Thick cornmeal. Cornmeal porridge

Once upon a time, corn was called the queen of the fields, and now it can only be called a frequenter of cinemas. Flavored popcorn instead of natural corn porridge is quite suitable for the “on the run” eating habits of many modern people. And yet, not everyone has replaced tasty and healthy food with fast food. Moreover: more and more young housewives are striving to feed their loved ones with fresh dishes from quality products. And corn, or rather corn grits, can become one of the components of a balanced diet. You just need to learn how to properly cook corn grits so that the menu turns out to be varied, tasty and healthy. Want to try? There is nothing easier!

Corn grits: composition, benefits and cooking features
Corn has been a source of nutrition for humans for 12,000 years, ever since the inhabitants of South America began to cultivate it. For them, it served as the basis for the development of civilization, and for modern gourmets - as a raw material for preparing many different dishes. Corn on the cob is eaten fresh and boiled, baked and preserved, and individual grains, but the most profitable option is the processing of grains into cereals. Depending on the degree and type of processing, corn grits are different:

• Polished corn grits. The grains are deshelled and crushed, and their edges are rounded. Such corn grits differ in particle size, depending on which it is numbered in categories from one to five.
  
• Large cornmeal. The grains are cleaned and crushed, but not polished. Such particles of various shapes are used to make corn flakes, casseroles and some types of national dishes.
  
• Small cornmeal. The grains are cleaned, crushed and further crushed to make them suitable for the production of confectionery, instant porridge and other semi-finished products.
  

The larger the corn grits, the more useful it is, and the more useful substances are stored in its composition. 75% of them are slow carbohydrates, and only 1% are fats. Therefore, corn grits are an excellent source of energy, which is released gradually and relieves hunger for a long time. They are useful for people of all ages, from children to the elderly. Athletes value them for their nutritional value, and fashion models for their dietary properties. At the same time, corn grits are rich in vitamins (A, E, PP, group B), carotene and minerals (iron, silicon), the good digestibility of which is ensured by the optimal ratio and the presence of dietary fiber.

However, people with high acidity, and especially gastritis or stomach ulcers, should be carefully prepared and consumed corn grits. But it has a beneficial effect on the intestines, preventing putrefactive processes and stopping fermentation. Corn grits in any form should be included in the diet with weak blood vessels and heart muscle. And it does not cause allergies, so it is part of baby food from the first months of life. Older kids, teenagers and adults can eat corn dishes at least every day, fortunately, their variety is great. Ideas for culinary experiments can be borrowed from national cuisines. For example, Romanians have thick hominy, Italians have nutritious polenta, and Georgians have fragrant gomi porridge. But first, you should learn how to cook classic corn porridge.

Recipes for corn grits
To cook delicious corn grits, you need to choose it correctly. Most often in our stores there are quite small corn grits, the particles of which are of the same size and bright yellow color. It is this cereal that is the most versatile: cereals, casseroles, soups, and baking fillings are good from it. But still, it is better to start acquaintance with corn grits with traditional porridge. Moreover, even she alone has several varieties, the recipes of which are enough for more than one tasty and satisfying dinner. We offer you the most successful, time-tested options:

1. Corn porridge on the water. Take 1 cup of corn grits, 2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of butter, a pinch of salt. Rinse the cereal in cool water. Pour 2 cups of water into a saucepan, season with salt and bring to a boil. Put the washed cereal in boiling water and reduce the heat under the pan to below medium. Stir constantly so that the porridge does not burn, and cook for 25 minutes. Then cover with a lid, put out the fire and leave the corn porridge for 10 minutes on the stove. After this time, put the oil and stir it. Serve the porridge hot with cheese 9, especially feta cheese), herbs, vegetables - from the indicated amount of ingredients, about 6 servings of porridge are obtained. If you increase the volume of water - the porridge will turn out to be more liquid, for an amateur. In addition, you can replace butter with vegetable oil if you are trying to limit the amount of animal fats in your diet.
   
