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What exactly is mămăliga (polenta)?

It is basically a porridge made out of yellow maize flour, traditional in Romania, the Republic of Moldova and West Ukraine.
Mămăliga (polenta or cornmeal) is a fat and cholesterol-free, high-fiber food.

Is the traditional Romanian mămăligă (polenta) a comfort food?

Although common and proletarian, this creamy, joyful bright yellow dish is a comfort food Romanians enjoy eating all year round. It works as a bread substitute and you can serve it with a number of pork or diary products we are going to talk about a bit later.

What is the difference between Mămăligă and Italian Polenta?

Romanian peasant-style mămăliga is thicker than the regular Italian polenta to the point that you can cut in slices, like bread.

How to make traditional Romanian mămăligă (polenta)

Bring approximately 4 cups of water to a simmer in a deep cast iron cooking pot/mămăligă iron cast kettle (or saucepan if you don’t have a round cast iron - ceaun or tuci in Romanian - from your Eastern European grandma). Add salt to taste (about ½ or 1 full tsp) and 1 tbsp olive oil. Gradually add the cornmeal, whisking constantly to create a creamy lump free porridge. Use a wooden spoon or metal wire whisk to stir.
Continue to cook, stirring, for 15-20 minutes. Reduce the heat as needed when the polenta starts to boil. If the porridge becomes too thick, stir in up to 1/2 cup more water. This is only in case of emergency. It’s advisable to add the cornmeal very slowly so you can control the thickness of the porridge at all times.

How do Romanian peasants cut mămăliga (polenta)?

In the Romanian countryside, peasants cook the thick and creamy mămăligă (polenta) and then flip it on a wooden board. It is customary to cut the mămăligă (polenta) using a string/sewing thread or wooden knife. It is very practical because mămăligă sticks to metal surfaces. After being cut, like bread, they eat it by holding it with the hand.
Creamier polenta is served with a spoon.

Superstitions related to mămăligă (polenta)

1. In order to get over a breakup or simply mend a broken heart, drink water from the mămăligă pot after you’ve cooked it.
2. If the traditional Romanian mămăligă (polenta) is furrowed with cracks, it means a member of the family will soon take an unexpected trip.
3. The thick peasant-style mămăligă (polenta) needs to be cut into slices carefully using a string/sewing thread, from upside down and not the other way, as then the maize grows ear.

Is mămăliga (polenta) a stand alone dish or a side?
You can serve it as a side with:
1. Sarmale (here is the best sarmale recipe you will ever find on the whole wide Internet, we promise you)
2. Pork steak or any other pork dish for that matter (greaves, sausages, stew, fried, roasted, etc)
3. Fried fish and mujdei (garlic and oil mix)
4. Cheese, sour cream, boiled or fried eggs
5. It can also be served crushed in a bowl of hot milk (mămăligă cu lapte). My Romanian Granny called mămăligă, cheese and milk mămălicubrâcula (No, it has nothing in common with Dracula; it is short for mămăligă cu brânză cu lapte)
6. Don’t forget the white, red or green onion! There is nothing more comforting than mămăligă, cheese, sour cream and onion.
7. Another popular Romanian dish is bulz, a rich polenta layered bake prepared with cheese, smoked meat or sausages and eggs.

Recipe:

INGREDIENTS
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup (Romanian) maize flour/cornmeal
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS
• Bring water to a boil in a deep cast iron pot
• Add salt
• Add olive oil
• Gradually add the cornmeal, whisking constantly to create a creamy lump free porridge. Use a wooden spoon or metal wire whisk to stir.
• Continue to cook, stirring, for 15-20 minutes. Reduce the heat as needed when the polenta starts to boil. If the porridge becomes too thick, stir in up to 1/2 cup more water.

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The Romanian Balls
Vivi & Adara

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