In my house, porridge features mostly at breakfast time, as a bunch of sweet, oaty variations on a wintry theme; and because we have two little mouths to feed. In many parts of the world, however, the most wonderful savoury delicacies share a texture with our morning grub, but they are definitely not quick solutions for parents rushing to join the school run. Today’s savoury porridges hail from three different corners of the world. They take a little time and a bit of dedication, but all deliver warmth and comfort that make them perfect for a cold January night.
Brown rice and shiitake congee with rayu (pictured above)
Rayu is a Japanese chilli oil often enjoyed with rice, ramen or gyoza. My take on it includes tangerine zest, which sweetens and enriches the oil. Make it even if you’re not doing the congee and keep it in the fridge for whenever you need a bit of extra spice on your food.
Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr
Serves 4
80ml vegetable oil
8 spring onions, 6 finely chopped, 2 finely sliced, to serve
4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
Salt
180g short-grain brown rice
50g dried shiitake mushrooms, roughly chopped
150g rainbow radishes, cut into thin rounds
2 tbsp rice-wine vinegar
½ tsp caster sugar
50g crispy shallots, shop-bought or homemade
For the rayu
1 tsp aleppo chilli flakes (or ½ tsp if using a spicier chilli flake)
1½ tbsp sweet pepper flakes
1½ tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
1 tbsp black sesame seeds, toasted
2½ tsp grated tangerine zest
2½ tbsp soy sauce
Put the oil, chopped onions, ginger, garlic and a quarter-teaspoon of salt in a large, high-sided saute pan on a medium heat. Fry for 12 minutes, stirring often, until soft and very aromatic; turn down the heat if it begins to colour or sizzle too much. Strain through a sieve and reserve the oil. Return half the drained solids to the pan, and put the oil and the rest of the spring onion mixture in a small bowl.
In two batches, blitz the rice in a spice grinder or pulse in a food processor, until the grains are broken up. Add the shiitake in two to three batches, and pulse until chopped into roughly 1cm pieces. Tip the rice mix into the spring onion pan and put on a medium-high heat. Add a litre and a half of water, a teaspoon and a quarter of salt, bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium and leave to cook for 30 minutes, stirring often, until it’s very well cooked and the consistency of wet porridge.
While the rice is cooking, put the radishes in a bowl with the vinegar, sugar and a quarter-teaspoon of salt, and leave to pickle lightly.
Stir all the rayu ingredients into the bowl with the reserved spring onion and oil mixture.
Divide the cooked rice between four bowls and top each portion with rayu. Garnish with the pickled radishes, sliced spring onions and crispy shallots, and serve.
Spiced chicken madrooba
This is an epic dish in the best sense of the word. Yes, it takes a bit of effort, both in prep and in beating the chicken and cracked wheat, but the result will surprise, delight and fill you up. The word madrooba hails from the Gulf and translates as “beaten”, after the process of making it. Jareesh is a form of ground wheat that can be found in Middle Eastern stores, but you can also use coarse bulgur wheat. Any leftovers keep well in the fridge and can be reheated another day.
Prep 40 min
Cook 3 hr 20 min
Serves 8
1 whole chicken (about 1.4kg)
5 onions, 1 peeled and cut into 4 wedges, 2 peeled and finely chopped and 2 peeled and thinly sliced
1 head garlic, halved widthways, plus 8 cloves, peeled and crushed
2 cinnamon sticks
Salt and black pepper
165ml olive oil
2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
4 green chillies, 3 finely chopped seeds and all, 1 thinly sliced
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1½ tsp turmeric
7-8 plum tomatoes, coarsely grated and skins discarded (600g net weight)
2½ tbsp tomato paste
30g coriander leaves, roughly chopped
30g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
30g dill leaves, roughly chopped
300g jareesh or 150g coarse bulgur wheat, washed until the water runs clear
2 tbsp lemon juice
500g swiss chard, stems discarded and leaves roughly shredded (320g)
1½ tsp aleppo chilli flakes (or ¾ tsp if using a spicier variety), to garnish
Put the chicken, onion wedges, head of garlic, cinnamon sticks, two litres of water and two teaspoons of salt in a large stockpot for which you have a lid. Bring to a boil on a medium-high heat, skimming off the froth as you go, then turn down the heat to medium-low, cover and leave to simmer gently for 80 minutes, or until the chicken is falling off the bone. Transfer the chicken to a bowl, then roughly pull the meat off the bone, shredding it as you go and discarding the skin, cartilage and bones. Strain the stock into a second pan and discard the solids.
