"A penny saved, would have to be; since they aren't pressing any new ones."
For this first post I will begin with an explanation. After this I will try to start with the recipe, right after a definition. A porridge is typically defined as a cooked mixture or grains or legumes. (defined) Many would add that it is served warm, and not eaten on bread or other items. A porridge is therefore not biscuits and gravy, pie, dip, Étouffée etc. In addition, the primary ingredients are plant based, but not leafy. So greens, saag paneer, and warm spinach salad are not porridge. Nor is Poke Sallet (Not Annie) which is a real thing. Another factor is the moisture. Most would consider rice pudding a porridge, but not rice, or tabbouleh, or couscous or quinoa. (although those all make regular appearances at my table.) If you can eat it with a fork, it is generally not a porridge. I will be stretching the definition to include things which are legumes and grains, like beans and rice, and potatoes, since those can be used to make Vodka and therefore count as a grain in spirit. (badum pssshhhh).
So now that we have established what will and will not be counted as a porridge here, on to the the recipe, such as it is.
For something as ubiquitous as oatmeal, I first need to state that this is the most basic version and therefore I will be using par-cooked, rolled oats. (Obvious example Quaker). (Btw, did you know "Quaker" was originally a slur?)
Boil one cup of water and add a half cup of oats, stirring until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Simple enough. This does not mean you should make it this way.
Start by replacing that water with something else. Milk, half water-half cream, apple juice, etc.
You can also roast the oats a bit for a deeper flavor, but if you use oil or butter to do so, the cook time will be greatly increased. This holds true for every grain that you pre-roast to improve the flavor.
Once it is cooked, the sky is the limit for add-ins (same can be said of Congee or Chazuke for the most part)
I am a weirdo who likes stirring in peanut butter, cinnamon, and honey, or maple syrup, and occasionally chocolate chips (Less strange than you think)
Fist entry, keeping it simple. More next week.
