Kačamak (cornmeal and potato porridge)
A thick porridge of cornmeal and potato with cheese and kajmak, served with soured milk.
With care: in a safer version
Ingredients
- cornmeal
- potatoes
- water
- salt
- kajmak
- young cheese
- soured milk
How it is prepared
Potatoes are boiled, cornmeal is beaten in until smooth, then the cheese is added.
Food safety with low immunity
- Soft, mould-ripened and market cheeses may be unpasteurised. Choose packaged cheese labelled pasteurised, or use cheese melted in a hot dish.
- Use only pasteurised milk, yoghurt, cream and cheese.
- Unpasteurised milk and fermented drinks made from it are considered risky with low immunity.
How to prepare it during treatment
Traditional kajmak, cheese and soured milk are often raw-milk — during neutropenia make it only with pasteurised dairy and eat it hot. Very rich.
Your diet during treatment is agreed with your doctor. Sample 7-day menu for the treatment period →
Storage
Cook it fresh. Refrigerate leftovers within an hour and eat within a day.
Reheating
Add a little milk or water and bring to the boil.
Symptoms it may suit
- Low appetite. Gives a lot of energy and protein in a small portion — can help when appetite is low.
- Weight loss. Energy-dense and easy to enrich (oil, cheese, yoghurt) — can help with weight loss.
These are general observations: what suits you can change from day to day.
Treatment phases
- Before treatmentmay suit
- During a coursemay suit
- Low counts (neutropenia)Only in the safer version and if your team agreesmay suit
- Between coursesmay suit
- After treatmentmay suit
Phase notes are general. During low counts, follow only your care team’s food rules.
If you have other conditions
- Diabetes. Rich in carbohydrates (rice, potato, dough). With diabetes, discuss portion size and blood sugar with your team.
- Heart disease, Obesity, Liver disease, Stomach and gut. Can be fatty. With heart, liver or digestive disease, or excess weight, discuss fat content and portions with your team.
- Stomach and gut. Contains dairy. With lactose intolerance or bowel problems, discuss suitability with your team.
- High blood pressure, Heart disease, Kidney disease. Often salty (stock, salty cheese, sausage, pickles). With high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease, discuss salt limits with your team.
Nutrition (per 100 g)
Nutrition figures from a reliable source have not been added for this dish yet.
More from this cuisine
Related topics
Food safetyNeutropenic diet (low-microbial diet)PasteurisedCore cooking temperatureLeftoversCross-contamination
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Safer Food Choices for People With Weakened Immune Systems
- FoodSafety.gov (U.S. HHS). Cook to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Food Safety for Older Adults and People with Cancer, Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Organ Transplants, and Autoimmune Diseases
- Food Standards Agency (UK). Chilling
- World Health Organization (WHO). Five keys to safer food manual
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Food Safety During Cancer Treatment
- National Cancer Institute (NCI). Eating Hints: Before, during, and after Cancer Treatment
- BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 2019. Neutropenic diets to prevent cancer infections: updated systematic review and meta-analysis
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). FoodData Central — Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS)