National Porridge Week: Here's how to make the perfect porridge 

Get the ratio right

A ratio of 2:1 of liquid to rolled oats is the best way to approach your porridge-making. Choose between the milk of your choice, water or a mix of the two. If you are a fan of milk, you might like to add a splash of water at the end of the cooking to loosen up your mixture and achieve optimum creaminess. 

Mind the heat

Pop your oats and cooking liquid in a pot and bring to the boil. The instant the liquid starts to bubble, bring the heat down to a simmer. Cook gently for a few minutes until your porridge is velvety and delicious. Porridge is like scrambled eggs. Turn the heat off before it is fully cooked to avoid the rubbery oats that haunt our childhood.

Don't forget the toppings

Porridge oats act as the perfect flavour vehicle for whatever combinations are your favourite. A solid pinch of cinnamon in the cooking liquid begs to be topped with chopped apple and honey, consider stirring in a teaspoon of your favourite nut butter before topping with banana slices for an Elvis-inspired breakfast. The combinations are endless — half a teaspoon of cocoa stirred into the milk for a chocolate porridge or date syrup, raspberries and almonds. Whatever you love will work in your porridge. 

Seasoning is key

Just like half a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup is crucial to your porridge, so too is a scant pinch of salt. 

Think about texture

When you're planning your breakfast, make sure that you consider texture. Porridge is creamy, so include something crunchy like nuts, seeds or even a scattering of granola, something tart like chopped Granny Smith apples or some raspberries and something unexpected like a single square of dark chocolate, melting into the oats or a swirl of peanut butter.

Remember the pot

When you have assembled your breakfast bowl, pour cold water and washing-up liquid straight into your porridge pot to ensure easy cleaning. You can thank us later. 

Macroom oatmeal porridge

By:currabinny Cooks Recipe

With Fresh Oatmeal A Made Fruit Of Favourite, Porridge Is Served With A Honey Hearty Pinhead And Macroom Drizzle

Servings

1

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Time Cooking

 5 mins

Time Total

 10 mins

Course

 Main

ingredients

• Teacup Water Of 1

• Teacups Milk Of 5 1

• Of Pinch Good Seasalt

•  ½ Teacup Oatmeal Macroom

method

1. So A The Careful Heat, In Ingredients Not Over The Continuously Oats To Heat Bottom To Stick Be Very The Fast Liquid The All Absorb Medium It Stirring Will A Let Pot

2. Or Little Minutes Has If Of Softened Transfer After When Oatmeal Consistency Desired Bit 6 About The And The A A Porridge Into Is Sugar Sprinkle With 5 And Brown Soft At Then Of Bowl

3. Good Raw To Using Raw Oatmeal Few Seeds You Have Of Peaches, Make In As Drizzle When And Salt Arrange Above The Use Honey, Sprinkle The Over Into Variation Pomegranate Pomegranate Middle, Good Same With The A With Slices Peaches Quality Generously The Bowl, And Just Transferred Ripe Honey Your Recipe Less

Oaty inspiration

Berry compôte with Greek yoghurt. To make a berry compote, pour frozen berries of your choice into a pot with a squeeze of lemon and cook for about ten minutes. Whiz with a hand blender and once cooled, store in your fridge for up to a week. Dollop equal quantities of yoghurt and compôte for a luscious start to the day. 

Carrot cake porridge. Grate a carrot and add a tablespoon of raisins and a pinch of mixed spice to your porridge oats while cooking. To serve, top with walnuts and a swirl of maple syrup. 

Adults-only porridge. Cook your porridge oats as directed and before serving, scatter with brown sugar before drizzling on a tablespoon of whisky and a tablespoon of double cream.