Polenta is a porridge made from cornmeal or grits. Many consider it their national dish: Romanians, Moldavia, Ukrainians, Abkhazians, Ingush, Adygees, Ossetians. My grandmother told me how they ate polenta as a child: they kneaded the flour with water. They eat this way because t

Polenta is a porridge made from cornmeal or sand. Many consider it their national dish: Romanians, Moldavians, Ukrainians, Abkhazians, Ingush, Adige, Ossetians.

My grandmother told me how they ate polenta as a child: they kneaded the flour with water. They eat this way because they have nothing else to eat.

When we traveled to Abkhazia last year, the tour guide suggested that we try the local dish "Dzhigit's Dinner". It’s polenta filled with suluguni cheese and fried pork. Lunch also includes spicy lentil stew . Khachapuri is not included in the lunch price.

"Lunch Dzhigit" in Abkhazia. Cafe near Lisa Lake

To my surprise, I really enjoyed the polenta. It tastes like slightly sweet cornmeal. The combination with the very salty suluguni seemed a bit strange to me, but it made it more interesting. I can't comment on the pork (I'm vegetarian), I gave the meat to a local dog who walked from table to table begging tourists for food.

Pork slices and suluguni polenta

How much do you think this meal is? As we dined at a cafe overlooking Lake Lisa, I was shocked at the prices. Lunch itself (polenta, lentil soup, meat and cheese) only costs 350 rubles . The portion is huge! Here is the full menu of this cafe:

Full cafe menu

Have you tried mamalyga?