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Better Bowls
episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • cooking • 26m
PG
episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • cooking • 26m
PG
Another day, another bowl of breakfast to bookmark.
Pura is a Bosnian cornmeal porridge that featured heavily on my breakfast table. It was an inexpensive pantry staple that was easy, and quick to handle and created the best base for any savoury toppings we had on hand. It was a weekend comfort food, but more often than not it was primed for those weekdays when time wasn't on our side, especially when it was a scramble to get out the door.
From creamy Mediterranean polenta and Southern grits to East African ugali and Chilean pastel de choclo, many cuisines already praise a bowl of maize. As expected across the Balkans, there are also slight iterations of pura being spooned - kačamak in Macedonia, močnik in Slovenia, and mămăligă in Romania - all featuring the likes of cornmeal usually boiled in water or milk, seasoned to taste and served with a good dose of dairy.
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Beef and corn pie (pastel de choclo)
Pura is typically made with cornmeal that has been boiled in salted water and finished with regular or buttermilk, and topped with kajmak (a clotted cream), yoghurt, or sour cream (). If you're feeling a little edgy then garlic and cheese can also be thrown into this mix or even topped with chopped cured beef. This naturally gluten-free bowl is great all year round and is best eaten warm/hot as it sets relatively quickly.
Coarse cornmeal or instant polenta is where this recipe begins. Source: Supplied
All the basics: cornmeal, butter, milk, sour cream and salt. Source: Supplied
Heat in a medium saucepan:
- 2 cups water
Add:
- 50 g butter
- Good pinch salt
Bring to a boil, ensuring the butter has melted. Reduce the heat and add:
- 1 cup cornmeal or polenta
Stirring consistently for 3-4 minutes until the water has evaporated and the soft porridge remains. This is also where you can add extra butter for creaminess or crumble in some of your favourite cheese if cheese is your life. #cheeseisalwayslife
Meanwhile, in a separate pot, heat:
- 2 cups milk or buttermilk
Until hot, not boiling. In the interest of time, you would want to heat the milk and porridge at the same time so they are both warm.
Divvy up your porridge between two bowls. Pour the warm milk over the top.
If you used buttermilk and/or cheese, you can salt and pepper to taste. If you used regular (or sweet) milk you can salt, to taste.
Serve with a dollop of sour or clotted cream and go forth with a big spoon.
Don't panic if you don't eat all the polenta in one sitting or if it cools and hardens in the saucepan. It also makes a great base for for later that night. Boom!
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