2. Corn porridge with milk. Take 1 cup of corn grits, 3 cups of milk, a handful of pitted raisins, 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and half a teaspoon of salt. Sort and rinse the cereal. Soak raisins in boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Pour milk into a saucepan, season with salt and bring to a boil. Then put cereals, sugar into boiling milk, mix and cook over low heat for 25 minutes, stirring regularly. Then put the oil, stir the porridge and tightly close the pan with a lid. Leave for 10 minutes on the stove, then serve. Raisins can be replaced or supplemented with other dried fruits, candied fruits or additives to your taste. Sweet corn porridge can be eaten not only hot, but also cooled down with jam, condensed milk or honey.
   
3. Corn porridge with pumpkin in a slow cooker. Take 1 glass of corn grits, 1 glass of water and milk, 100 grams of pumpkin pulp, 2 tablespoons of butter (can be replaced with vegetable oil), 1 tablespoon of sugar, half a teaspoon of salt. Sort and rinse the grits, completely drain the muddy water. Cut the pumpkin into small equal cubes. Put the grits and pumpkin in a multicooker bowl, salt, add sugar and pour milk and water. Stir, close the lid and turn on the multicooker for half an hour in the “milk porridge” mode. Then add the butter, mix and put in the “heating” mode for another 10 minutes. Cow's milk in this and other milk corn porridge recipes can be replaced with goat's. Instead of or along with pumpkin, try putting an apple, pear, grated sweet carrot and/or dried fruit into the porridge.
   
4. Corn casserole. Take half a glass of corn grits, half a glass of canned corn, half a liter of milk, 5 chicken eggs, 100 ml of cream, 100 grams of ham and hard cheese, 2 tomatoes, 1 sweet pepper, a pinch of salt, ground black pepper and nutmeg, half a bunch of green onions and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Salt the milk and bring to a boil, put clean cereals and cook until the porridge is cooked, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, separate the whites of two eggs and beat them into foam. In the finished, slightly cooled porridge, put two yolks, canned corn and mix. Then add the beaten egg whites and mix again until smooth. Peel and finely chop the tomatoes and peppers. Cut the ham into small pieces. Mix the remaining three eggs with cream and beat a little, salt, add spices. Grate the cheese and put half in the cream along with the ham and vegetables. Grease a heat-resistant baking dish with oil and place the porridge on the bottom. Put cream with additives on top, sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cook the casserole on the middle rack for about 40 minutes, then let it cool in the oven. Before serving, sprinkle with chopped onion and cut crosswise into several pieces.
   
5. Polenta with cottage cheese and cheese. Take 1 cup of corn grits, 1 cup of milk, 2 cups of water, 100 grams of cottage cheese and parmesan (it can be replaced with other hard mature cheese), 3 cloves of garlic, a little fresh basil and dill, a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sort the cereal and rinse. Boil 2 cups of salted water, put the cereal and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. After 7 minutes, add milk to the pan, stir and reduce the heat to low. Cook the corn grits until the porridge is cooked under the lid, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes. In the meantime, grate the cheese and add half of it to the finished porridge. Stir until smooth. Grease a glass baking dish with oil, spread the porridge on its bottom in an even layer of about 1 cm, level and leave to cool. The cooled porridge should freeze. Finely chop the greens, crush the garlic with a press, mix with cottage cheese. Put the curd filling on the porridge and cover with the remaining cheese. Bake in the microwave for 5 minutes and leave for another 10 minutes after turning it off.
   

In addition to these dishes, you can bake pancakes, pancakes from corn grits and add it to soups and stews. It goes well with meat, fish and vegetables, emphasizing their taste and giving its own flavor and aroma. For breakfast and as a snack, it can be used to make corn tortillas, and sweet pastries with corn grits are tender and crumbly, with a pleasant warm tint. You can cook it on the stove, in the oven, in the microwave and in the slow cooker. In other words, corn grits are a versatile product, equally well suited for both sweet and savory dishes. And this means that you will surely fall in love with corn grits and cook them often.

