklings, sour cream, cheese or cottage cheese. Also, homemade bones (pork chop on bone), smoked brisket or bacon, stewed dishes, marinated or fried fish, mushrooms, various salads from fresh vegetables and / or stewed vegetables (givec, lecho, etc.) are also served. Still we serve separately a sharp garlic sauce of the husband, greens and, of course, incomparable Moldovan wine, fruit rakiyu or grape brandy.