The word is slightly onomatopoeic in my mind, sounding a little like the prejudices people hold against it: a bit squelchy, a bit old school and something of a heavy mouthful.
Porridge deserves a comeback, but also a bit of a makeover. Most of the coffee-shop chains have jumped on the bandwagon to satisfy health-conscious commuters with anaemic cartons of the stuff, but for me, that’s not what the true porridge experience is about. I am a lover of all manners of grains, particularly spelt, which is increasingly easy to get hold of (try Sharpham Park). Garnished with a rainbow of dried fruits, nuts and seeds, you’ll be a spelt porridge convert in no time.
Rainbow spelt porridge
Serves 4 (or two very hungry people)
250g pearled spelt
250ml milk
½ tsp flaky sea salt
1 tbsp maple syrup
4 tbsp sunflower seeds
4 tbsp pistachios
4 tbsp dried blueberries
4 tbsp dried cranberries
100g Greek yoghurt (optional)
Soak the spelt in plenty of cold water the night before; this softens the grains, reducing the cooking time dramatically. Drain through a sieve and give the grains a quick rinse. Add the spelt to a medium saucepan with the milk and salt and stir well. Cook on a low heat, adding up to 200ml water a little at a time; if it gets too dry, keep stirring and stay vigilant! Cook, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes (you can test the bite as it might need longer). When the grains are soft (they won’t disintegrate like oats do but hold their shape), stir in the maple syrup.
In the meantime, dry-toast the sunflower seeds and the pistachios in a small frying pan, then roughly chop the pistachios.
Divide the porridge between the bowls. Top each one with 1 tbsp each of the dried seeds, nuts and fruit, and add a little yoghurt if desired. Serve with extra maple syrup if needed.
