Mămăligă
Mămăligă ( ukrain. Мамалига, also Кулеша; Russian Мамалыга ( кукурузная каша " mush "); poln Mamałyga; ungar Puliszka, " mush ") is a solid porridge made from maize meal, similar to the Italian polenta, in Romania, Moldova part and other parts of the Balkans to regional culinary tradition. Especially in Romania, there is a national dish.
A very similar dish is known in Austria regionally Turks mush.
Description
The preparation of hominy is an ancient and widespread tradition. Before hominy an estimated versatile side dish or main course was, it was a main source of food among the poorer population. Often lack of bread was replaced by a hard- boiled Mămăligă.
The preparation of Mămăligă is simple: cornmeal (Romanian: Malai ) is boiled in a large pot of salted water. To prevent the burning or agglomeration of the slurry has to be moved very much. In Romania, one used for cooking Mămăligă usually a cast-iron vessel called the ceaun. Also for stirring there is a special tool: After Christmas, before the old Christmas tree is disposed of him, the tip is cut off with the last five branches. It is stripped, dried and used as a stirrer. The fully cooked Mămăligă is traditionally cut with a thread.
Mămăligă is often eaten as an accompaniment to meat or vegetable dishes such as goulash (Romanian: Tocaña ) or stew (Romanian: ghiveci ).
The Germans in Romania often scoffed at the food culture of the inhabitants of the country with the slogan " Mămăligă din Malai ( Mămăligă from corn ) eats the whole Wallachia ." Nevertheless Mămăligă is also part of the traditional cuisine of the various Romanian-German populations. The Transylvanian Saxons call these Palukes, the Landler as Paluks, both forms are derived from the Hungarian name. In the Romanian-German Standard German the term is used Kukuruzbrei.
Preparation methods
Mămăligă cu branża şi smântână
Popular is a firm with feta cheese baked " Mămăligă cu branża ". This variant is called on Transylvanian - Saxon Käspalukes. Most also cream is served to (Romanian: smântână, cf dt: sour cream ).
This variant can also be served as an accompaniment to hearty meals of the Romanian home cooking.
Mămăligă cu lapte
For breakfast and sometimes dinner as Mămăligă is just adding milk (Romanian: lapte ) eaten doused. This is a typical dish for children, but also eat as some adults always enjoy. Also among the Saxons was the Palukes with milk an often Unconsumed court. In restaurants, this variant is almost never offered.
Cocoloşi
A special feature of the traditional cuisine are Cocoloşi. It boiled Mămăligă is formed into balls that are filled with cheese. Subsequently, these balls are grilled on an open fire. This dish comes from the culture of the shepherds (Romanian: ciobani ), often far away with their herds camped from the nearest village and had to prepare their own meals at the field itself. A shepherd can these grilled Cocoloşi also simply plug into his pockets and eat later, when he gets hungry while herding sheep.
This variant is today usually only prepared for special occasions, such as village festivals and folk festivals.
History
The word Mămăligă designated in the Romanian originally a porridge of millet. Only when it became increasingly cultivated in the 17th century who came from America corn in Romania, the meaning changed to mush.
According to legend, Mămăligă therefore became the national dish of the Romanians, as in the period of Ottoman rule regularly a part of the wheat harvest had to be delivered, while the cultivation of maize was not taxed.