I made porridge with one extra ingredient this past week and it turned out to be the creamiest porridge I have ever had. Like many people living in the UK, porridge is a go-to breakfast for me. I usually make it in a pot but it also makes for a quick and easy breakfast for when I’m in a rush, so I sometimes throw it into the microwave. But recently, when I had a bit of time to spare and think about how I might be able to improve my porridge, an idea came to me.
My go-to porridge is made simply using oats, milk and honey and I usually top it with a banana. Although recently, I discovered how adding peanut butter and jam into my porridge mixture could greatly enhance the flavour and texture. So, I wondered if there was some way I could make the porridge itself taste like banana. Then, I came up with a simple way to mix the banana in with the oats and milk and I was a big fan of the results.
As per usual I poured my desired amount of porridge oats as well as my milk into a pot and started heating up the porridge. While this was happening, I cut up one banana and mashed it until it was completely crushed and smooth.
Towards the end of the cooking process (I normally heat my oats ona low to medium heat for about five minutes), I added in the mashed banana and stirred it in well to make sure it properly mixed.
Now, here is the trick. The banana will add some creaminess but it will also thicken up your porridge mixture, especially as you heat it. So it might be a good idea to add in a bit more milk (this is what I did) or to even add in some water to stop the porridge from getting too stodgy.
As per usual, I topped it with a tablespoon of honey and I went in with the addition of bluberries and strawberries. I was really treating myself that morning.
The results were pretty delicious and there were hints of banana in every spoonful of porridge I took, rather than just slices of banana on top of my porridge. The texture was ultra-creamy but I think it is essential to balance out the addition of the mashed banana with extra milk or water so stop it from getting sloppy.
I would definitely make porridge this way again. I am always looking for ways to enjoy porridge differently and I’m starting to discover that the possibilities are somewhat endless. For some, cooking porridge in just water and salt and adding butter and brown sugar is the way to get the best results.
For others, they swear by swapping milk with things like yoghurt. There are plenty of other tips and tricks that people use, such as soaking the oats before you heat them up.