Corn is an amazing nutritious food. Groats from it are inexpensive, but it is a valuable natural source of a number of vitamins and elements. There is no gluten in this porridge, which means that it is not terrible either for allergy sufferers or for children. This is both a good breakfast and a light dinner!

It is impossible to say exactly how long corn porridge is cooked. It depends on its grinding: the larger it is, the more time it will take. There are several types of grinds.

Flour requires a minimum of time, it can be prepared in just a couple of minutes. This method is usually used when feeding babies or a certain circle of people, for example, after surgery, so that it is easier and faster to digest.

Finely ground groats are traditionally used to prepare banosh (a famous Transcarpathian dish) and Moldavian hominy. It is also often used in baby food. It takes about fifteen minutes to cook.

Medium grinding is used more often than others, and cereals are usually prepared from it. It takes about half an hour of time and is cooked on low heat, otherwise it burns quickly.

Coarse grinding is recommended by nutritionists, as it cleans the intestines best. But such a cereal requires a maximum of time. A small amount can be cooked in fifty minutes, but it is better to cook for at least an hour. From this grinding, the famous polenta is prepared.

Now about proportions. Four parts of water are traditionally taken for one part of cereal. Sometimes more is required. In this case, you need to add hot boiled water so as not to slow down the cooking process. And if there is too much water, you need to remove the lid and boil it for an additional few minutes. The water will evaporate.

You can cook not only on the stove, but also in the oven, and even in a water bath. For cooking, it is better to use ceramic dishes or a pot with a thick bottom so that it warms up well. So that the porridge does not boil soft, it is advisable to dry it a little in a pan without adding oil, and then cook according to the recipe.

Step by step recipe

• 60 g of corn grits;
• 0.3 l of water;
• 10 g of sugar;
• 2 g salt;
• oil.

Time: 1 h 30 min.

Calories: 65.

How to cook corn porridge in water:

How to cook corn porridge in water for children

• 90 g corn flour;
• 10 g of sugar;
• baby puree;
• 480 ml of water;
• 1 g of salt;
• 15 g butter.

Time: 15 min.

Calories: 76.

Cooking process:

1. Take very finely ground cereals, this is about six spoons for baby food. And even better - take flour;
2. Pour water into a small bucket and send to bask on the stove;
3. The temperature of the water should be hot, but it should not boil;
4. Set the fire to the very minimum and start pouring flour on a spoon, stirring intensively with a whisk. No lumps should form;
5. Let it boil, add salt and sugar. Cook for another three minutes, remove from the stove;
6. Put the oil, stir it, then cover the saucepan with a lid and wrap it in a towel, leave for ten minutes;
7. Add about two tablespoons of baby puree for better taste.

How much to cook corn porridge on water in a slow cooker

• 3.5 st. water;
• 220 g of corn grits;
• oil;
• 7 g salt.

Time: 50 min.

Calories: 81.

Cooking method:

How long to bake corn porridge in water in a pot

• 0.8 l of water;
• 0.2 kg of corn grits;
• 60 g of oil;
• 60 g cheese.

Time: 2 hours

Calories: 119.

Cooking principle:

1. All ingredients are for one serving pot;
2. Rinse all the cereal thoroughly under cold water;
3. Pour water into the pot and immediately pour the porridge here;
4. Put the pot on the fire, let it boil;
5. After that, make the fire minimal, leave to cook for an hour and a half, sometimes stirring the porridge. If necessary, you can add water;
6. Twenty-five minutes before readiness, salt and mix again, it is better to use a wooden spoon for this;
7. Then remove from heat, add oil, stir again;
8. Transfer to a baking pot, an empty gap of one and a half centimeters should remain to the edge;
9. Grate the cheese. You can use mozzarella, cheese, suluguni. Pour on top;
10. Send to the oven for twenty minutes, do not cover with a lid, the temperature is within 200 Celsius. Serve directly in the pot.

