Fall in Love with Ancestral Favorites Like Congee, Grits, and Kheer
Nearly every country serves up a creamy, whole-grain porridge. It may be called grits, oatmeal, congee, okayu, jok, kheer, arroz caldo, chao ga, farina, or hares … the list almost has no end.
Porridge is a go-to dish when the air starts to chill and the windows are about to turn frosty, or when there is strenuous labor ahead and hours of sustained energy are needed. Sweet or savory, porridge has many wondrous aromas and tastes. Some say it even brings back memories of being nurtured as a child.
Commonly eaten for breakfast, porridge is easy to make by boiling ground, crushed, or chopped starchy plants—typically grain—in water or milk. Flavorings such as sugar, butter, honey, or fruit can be added for sweetness. However, porridge is just as often served as a savory dish topped with fish, meat, or vegetables. Sweet or savory, a hot bowl of porridge isn’t always for breakfast. It can satisfy any time of day as a snack or a meal.
History of Porridge
Oatmeal is the most common porridge, and humanity’s paleolithic ancestors were making it 32,000 years ago, according to Marta Mariotti Lippi at the University of Florence in Italy. Lippi analyzed starch grains on an ancient stone grinding tool discovered in southern Italy and found processed oats. Many scientists believe that if grinding stones from elsewhere are similarly analyzed, additional evidence of ground grains will be discovered—perhaps even earlier than Lippi’s discovery.
Humanity’s paleolithic ancestors were making [oatmeal] 32,000 years ago.
Porridge made from ground wheat, barley, or rye is called farina and is thought to have originated thousands of years ago in ancient civilizations like Egypt and Mesopotamia (now Iraq, Kuwait, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey, and parts of Iran and Saudi Arabia). Farina is cooked in water over low heat for about 15 minutes to produce a smooth consistency. Since it contains all parts of the grain, it offers B vitamins, fiber, and protein along with many minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc. Although farina had been eaten for millennia, in 1893, Cream of Wheat cereal was “invented” in North Dakota in the United States. The boxed cereal continues to be popular for its convenience and low cost and includes instant varieties that contain fortified pre-cooked cereal. Porridge made with more liquid such that it can be drunk from a mug is often called gruel.
Grinding Grains
Ancient peoples had to harvest wild grains and grind them with stones. They also had to build a fire and gather water before they could make a batch of porridge. Today, farmed grains can be purchased as ready-to-prepare instant cereals. However, some people like to mill (grind) grains at home to retain the highest level of nutrition and flavor. This could be an article unto itself: finding and choosing the whole grains, selecting a grain mill, and learning how to mill the grains into the desired coarseness. There are advantages (grain choice, nutrition, no additives, flavor profile) and disadvantages (time, storage, learning curve). Many bakers and cooks are happy to share their experiences and resources on milling grain at home.
Recipes for Grains, Roots, and Dal
Oats are now cultivated and consumed worldwide. Nutritionally, oat porridge offers fiber, which has been proven to lower cholesterol and help prevent diabetes. Oats can improve gut microbiota, have immune modulating properties, and assist in preventing some forms of cancer, atherosclerosis, and dermatitis.
Oats can improve gut microbiota, have immune modulating properties, and assist in preventing some forms of cancer, atherosclerosis, and dermatitis.
There is no shortage of recipes. From the most basic oatmeal to creative ingredients like miso, rhubarb, figs, pumpkin, goji berries, asparagus, matcha, and chocolate, one could prepare a different oat porridge every day for a year.
Rice porridge is also common in many cultures and has many names. Congee has been made for thousands of years in China. In Japan, it’s kayu.
In Bangkok, Thailand, travel blogger Preamtip Satasuk grew up eating a rice porridge called jok (pronounced “joke”). When asked for her “authentic family recipe,” she responded with a long pause, a funny face, and said: “There’s no recipe.” This is a common answer from people who grew up learning to cook from parents and grandparents. There is no written recipe; ingredients aren’t measured. It is just made, and those who are in the kitchen learn by watching and helping and tasting. Gradually, Satasuk wrote down her method for making jok.
