Corn Flour

Corn flour is a fine wheat food product, produced from the endosperm of the corn kernels. It is characterized by a white or yellow color, depending on whether it's made from white or yellow corn. Corn flour is a product used in the cuisine of numerous countries. It is widely used in North America, South America, Europe, Africa and East Asia.

Composition of Corn Flour

Corn flour is rich in many healthy substances. It contains saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, fiber, sugar, protein and more. It is a source of vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B4, vitamin B6, vitamin E and vitamin K. Its composition also includes calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, copper, selenium and others. Some types of corn flour contain gluten, while others do not. To check for the presence of it, read the product label.

Choosing and Storing Corn Flour

Supermarkets offer a wide variety of these types of flour. Before you buy, make sure the package is closed well. Check the expiration date of that particular corn flour as well. Look for the name of the manufacturer too. If any of this information is missing, it is not advised to buy that particular item.

As far as storing corn flour, there are no special requirements. Storing the product in a dark and dry place applies. The flour packages need to be kept sealed tightly. Some people prefer putting the substance in glass jars or other sealable containers. In this way, the flour is entirely protected from insects and other pests that may attack it.

Cooking with Corn Flour

Corn flour can completely substitute wheat flour. It is put in recipes for baked goods, including bread, pancakes, fritters, pizzas, panettones, cookies, cakes, muffins, pitas, mekitsi, steaks. Corn flour is also used to prepare kachamak, a dish typical of Balkan countries. It is made in Romania, Macedonia, Greece, Albania, Turkey, Bulgaria and is also popular in Montenegro, Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and elsewhere.

Enjoy this recipe for kachamak, it will give you a glimpse into what some of our ancestors ate.

Ingredients: 4 1/5 cups water, 1 cup corn flour, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons butter, paprika, salt.

Preparation: One of the requirements of a delicious kachamak is coarsely ground corn flour. To make the dish, put the water and olive oil in a pot. Once the water comes to a boil, begin slowly pouring in the flour which you've mixed with a little water 5 min. beforehand. Once all of it is in, begin stirring thoroughly. After 20 min. of energetic stirring, the kachamak should be ready. Next, lay it out onto a wet oven dish and sprinkle it with paprika.

Kachamak, known also as mamaliga, is a dish prepared differently in different regions. For example, in some countries they pour pork lard or kaymak over it, not butter. Some chefs even like adding in an egg when stirring it. It can be mixed with feta cheese, cheese, cottage cheese, mince or pork rinds. Of course, kachamak can be sprinkled with other spices besides paprika, including black pepper, fenugreek, savory, bay leaf, basil, dill, parsley. In some regions, kachamak is eaten as a dessert. Juice from sugarcane or beets is poured over it.

Benefits of Corn Flour

Corn flour has a number of beneficial effects. One of the good things is that gluten can be excluded from its contents. Such a product is particularly suitable for individuals suffering from gluten intolerance who would like to continue eating baked goods. The iron found in corn flour takes care of the immune system.

By putting corn flour in our diet we increase our intake of essential vitamins, regulate cholesterol and blood sugar levels and protect ourselves from cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Corn flour contains a large amount of fibers, making it satiating. Consuming it provides benefits to the digestive tract and aids in the loss of excess body weight.

Folk Medicine with Corn Flour

High blood pressure is a problem, which, unfortunately, is being seen at ever younger ages. If you are suffering from hypertension, you can normalize your blood pressure with corn flour. According to a folk healer recipe, you need to mix 1 tbsp of corn flour with 2/5 cup of water. Prepare it the night before and drink it the next morning before breakfast.