Oatmeal Porridge (Made with Water)
A light, tasty, and nourishing oatmeal porridge. Oatmeal made with water turns out delicious if you cook it down well and stir it a couple of times along the way. Coarse oats give a pleasantly thick, creamy texture, and in a savory version they can serve as a base for various gravies, sauces, and salads.
Cooking method
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Step 1:
Get out coarse rolled oats, good water, salt, sugar, and butter. For a vegan (Lenten) version, skip the butter — you can add a little flavorless refined vegetable oil instead. The cooking time depends on the oats you use (coarse, medium, or fine ground) and can range from 2 to 30 minutes, so always check the package directions before cooking.
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Step 2:
Pour filtered or bottled water into a heavy-bottomed pot. Don't use tap water — it will hurt the flavor. Adjust the amount of water to the consistency you like: 1 to 3 for a thin porridge, 1 to 2 for a creamy one, and 1 to 1 for a thick one.
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Step 3:
When the water boils, add the salt, sugar, and oats. Use more salt for a savory porridge, or more sugar for a sweet one. You can replace the sugar with a heat-stable sweetener. You can also add ground cinnamon (about 0.5 tsp) and a knife-tip each of vanilla and nutmeg. Go easy on the spices — too much will spoil the flavor.
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Step 4:
Bring the porridge to a boil, stir, and simmer over the lowest heat for about 15–30 minutes. Stir it a couple of times, since it thickens on the bottom while liquid stays on top. Your tasty oatmeal porridge is ready! Let it rest, covered, so the oats absorb the extra moisture, then serve.
- This soft, nourishing porridge can be served warm or cold. Stir in pre-steamed dried apricots or raisins, candied fruit, or pieces of fruit and berries. If you cook it with dried fruit, you won't need any sugar. You can also add walnuts or seeds toasted in a dry skillet.
- How do you buy good rolled oats? Check the package — it should be intact, dry, and opaque, since light degrades the oats. Read the ingredients: it should be only oats, with no flavorings or sweeteners. And always check the use-by date.
- Store oats in an airtight container or package at no more than 68°F (20°C), in a dry place, since they quickly go bad in a humid environment.
Caloric content of the products possible in the composition of the dish
- Granulated sugar - 398 kcal/100g
- Sugar - 398 kcal/100g
- Butter 82% - 734 kcal/100g
- Amateur unsalted butter - 709 kcal/100g
- Unsalted peasant butter - 661 kcal/100g
- Peasant salted butter - 652 kcal/100g
- Melted butter - 869 kcal/100g
- Salt - 0 kcal/100g
- Water - 0 kcal/100g
- Oat flakes - 305 kcal/100g
- Raw Hercules - 390 kcal/100g