How to improve the taste of the dish

During fasting, porridge on the water is always in demand. But at other times it can be cooked on cream, milk, yogurt. Cooks recommend taking this proportion for a balanced taste: 50% water and 50% milk.

You can put in the porridge itself not only butter. You can supplement it with various vegetable oils. For example, delicious porridge is obtained with the addition of sesame, corn, pumpkin oils. In addition, this increases the energy value and enriches the chemical composition of the whole dish.

Various nuts can be used: cashews, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts, almonds, brazil nuts, etc. It is advisable to calcine them in advance in a pan, always without oil, or in the oven.

This can be done even in the microwave, the main thing is not to let them burn out. In the case of hazelnuts, peanuts and walnuts, it is advisable to grind them in your hands to remove excess bitter husks.

Dried fruits sweeten the dish well. These are raisins, prunes, dried peaches, dried apricots, various dried berries, candied fruits. And you can use a few tablespoons of any jam. It turns out very tasty with cherry jam, especially if it contains sourness.

Fresh fruits are best taken in season. But bananas, oranges, apples can be taken almost all year round. Someone really likes to use canned pineapples, along with syrup.

From unsweetened fillings, you can use sour cream, various types of cheeses, add stewed vegetables. Appropriate spices are suitable for such fillings: you can safely add pepper, cumin, coriander, various types of spicy and fresh herbs. Or you can just add a little nutmeg, cinnamon, cocoa or vanilla to the porridge - you get a very simple dessert.

There are two ways to use chocolate drops: add them to hot porridge when it is almost ready, and stir until dissolved. Or you can sprinkle them on top just before serving. Instead of drops, you can use regular grated chocolate. You can supplement the dish with honey, coconut flakes, nut paste, various syrups, etc.

Often cottage cheese is added. It can have any percentage of fat, preferably a grainy texture. Add only to warm or cold porridge, but not hot. In some countries, such a dish is complemented by salted olives or black olives, always pitted. From flour products, it is better to stop at ciabatta.

As in corn, corn porridge itself has a lot of useful substances. There are also B vitamins, and vitamin A, H, PP, E. Of the micro and macro elements, there are potassium, iron, copper, phosphorus, calcium, silicon, etc. The rich composition makes it the queen of cereals.

The benefits persist even after heat treatment, and this is very important. Corn fights various neurological diseases and helps to overcome depression. It generally supports the immune system and allows you to keep the beauty and youth of the skin, hair, nails longer.

This porridge is used in various diets, contributing to weight loss. It not only improves the functioning of the digestive system, but also removes toxins and toxins. It normalizes cholesterol levels, thereby taking care of the cardiovascular system.

Crushed corn contains a lot of vegetable protein and fatty acids. The product is recommended for people with blood diseases, with various allergies, diabetes, problems with the gastrointestinal tract. For children, this porridge is a building material that contributes to their normal development.

If you supplement porridge with oils, dried fruits, nuts, berries, cottage cheese and other products, its benefits will only increase. This is a delicious way to prevent many diseases.

A few more subtleties of cooking corn porridge on water are in the next video.

What is the difference between corn porridge and polenta? Almost nothing, except for more stringent recommendations for the use of cornmeal. If instead of corn grits you used flour, then the dish you cooked should be called hominy or polenta - a thick corn porridge that can be cut with a knife. And from corn grits, and even with the addition of butter and fatty cheese, porridge is still prepared - although it is a sister (as well as hominy and gomi), it is still a separate dish.

Corn porridge is more liquid, soft and shapeless. But it is also an excellent side dish and a delicious breakfast. It is especially good to cook corn porridge for children, it charges them with energy for the whole day.

Preparation time: 5-10 minutes.
Cooking time: 20 minutes.
Servings Per Container: 2 servings.

Ingredients

• water 4 tbsp.
• corn grits 1 tbsp.
• fat cheese 70 g
• butter 1 tbsp. l.
• salt to taste
• ground pepper mixture

How to cook corn porridge with cheese

Corn grits must be dry. By the way, it is rich in iron, and it is quite high in calories.

