Bidia

Description
Stiff porridge

Ingredients

 * 1¼ cups white cornmeal
 * 1 cup milk

Directions

 * 1) Heat a cup of water to boiling in a medium-size saucepan.
 * 2) Meanwhile, in a bowl or measuring cup, gradually add ¾ cup of the cornmeal to the milk, stirring briskly to make a smooth paste.
 * 3) Add the mixture to the boiling water, continuing to stir constantly.
 * 4) Cook for 4 or 5 minutes while adding the remaining cornmeal.
 * 5) When the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the pot and stick together, remove from heat.
 * 6) Dump bidia into a bowl.
 * 7) Then, with damp hands, shape it into a smooth ball, flipping it so that the rounded sides of the bowl help to smooth it.
 * 8) Serve immediately.
 * 9) To eat in the traditional manner, tear off a small chunk and make an indentation in it with your thumb.
 * 10) Use this hollow as a “bowl” to scoop up sauces and stews.
 * 11) Variations : for a less conventional, but delicious porridge, dump half a cup of yellow cornmeal into a cup or more of boiling water.
 * 12) It will form lumps, but if you stir and mash vigorously with a strong wire whisk, the lumps will disappear.
 * 13) Add more cornmeal as necessary until you have a consistency similar to cream of wheat.
 * 14) Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring constantly.
 * 15) Serve hot.