What we call porridge is just hot cereal. We use that name in our family because I love hot cereal and wanted my kids to, too, so we would always go over the Goldilocks and the 3 Bears story while waiting for it to cook.
There are a couple of ways that we make it:
1. the easiest way: in the microwave. We use a quart pyrex and mix in the appropriate water and grain with a dash of salt. Cook it for 2 minutes on high. Stir. Then, cook it for 30 seconds and stir it over and over again until the cereal wants to boil over. It will grow up to the top while the wave are heating it. Watch it carefully, or you may have a whole turntable of porridge before you know it....trust me, I know!
2. the second way: on the stove. Mix the appropriate amounts of water and grain with a dash of salt in a heavy-bottom pot. Cook the cereal over medium heat. This takes a long time, but if you do not like the microwave, then this is the best option. If you have it on high-heat, then the cereal will sizzle as soon as the water is soaked up in it and you will burn it. So, Medium Heat. Stir regularly until it is boiling, then watch it closely and stir it. When it is thick, it is done, most likely. :-)
3. Soak the cereal overnight and then choose one of the above modes to cook it the rest of the way.
When one of the 3 ways above are complete, put in bowls immediately. Stir in frozen fruit of your choice. After the fruit has melted a bit, add your desired amount of milk. Add sugar, if desired. Serve.
Some cooking tricks:
If too runny when done, add a bit of baby cereal to quickly thicken it.
If too solid when done, add more milk and stir
If too dry while cooking it, add more water
When I lived in Russia, we had hot cereal every morning. My homestay mom would make Kasha with rice, buckwheat, ground wheat, and oats (not usually oats, though). So, after 4 months of it, added to my hot cereal fettish growing up, I love the stuff. Here are some of our concoctions:
Oatmeal with canned fruit, brown sugar, or blueberries...we have all the following with milk, of course
Cracked wheat, ground a little finer, mostly with blueberries
over-Cooked Rice with milk and just a hint of sugar**see directions below)
Also, we have the usuals like malt-o-meal, cream of wheat, and cornmeal mush (terch-in Romanian, fyi) Malt-o-Meal contains soybeans, so we had to give that up since my daughter is intollerant to it. Also, my all-time favorite terch is out because my son is allergic to corn. :-( Cream of wheat or rice is good in a rush and when we're out of time.
For Rice Kasha, I found this on the internet, since I don't think I'd be able to explain it very well myself:
Sweet Rice Kasha (great easy kids recipe)-
http://www.aboutkasha.com/sweet-rice-kasha-kids-recipe.aspKids favorite!
Ingredients:
Rice (12oz)
Water (16oz)
Milk (4oz)
Sugar (3tbsp)
Licorice (0.5tsp)
Butter (4tbsp)
Serves 3
Cooking Instructions:
1. Wash rice in warm water
2. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat and cook rice until tender, mix to avoid sticking.
3. After the rice is ready drain water and put the rice into oven-safe cookware.
4. Boil milk and add hot milk to cooked rice, mix and allow milk to be absorbed in the rice.
5. Add sugar, spices and butter, mix.
6. Pre-heat the oven (350F), cook in the oven for another 5 minutes.
Comments: better served in soup bowls
