Name: Samegrelo Ghomi: Thick Cornmeal Porridge with Sulguni
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 250 g coarse white corn grits; 75 g fine white cornmeal; 1.4 L water, plus up to 150 ml boiling water only if needed; 4.5 g fine salt; 250 g Sulguni cheese, cut into thin strips; 30 g unsalted butter, cut into four pieces

Samegrelo ghomi with melting Sulguni and butter, plated on the right of a wide frame.

Yield4 servings

Preparation10 minutes

Cooking45 minutes

Passive time0 minutes

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The dish

About Samegrelo Ghomi: Thick Cornmeal Porridge with Sulguni

ღომი · 4 servings · Easy · 55 minutes

Ghomi is closely associated with Samegrelo and western Georgia, where the thick cornmeal staple is served with dishes such as meat, fish, beans and dairy. Georgia also has an older millet-grain tradition associated with the name; this recipe is the contemporary corn-based form familiar on Georgian tables.

This measured home version combines rinsed coarse white corn grits with a smaller amount of fine white cornmeal. The coarse grain gives the porridge body, while the fine meal helps it become smooth and dense. Grind and water absorption vary, so the final texture is judged by how the ghomi folds heavily from the spoon and pulls away from the pot.

Serve ghomi as soon as it is cooked, with sliced Sulguni and butter placed on top to soften. Keep the cheese as a topping: when cheese is worked into the pot until elastic, the related dish is Elarji. The exact corn variety, grind, salt and accompaniments vary by household; this recipe sets one repeatable version rather than claiming a single exclusive formula.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

ღომი · 4 servings · Easy · 55 minutes

Ghomi

250 gcoarse white corn grits
75 gfine white cornmeal
1.4 Lwater, plus up to 150 ml boiling water only if needed
4.5 gfine salt

For serving

250 gSulguni cheese, cut into thin strips
30 gunsalted butter, cut into four pieces

Method

Rinse the coarse grits. Put them in a bowl and rinse in several changes of cold water, gently rubbing the grains until the water is mostly clear. Drain well.
Start the pot. Add the rinsed grits, 1.4 L water and salt to a heavy pot. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring once or twice as the grains settle.
Cook until the grains soften. Lower the heat, partly cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes. Stir more often as the mixture thickens so it does not catch on the bottom. If the pot is drying while the grains remain firm, add a small splash of boiling water.
Work in the fine meal. Sprinkle in the fine cornmeal gradually while stirring and pressing firmly with a sturdy wooden spoon. Add it steadily so it hydrates without forming lumps.
Beat to a thick finish. Keep the heat low and beat for 8–10 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides. The ghomi is ready when smooth and very thick, moving in heavy folds and pulling away from the pot. Taste and adjust salt only if needed.
Portion and top. Dip a ladle in hot water and divide the ghomi among four warmed bowls. Lay one-quarter of the Sulguni strips and one piece of butter on each serving. Bring to the table immediately while the cheese softens.

Excerpt

A western Georgian staple of dense white corn porridge, slowly cooked and beaten smooth, then served hot with melting Sulguni and butter.

Practical guidance

Use boiling water for any adjustment so the pot keeps simmering. Stir more frequently as the ghomi thickens, and press out any small lumps against the side of the pot. If it sets while standing, loosen it in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of water, stirring until hot throughout. Ghomi is best fresh. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow covered container within 2 hours; keep at 4 °C or below for 3–4 days. Reheat gently with water, stirring until the center reaches 74 °C. The cheese and butter are served on top, not stirred through the pot.

Nutrition per serving

Energy: approximately 527 kcal
Carbohydrates: 63 g
Protein: 19 g
Fat: 23 g
Fibre: 2 g
Sodium: 850 mg
Basis: approximate generic cornmeal, cheese and butter composition; includes all 4.5 g salt, 250 g Sulguni and 30 g butter divided among four portions. Sulguni salt, moisture and fat vary by producer.

Allergens and food safety

Contains milk from Sulguni and butter. Corn is naturally gluten-free, but check product labels for wheat cross-contact if cooking for someone with coeliac disease. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and keep cold at 4 °C or below. Reheat to 74 °C at the center. Use clean utensils and covered storage.

To serve

Bring each bowl to the table hot, while the Sulguni is softening into the surface.
Ghomi pairs well with bazhe, satsivi, beans, fish or other stews; these are optional accompaniments and are not included in this recipe or nutrition estimate.