Serves a Crowd

Sweet and Savory Porridge with Almonds and Cardamom

January 29, 2011
4
1 Ratings
  • Serves 4-6
Author Notes

I've grown rather weary in recent months of the more conventional ways of eating steel cut oats in the morning, so I've developed a variety of savory concoctions, which I look forward to eating for breakfast. Initially, I started stirring in leftover dal and fragrant pilafs into cooked steel cut oats. Then I decided I wanted savory grains and rice in the morning more often than just when we had leftovers on hand, so I started making pots of porridge cooked with similar spices. This is the second such recipe I've posted. (The first -- fragrant with bay, cumin, cinnamon and cashews -- can be found by searching for "Sweet and Savory Oats and Brown Rice, (Quick Version)." Enjoy!! - AntoniaJames —AntoniaJames

Test Kitchen Notes

This is not your typical bland breakfast porridge. AntoniaJames combines brown rice and oats with almonds and spices to make something wonderful. The flavor is intriguing, and the mix of grains and nuts gives it a great texture. I had a bowl for breakfast with a light sprinkling of brown sugar and a splash of half-and-half. What a perfect way to start the day! - hardlikearmour —hardlikearmour

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • ½ cup uncooked steel cut oats
  • ½ cup uncooked sweet brown, medium or short brown, or brown basmati rice
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom (or more, or less, to taste)
  • 1 small cinnamon stick, broken in two
  • A tiny pinch of ground cloves (less than 1/16 teaspoon, or more to taste)
  • 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee
  • ¼ - ½ cup chopped almonds, toasted
  • 1-2 tablespoons jaggery or dark brown sugar, or more, or less, to taste
Directions
  1. In a small, heavy, lidded saucepan, simmer the bay leaves and spices in 2 ¼ cup water for about five minutes.
  2. Add the oats, rice, one tablespoon of coconut oil or ghee, and salt. Bring to a boil, then immediately turn the heat down very low, and cover the pan tightly.
  3. Allow it to cook for 30 minutes undisturbed. Turn the heat off but do not remove the lid for at least another 15 minutes.
  4. When ready to serve, remove the bay leaves and cinnamon sticks. Stir half of the toasted almond pieces into the porridge, and stir well. Taste it, and add more cardamom, but only a tiny bit at a time, to taste.
  5. Warm the remaining oil or ghee and toss the chopped almonds in it.
  6. Serve the porridge topped with the almonds. Allow each person to stir in jaggery, to taste.
  7. This is nice with a pot of freshly-brewed Russian Caravan or other smoky tea.
  8. Enjoy!!

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Allie
    Allie
  • JoanG
    JoanG
  • gingerroot
    gingerroot
  • Sagegreen
    Sagegreen
  • aargersi
    aargersi
AntoniaJames

Recipe by: AntoniaJames

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9 Reviews

Allie October 19, 2014
Soared to the top of my hot breakfast favorites. Skipped the coconut oil, fine without it. Threw in some seeds as well as a topping.
 
AntoniaJames October 20, 2014
Thanks for letting me know, Allie. So glad you like it! (The seeds are a great idea, too.) ;o)
 
JoanG February 3, 2011
RIce and oats and bay leaves! What an intriguing combination.
 
gingerroot February 2, 2011
YUM!! This sounds so delicious. I can't wait to try it.
 
Sagegreen January 30, 2011
These textures and flavors sound really refreshing!
 
aargersi January 30, 2011
Awesome - I might be inclined to plop a poached egg on top too! Yum!
 
Kitchen B. January 30, 2011
i love the bite this will have......yummy
 
drbabs January 29, 2011
breakfast tomorrow!
 
testkitchenette January 29, 2011
I am loving this. I am always looking for ways to jazz up my oats also!