Kachamak turns out smooth when you don't stir the cornmeal for the first 10 minutes. Make the cheese and butter while the pot simmers, so everything is ready at the same time.
Ingredients
For the kachamak
- 1 lwater
- 1 tspsalt
- 300 gcornmeal (about 2 full cups)
For serving
- 60 gbutter (3 heaped tablespoons)
- 1 tspsweet paprika
- 200 gwhite brined cheese (sirene), crumbled
You will need: a 3-litre heavy-bottomed pot, a small frying pan
Method
Crumble the cheese
Crumble 200 g of cheese into coarse pieces with a fork in a bowl. Set it aside until the end.
Boil the water
Pour 1 l of water and 1 tsp of salt into the pot. Put it on high heat for about 4 minutes, until the water comes to a rolling boil.
Add the cornmeal
Pour 300 g of cornmeal into the middle of the pot in a mound, without stirring. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes, until the top of the mound cracks and you can hear a soft simmer underneath.
Stir the kachamak
Stir hard with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes on low heat, reaching the bottom of the pot. The kachamak is ready when it is smooth, thick and pulls away from the sides of the pot.
If lumps are left, press them against the side of the pot with the back of the spoon and stir again.
Fry the butter
Melt 60 g of butter in the small pan on low heat for about a minute. Take it off the hob, add 1 tsp of paprika and stir for 10 seconds. Paprika burns fast and turns bitter, so don't leave it on the heat.
Serve
Divide the kachamak between 4 deep plates. Sprinkle each with 50 g of the crumbled 200 g of cheese and pour the red butter over it.
How to serve it
Serve it hot, in a deep plate, with the butter on top and a glass of yogurt on the side.
How to store it
Leftovers keep for up to 2 days in the fridge in a closed container. Reheat in a pot with 3 tbsp of water on low heat and stir until it softens. Don't freeze it.
What you can swap
- Instead of butter: 4 tbsp of vegetable oil, but the taste will be milder.
- Instead of cheese: 200 g of curd cheese, and cut the salt in the water to half a teaspoon.
Questions and answers
Why did my kachamak turn out lumpy?
Most often the cornmeal was stirred into the boiling water right at the start. Pour it in a mound and only stir after 10 minutes.
What do I do if the kachamak is too thick?
Add half a cup of hot water and stir on low heat for another 2 minutes. Don't add cold water, because it causes lumps.
Can kids eat kachamak?
Yes, it suits them. Use less cheese, because it is salty, and leave out the paprika if your child doesn't like a spicy taste.
Can I make it ahead?
It is best fresh, because it cools and stiffens. If you have to, reheat it with a little water on low heat and stir it.
Good to know
Kachamak is a traditional cornmeal dish in Bulgaria and elsewhere in the Balkans. In Bulgaria it is most often eaten with cheese or butter.
Per serving (approximately): 510 kcal · protein 15 g · fat 24 g · carbohydrates 56 g