How to make porridge palatable 

Porridge, a very boring and bland food when cooked in water with a pinch of salt, can be turned into a feast with very little effort. The following are just a few suggestions of things you can add to porridge to improve the texture and taste of it:
  • Nuts and seeds: Sunflower seeds, grated coconut, coarsely ground almonds or hazelnuts, etc.
  • Spices: a pinch of ground cinnamon, vanilla, ground tonka beans, etc.
  • Dried fruits: raisins, chopped dates or apricots, etc.
  • Other grains: millet, bulgar wheat, couscous, left over cooked rice or quinoa.
  • Try cooking porridge in milk, soya milk, coconut milk, rice milk, etc. instead of water.

Porridge should be cooked on slow heat, stirring often. Don't even think of trying it in a microwave.

Just to get you started, here's a couple of my favourite porridge recipes:

Oat porridge with tonka beans and mixed nuts

  • 1 cup porridge oats

  • 1 cup milk

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 handful hazelnuts
  • 1 blanched almonds
  • 1 handful sunflower seeds

  • 2 tonka beans (finely ground)

Put all the ingredient in a pan, and let it sit for 30 mn (or overnight). Cook slowly on gentle heat, stiring often, until proper consistency is reached. You can add more milk towards the end of the cooking if the porridge get too hard. Serve with mapple syrup or honey.

Vegan Oat and wheat porridge with coconut and dates

  • 1 cup porridge oats

  • 1/2 cup of bulghur wheat (couscous would also do)

  • 1 tin coconut milk

  • 2 cup water

  • 1 cup dates, chopped
  • 1 pinch ground cinnamon or cardamon (if liked)
Put all the ingredient in a pan, and let it sit for 30 mn (or overnight). Cook slowly on gentle heat, stiring often, until proper consistency is reached. You can add more water towards the end of the cooking if the porridge get too hard. Sprinkle with grated coconut just before serving.

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