Porridge is a well known Scottish breakfast was one of the main ways of eating oats, in the past.
Ingredients for Porridge(sufficient for two people):
One pint (half litre) water; some people use half water and half milk
2.5 ounces (2.5 rounded tablespoons) medium-ground oats
Pinch of salt
Method:
Bring the water (or water and milk) to a good rolling boil, preferably in a non-stick pan. Slowly pour the oatmeal into the boiling liquid, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon all the time.
Keep stirring until it has returned to the boil again, reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer very gently for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the salt at this point and simmer and stir for a further 5/10 minutes (time depends on the quality of the oats).
The Porridge should be a thick but pourable consistency.
Serve hot in wooden bowls if you have them.
Porridge Traditions:
Porridge is always stirred clockwise. A spoonful of porridge (in a horn spoon) was dipped into a communal bowl of cream before eating.
Porridge is also eaten standing up. While some people have suggested that this is out of respect for the noble dish, it probably arose from busy farmers doing other things while eating their morning porridge - or as an aid to digestion. |