Measure out 1.7 litres if you are using jareesh or 1.2 litres if you are using bulgur (save any extra stock for another use). On a medium-high flame, heat four tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy-based cast-iron pot for which you have a lid. Add the chopped onion and fry, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes, until softened and deeply browned. Add the ginger, chopped chillies and two-thirds of the crushed garlic, cook for another minute, then stir in the spices, tomatoes, tomato paste, two-thirds of the herbs, two and a quarter teaspoons of salt and a good grind of pepper, and cook for seven minutes, or until thickened.
Add the jareesh or bulgur, shredded chicken and stock, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to its lowest setting, cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for an hour, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the wheat has cooked through. Off the heat, whisk the mix vigorously for 10 minutes, until it resembles porridge, then stir in the remaining herbs and lemon juice.
Meanwhile, heat three tablespoons of oil in a large saute pan on a medium heat. Fry the sliced onion, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until caramelised. Turn the heat to medium-high, add the remaining crushed garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in the chard in batches, add a third of a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, and cook for three more minutes, until wilted.
To serve, spoon the madrooba into a large, shallow serving bowl. Top with the chard mixture, sliced chilli, remaining four tablespoons of oil and a sprinkling of chilli flakes.
Fish and prawn pirão
Pirão is a traditional dish from the north-east of Brazil made by beating coarse cassava root flour into hot stock. It’s typically eaten alongside a fish stew called moqueca, but I believe it deserves main-dish status in its own right. You can get coarse cassava flour online, and in Brazilian and West African shops (where it’s called gari); failing that, use the same amount of quick-cook polenta.
Prep 25 min
Cook 1 hr 25 min
Serves 6
12 raw head‑on, shell-on tiger prawns
¼ tsp sweet paprika
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
105ml olive oil
Salt
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 tomatoes, finely chopped (300g net weight)
1 scotch bonnet chilli, left whole but with a lengthways slit cut into it
3 tbsp tomato paste
5g coriander leaves, finely chopped, plus 2 tbsp whole leaves, to serve
4 sea bream fillets (about 120g each), skinned and cut in half
250ml shellfish or fish stock
1 green chilli, finely sliced (and deseeded if you prefer less heat)
2 tsp white-wine vinegar
150g coarse cassava flour or quick-cook polenta
1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve
For the marinated prawns, twist off the prawn heads and put them in a bowl. Leaving the tails intact, peel and discard the prawn shells, then de-vein the prawns and use a small, sharp knife to open them up so they are semi-butterflied. Put the prawns in a medium bowl with the paprika, half the garlic, two tablespoons of oil and a quarter-teaspoon of salt. Mix together and leave to marinate for 20 or minutes.
Meanwhile, heat three tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan on a medium flame, then fry the prawn heads, stirring, for about five minutes, until crisp and bright pink. Use a potato masher (or metal whisk) to crush the heads and release their liquids and flavour into the oil. Strain through a fine sieve, reserving the oil, and discard the heads.
Return the oil to the pan and put on a medium-high heat. Add another tablespoon of oil and the remaining garlic, and fry for a minute, stirring, until lightly coloured. Add the onion, fry for three minutes, then add the tomatoes, scotch bonnet, tomato paste, coriander, fish and a teaspoon and a quarter of salt, and fry for five minutes, stirring every now and then. Pour in the stock and 850ml water, turn down the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the green chilli and vinegar in a small bowl with an eighth of a teaspoon of salt.
Lift out 120g of the fish from the stock and set aside. With the pan still on a medium heat, sprinkle the surface with a third of the cassava flour or polenta, whisking constantly as you go to avoid any lumps. Don’t worry about the fish breaking apart – that’s the intention. Slowly pour in the remaining cassava flour or polenta in two more batches, whisking constantly. Once it’s all fully incorporated into the stock, turn down the heat to low and whisk for eight minutes more, until the mix is thickened and bubbling, then turn off the heat.
Put a large, nonstick frying pan on a high heat and, once very hot, lay in the prawns, spaced apart, and sear for 90 seconds on each side, until golden. Scrape the prawn marinade into the pan with the reserved fish, and warm up.
Transfer the pirão to a large, shallow bowl and top with the prawns and fish. Toss the remaining coriander with the marinated green chillies, and spoon over the top. Squeeze the lime and drizzle the remaining two tablespoons of oil over, and serve.
