Porridge

Porridge definitely gets a bad rap, It’s viewed upon as an old persons dish. True, it has become a staple breakfast of the middle aged and older due to it’s health benefits. But, it has a rich history, it’s probably one of the first dishes put together by man. In it’s simplest form, it’s starchy grains boiled in water, pretty simple, hearty and healthy. Porridge is the breakfast of champions.

When we think of porridge, we think oats, in America it’s known as oatmeal. However, there are many geographic variations. There is maize porridge using cornmeal, grits is an example. There’s wheat porridge, using wheat meal, cream of wheat is an example. Rice porridge, cream of rice is another example of porridge. Basically, porridge is a dish made of a starchy grain cooked in water or milk.

Evidence of cooking grains has been dated back to paleolithic times, and, even today is a staple dish in many parts of the world. Oat porridge has been associated with Scotland due to oats being easy to cultivate in the harsh soil. Although oats were introduced to Scotland around 600 AD, evidence of barley porridge has been found in the islands off the mainland dating back 2500 years.

The focus of this post is oatmeal porridge, however, it’s main ingredient, oatmeal, does require a closer look. It has been found to offer many health benefits. Helps to lower bad cholesterol. Can help those with diabetes. Because it is filling, it can help to control eating and in turn help with dieting. It’s high in some vitamins and minerals, and, it promotes gut health, and keeps you regular. Oatmeal is high in carbohydrates, giving you the energy to start your day. And one serving a day is sufficient.

Although, in some places porridge can be served as a savory dish. This post is about breakfast porridge. The last thing anyone needs is to be cooking something complicated at 6 o’clock in the morning. Luckily, porridge is a two ingredient dish that is very easy to make. Firstly, there are a few different types of oatmeal available. Old fashioned, quick and instant. The difference between old fashioned and quick is the milling process, quick oats are cut a little finer, therefore cook a little quicker. Instant, on the other hand, is precooked and dried, all you need to do is rehydrate To anyone who reads my posts, I am not a fan of either quick or instant anything. So I stick with old fashioned.

Getting back to making breakfast. I’m pretty old school in my preparation. It’s a simple 2:1 ratio of oatmeal to water. For one serving bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Then add 1/2 cup of old fashioned oats, lower the heat and allow to simmer for 3-5 mins. I have a friend who will add a small box of raisins with the oatmeal and allow them to cook, quite delicious. I put mine in a bowl and add brown sugar and a little milk. However the options are endless, any type of fruit works well, raisins work well too. That is porridge, simple to make and a great start to the day. Enjoy breakfast.