Bring the water or the water-whey mixture to the boil with a little salt. Let the cornmeal trickle in and then remove the pot from the heat so that nothing burns. Then it’s a matter of stirring, stirring, stirring until the mamaliga has the consistency of a viscous porridge. This happens pretty quickly. Just before serving, stir in a good bit of butter and yogurt. If there was already whey in the water, be careful with the yogurt, otherwise it will be too sour. If necessary, you can add more salt.
Mamaliga should be served with very spicy dishes. For example, a braised vegetable of eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers and onions goes very well.