Porridge - Indian Style: A recipe

I love porridge on cold cold mornings.

Not the instant oat variety, but the real porridge, made with organic oats. The difference between instant and organic porridge is like the difference between instant coffee and coffee beans. A world, a planet of difference.

It is not quite cold enough yet for every day porridge breakfasts, but I was inspired today to bring out the oats for the first time this year by a blog post that described an Indian take on porridge. He used quaker oats though .

For the life of me, I can’t find the blog again. If you think you know it, please let me know. bee left a comment about cranberries. Someone else said they had been eating porridge for nine years. I would like to link to the post, it was good. And it inspired my breakfast this morning.

So in anticipation of those cold mornings just over the horizon, and for my readers in regions where the calendar says spring but the weather has not read the calendar yet, porridge is the theme of today.

Usually I make porridge, use jaggery, golden syrup or treacle for sweetness (yes! I know, no need to comment). Maybe a bit of fruit.

But I was inspired today to create an Indian twist.

Recipe Notes

The amount of liquid needed for porridge depends on two things:

• the oats that you use and the amount of liquid that they absorb
• your preferred consistency for porridge – runny or smooth

Read the label on your oats and let that guide you. Over time you will get used to the amount required. For me with the oats that I am currently using it is about 3 – 4 times the volume of the oats that I am using. But that might be too much for some other oats.

Porridge with an Indian Twist

Source : inspired by a blog
Cuisine: Anglo-Indian
Prep time: 3 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Serves: 1 person, just multiply the recipe for additional people

ingredients
organic oats, 0.5 cups
pinch salt
tiny piece of ghee, about thumbnail size
0.75 – 1 cup water * see notes above
0.75 – 1 cup milk * see notes above
2 pods cardamom
small pinch saffron strands
unsalted pistachios, cashews, almonds
a few dried cranberries (optional)
organic honey, jaggery or sugar

method
In a saucepan, place the oats, salt, ghee and the milk and water. Bring to the boil slowly. Add the crushed pods of cardamom and the saffron. If you would like to use dried cranberries, add most but not all of them now.

Boil gently for 20 minutes or until the oats are cooked and the desired consistency is reached. Stir often as the oats will catch if you are not careful.

If you are using jaggery or sugar, stir that through now.

Serve into a delightful dish. Top with chopped cranberries, pistachios, cashews and/or almonds.

Drizzle organic honey over the top (optional).

People are Saying:

• Kathryn from Limes and Lycopene, that great site full of nutritional information, wonderful links and tempting food, says in this post:

Porridge is such a good way to start the day. Low GI, filling and guaranteed to keep you going. I was intrigued by A Life (Time) of Cooking’s Indian style porridge. Flavoured with cardamon, cinnamon, nuts and palm sugar – what a delicious combination.

Read Some More

• Evolving Tastes has a wonderful post on Pongal Oats – porridge with a STRONG hint of India. I will be making this one some time soon.
• Slash Kitchen has a great post on steel cut oats, and a recipe for porridge with vanilla.
• The Slow Kitchen explains the difference between steel cut oats and rolled oats, also quick cook oats.
• Former Fat Guy has an FAQ on oats that is very informative.

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