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Cornmeal is a versatile ingredient used in various dishes worldwide. It is a staple in Native American and Mexican cuisine, used to make tortillas, tacos, and more. It is also used in Italian polenta, African nshima and ugali, and Romanian mamaliga. Cornmeal can be used to make sweet or savory dishes such as cornbread, muffins, and stuffing. It is also used as a pizza crust and in modern Mexican casseroles.
Cornmeal is a good source of grains for making all kinds of dishes. The use of this product, as well as corn and cornmeal, comes from Native Americans, and for centuries some Mexican recipes were the first experience of many people. Corn tortillas combine with a little water and salt. Patted or rolled into rounds and lightly cooked on both sides, many dishes can be made with tortillas, including tacos, enchiladas, flautas, tacquitos and quesadillas.
Many people enjoy hot cornmeal topped with a little molasses as a breakfast dish. Alternatively, grits are made from coarser ground corn and can be eaten as porridge or fried and drizzled with gravy.
It’s also an essential ingredient in cornbread or corn muffins, which can be made sweet or savory. Blueberry muffins that include this ingredient make a great breakfast starter, and a cornmeal with sage and onion can be used as a base for homemade stuffing for poultry.
In Italy, corn-based porridge is made in flat sheets or sold in tubes as polenta. Polenta is often used as an alternative to pasta and can serve as the basis for a sauce or meat dish. It can also be fried and eaten in squares or served as a breakfast cereal.
Some pizzas are also dusted with this product on the bottom instead of wheat flour, adding a little crunch to the crust when baked. Romanians serve a dish quite similar to polenta called mamaliga. It is often served with cheese or sour cream on the side.
Some interesting modern versions of this product incorporate Mexican flavors in casserole form. For example, tamale pie has a ground beef or shredded chicken base that is covered in about an inch thick layer of cooked cornmeal and then baked.
Many African recipes use this ingredient as a starch or main part of a meal. In Zambia, nshima is a very thick version of the American variety, and is usually served with meat or nuts and a vegetable. Similar to polenta, ugali is common in West Africa and is rolled into a ball and dipped into gravies or stews.
A number of countries integrate corn into regional dishes, although in countries outside the Americas, these dishes weren’t popular until corn was imported in the 17th century or later. Now, it is common to find cornmeal used in African, Middle Eastern and European cooking. Of course, the oldest recipes always go back to Native American sources.
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