Pour water into a ladle, bring to a boil and gradually pour in the cereal, stirring continuously with a spatula or spoon, so lumps will not form. Part of the water can be replaced with chicken or vegetable broth.

Cook the corn porridge over low heat, stir occasionally and test for doneness. As a rule, it is 20-25 minutes, but it is better to “taste” the exact time. Ready corn porridge has a mild and delicate taste.

When the corn porridge is ready, put butter and chopped cheese into it. Stir. Butter and cheese will melt, and if you, for example, use suluguni, it will become viscous.

Ready-made corn porridge with butter and cheese has a soft creamy texture. Salt and pepper it to taste. Now the dish can be served separately on a plate or with vegetables and meat.

If there is leftover corn porridge, it can be served the next day in a different form, like polenta. Put the rest of the porridge in a rectangular or square bowl, tamp down, cover with cling film. The next morning, when the porridge has hardened, carefully turn the bowl over and remove it. Cut the resulting polenta into small pieces, and then fry in a pan on both sides.

Modern housewives rarely cook corn porridge in water. And it’s completely in vain, since corn porridge, or hominy, is a very satisfying, healthy and nutritious dish. You can buy corn flour for making such a porridge in any supermarket. Many women are simply afraid to cook this dish, because they do not know how long it takes to cook cereals.

Boil corn porridge in water it takes a little longer than other cereals: semolina, buckwheat or millet. However, it is no doubt worth cooking such a dish, since such porridge boiled in water is rich in vitamins, minerals and other useful substances. In order for it to turn out tasty, satisfying and as nutritious as possible, it is necessary to strictly follow the rules for its preparation.

About the benefits

It is an indispensable food product for those who losing weight or observing an Orthodox fast. To cook corn gruel, it will take about thirty minutes to cook the grits until tender, and another thirty minutes to simmer the dish over low heat. Therefore, it is best to cook for dinner when there is nowhere to hurry. A dish of corn grits, or hominy, is one of the favorite dishes in Moldova and Romania. This is the favorite food of local peasants: shepherds and farmers. An easy-to-prepare all-day meal that fills you up and gives you enough energy to get the most of your hardest physical work done. Here is what we can say about the benefits and main advantages of this dish:

How to cook on water: a general description of the process

It is very easy to boil on water. The main thing is to know how long it should be cooked. Cooking, in total, will take about an hour. You can prepare a delicious dish as follows:

When the dish is cooked the hostess must watch the process all the time. Periodically, hominy should be stirred so that it does not stick to the walls of the pan and does not burn. If you put the porridge on the fire and leave it to the mercy of fate, it will certainly burn and acquire a rather unpleasant aftertaste.

The taste of the finished dish depends to a large extent on how much to cook. If cooked correctly, it will have a delicate taste and pleasant aroma. If you cook with water for too long and over high heat, most of the water will boil away, and the porridge will soon harden and become almost inedible soon after cooking. If you cook less. what you need, it will turn out very liquid. The dish must be cooked in such a way that it turns out to be quite thick.

You can add a variety of fillings to a ready-made dish on the water: forest mushrooms, champignons, fried onions, potatoes, boiled or fried meat. How many hostesses, so many recipes. If a young mother cooks for a child, pieces of fruit, berries, jam and honey can be added to the dish.

If after lunch or dinner yesterday's left over, in no case should you throw away these leftovers. From them you can cook wonderful corn fritters. These pancakes are a great option for a tasty, satisfying and unusual breakfast.

During cooking, be sure to add salt and sugar to taste, or you can add only salt. It is recommended to add salt after the water boils in the pan. If you add salt to the water before boiling, the water will boil much more slowly. This simple rule applies not only to corn porridge, but also to any other dishes cooked with water.

If the child does not want to eat tasty and healthy corn porridge, the dish can be beautifully decorated. You can draw a funny face on a plate with jam or honey. And you can put crispy straws around the edges of the plate to make the sun.

If the hostess decided to cook a sweet porridge and add honey there, in no case should you add honey during cooking. When honey is heated, all useful substances evaporate from it. In addition, in the process of heating, honey can even become unhealthy. Honey is added only to porridge that has already cooled down.

You can eat not only with bread, but also without it, as hominy is very satisfying and nutritious. Therefore, if a child refuses to eat porridge with bread, you should not force him.

You can cook a dish not only in water, but also in milk. When cooking with milk, you need to be very careful, because milk can escape at any time. To avoid this annoying nuisance, our grandmothers traditionally used a "watchman" for milk. "Watchman" is a round metal plate with a ribbed surface. It is placed at the bottom of the pot. As soon as the milk starts to rise to boil, the "watchman" starts pounding on the bottom of the pot. Hearing this sound, the hostess runs to the stove and “tames” the milk in time. Such devices are still preserved by many housewives.

If a young mother did not manage to cook it for her baby on her own, she can buy ready-made instant porridge. So, instant porridge is produced by the German company Heinz and the domestic manufacturer of baby food Umnitsa. Instant porridge for children is also prepared with water. It is hypoallergenic and contains the same beneficial substances as traditional corn porridge.

Such food on the water - very tasty and healthy dish. Recently, this porridge is gaining more and more popularity among those who lead a healthy lifestyle and try to eat right. Regular consumption of porridge on the water helps to lose weight, cleanse the body of toxins and improve overall well-being. The main thing is to cook this dish correctly, fully following the detailed step-by-step recipe.

How to cook porridge

How to cook corn porridge in water? Thanks to this step-by-step recipe with photos and videos, you can delight yourself and your loved ones with this healthy porridge!

35 min

140 kcal

4.5/5 (8)

Corn porridge is a real star among cereals. It is so useful that it is simply impossible not to cook it. Every housewife must have a recipe for such a dish. You will learn how to cook crumbly corn porridge in water, thanks to this recipe.

Kitchen appliances:

• Pot.
• Sieve.
• Cup.
• Thick kitchen towel.

Ingredients:

How to choose ingredients

To choose the best corn grits, you first need to make sure that it contains no extra impurities. This is easy to do even with the naked eye. Check your grits for black grains and additives. If they are not there, feel free to take the cereal. Another important criterion is the color of the cereal. For quality corn grits he should only be bright yellow. Today's recipe for porridge on water from corn grits will definitely come in handy in your life.

Step by step recipe

Porridge recipe video

I invite you to watch a very exciting video. In this video you can find a complete step by step recipe for cooking corn grits. This will give you a unique opportunity to save your energy on the process of preparing such a healthy dish. From this video you will also learn the proportions of water and cereal for corn porridge.

What is this porridge served with?

The serving of corn porridge depends on the variation in which the dish is prepared. If it is made with milk, then this dish should be served with jam. Porridge, which is cooked on water, can be served with meat side dishes, additives. This will help you form an excellent and complete dish.

cooking options

It's no secret that corn porridge is prepared in various forms and variations. There are two most common recipes - cooking porridge with milk and water. If you cook with water, then the porridge is salty. But the recipe for milk allows you to make it sweet. as simple as on the water, but the taste will really surprise you. If you have tried corn porridge with milk at least once, then you will forever remain a fan of it! Learn to make it with your own hands and you can please yourself with it at least every day.

Corn porridge can be prepared and served using vegetables, fruits, and meats. Very popular is corn porridge with dried apricots or raisins. You and your loved ones will definitely like this dish. If you cooked porridge in a salty form, for example, using meat, then you can decorate it with fresh herbs.

Everyone knows that corn grits need to be cooked for a long time, but if this can save you a lot of time, and the result may surprise you. When using a slow cooker in the process of preparing such a dish, you can achieve a completely different taste than using a saucepan. How to cook corn porridge in water, you know, you can start this process.

Be sure to share the results of your culinary fantasies! Bon appetit!

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