Thai Jok
By Preamtip Satasuk
One serving
Ingredients:
1 cup leftover Jasmine rice (overnight or day-old)
3 cups water
Marinated ground pork, formed into little balls
Marinade: garlic soy sauce, oyster sauce, lots of black pepper
Fresh ginger, chopped
Fresh chives
1 egg
Fish sauce (optional)
Directions:
Cook the leftover rice in water for 30 minutes to an hour. The trick is to stir continuously. When the water has gone down, pour in more water and keep stirring until the rice grains have lost their shape. Start to add the pork balls to the pot. Stir and keep heating until it’s the desired consistency. Top with ginger and chives, and crack a fresh egg on top (the heat will soft cook the egg), and serve. For a saltier flavor, add some fish sauce.
Rice porridge can also be made in a slow cooker or rice cooker. Heidi Langan, a food enthusiast and world traveler, loves to recreate recipes she has enjoyed at restaurants. She developed her rice cooker congee for convenience and adds savory or crunchy toppings she has on hand.
Rice Cooker Congee
By Heidi Langan
One serving
Ingredients:
1 cup white rice
5 cups water
Soy sauce
Black sesame seeds
1 egg, fried
Smoked salmon (or any meat)
Green onions, chopped (or any crunchy veggie)
Directions:
Cook the rice and water in rice cooker for about 8 hours or until the porridge is gelatinous. Top with a drizzle of soy sauce, black sesame seeds, fried egg, meat, and vegetables, and serve.
More Classic Takes on Rice Porridge
Going beyond rice and oats, one might choose chewier and denser whole grains. Deryn Macey provides a comprehensive guide to nutrition and flavor profiles, how to prepare, and what to mix in to her whole grain porridge recipes on Running on Real Food. She includes healthful whole grains such as buckwheat groats, barley, amaranth, sorghum, and cracked freekeh.
Busy people often gravitate toward quick foods but sacrifice nutrition. For healthful quick-cooking porridge options, an internet search for “porridge grains” will produce myriad hot cereal mixes that can be made in the microwave.
There are single grains such as farro, millet, and oats. There are also blends that incorporate as many as 10 grains. Check out the nutrition profiles of blended grains that might include spelt, teff, rye, barley, brown rice, wheat, and more for the best balance of vitamins, fiber, and minerals. Toss a handful of berries and a spoonful of honey into the bowl before eating to boost flavor and nutrition.
Check out the nutrition profiles of blended grains that might include spelt, teff, rye, barley, brown rice, wheat, and more for the best balance of vitamins, fiber, and minerals.
Porridges in some cultures are made from root vegetables (arrowroot, cassava, sweet potato, parsnips, etc.) or with dal (lentils, peas, or beans). A combination of butternut squash, sweet potato, and parsnips make up this Curried Coconut Root Vegetable Porridge.
For an Indian take on porridge that includes dal, see the author of India’s most popular vegetarian food blog, Dassana Amit. Her khichdi with rice and yellow mung lentils has a plethora of options for flavor. In its simplest form, the classic Indian dish is recommended for anyone recovering from illness because it is nutrient-rich and easy to digest.
And don’t forget porridges made with maize (corn), commonly referred to as grits or hominy. Porridge can also be made from cornmeal, but grits purists say that is not grits—true grits must start with stoneground corn. Try a classic grits recipe made with stock and butter, and then venture into recipes for grits with cheese, mushrooms, turnip greens, shrimp, pulled pork, along with a variety of cooking methods.
Porridge can also be made from cornmeal, but grits purists say that is not grits—true grits must start with stoneground corn.
Porridge is a Winner
Passion for porridge turns serious when contenders vie for the trophy at the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship. Both basic oats and specialty porridge competitions take place with some of the recipes posted online. While specialty dishes may be lazy weekend options, the time may be worth the flavor. Try porridges like Sacher Torte or Blueberry Cheesecake. The 2020 Second Place winner, Lisa Williams, says her Pinoat Butter, Honey Bananas and Chocolate porridge is a favorite of kids and “a hug in a bowl.”
Such a nutritious and versatile dish can easily become a diet staple. Since variety is the spice of life and one can always use a little more nutrition, give a new type of porridge a stir, add some healthy twists and create a family tradition with this timeless global comfort food. Go all in, get a spurtle (a Scottish wooden kitchen tool for stirring porridge), and be sure to mark the calendar to celebrate World Porridge Day, October 10, with a favorite bowl of “gruelly” goodness.
*Julie Peterson writes science-based articles about holistic health, environmental issues, and sustainable living from her organic farm in Wisconsin.
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