In this blog we are going to tell you about Difference between Polenta and Cornmeal, so read this blog carefully to get the complete information.
Introduction
Polenta and cornmeal are the separate food items where polenta is a North Italian dish whereas cornmeal is often an ingredient used in making polenta that is commonly made of the medium or coarsely-grounded yellow corn kernels. In a nutshell, cornmeal is made of differently ground corn kernels such as blue, white and commonly yellow.
What is polenta?
Polenta is an Italian dish which is commonly made of a yellow corn kernel ground medium to coarse. It was traditionally made of many grains other than corn kernels including chestnut flour, chickpea flour, coarse rice and buckwheat meal. Nowadays, cornmeal-made polenta is a predominant form of polenta where cornmeal is combined with other ingredients such as cheese and butter. It takes about 40 minutes to cook polenta where it is constantly stirred until the mixture thickens like porridge. Then, it is served by cutting it into equal pieces.
What is cornmeal?
Cornmeal is made of corn kernels that were ground into fine, medium or coarse particles that could be blue, white or yellow in color. These are often used and liked because they leave the cornmeal with immense nutrients. Cornmeal is a basic ingredient in many dishes such as polenta. Chefs highly use it in different dishes and recipes to add texture and enhance the flavor. Also, it is used in cornbread, meat, stews, muffins and many more baked products. Cornmeal is often packaged in tins. A fine cornmeal is often labeled as corn flour and in some recipes it may be referred to as cornstarch. While preparing pizza, cornmeal can be added in order to prevent the flour dough from sticking. It also adds a sweet flavor in cookies as well as modern dishes.
Difference between polenta and cornmeal
- Composition – Cornmeal is made of different corn kernels grounded fine, medium or coarse and often made up of blue, yellow or white corn. Polenta is made of a yellow corn kernel that is either medium or coarse-grounded.
- Origin – Originated from Italy, polenta is a dish which was traditionally made of any grain other than yellow corn kernel (cornmeal). On the other hand, cornmeal is an ingredient used to make polenta and an assortment of other recipes such as cakes and muffins.
Chefs often use cornmeal to add sweetness and texture to many recipes and modern dishes.
- Preparation – Traditionally, cornmeal was prepared by stone-grinding corn kernels which left hull and germ to improve its nutrients. Nowadays, it is prepared using steel rollers which extend its shelf-life. On the other hand, polenta is cooked slowly for about 40 minutes while stirring constantly.
Final words
Polenta is a dish originating from Italy and it is slow-cooked in liquid until the grains swell and the starches are released. With a thick and creamy consistency, it is perfectly ready to be eaten. Traditionally, polenta was made of many grains whereas cornmeal was always made of blue, white or yellow corn kernels. Chefs use cornmeal for adding texture and sweetness to many recipes whereas polenta is simply a meal that is cooked slowly after stirring constantly.
Conclusion
We Hope this blog is sufficient enough to provide the information about Difference between Polenta and Cornmeal. Thanks for reading this blog.
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