The Breakfast Club January Detox - Fruity Porridge & Savoury Persian Porridge, Haleem

To make my fruity porridge take five tablespoons of organic oats per person and twice as much water, a spoonful of honey (preferably local or Manuka)and place in a porringer or saucepan.  Add fruits or raisins. Blueberries or windfall mulberries frozen at the end of summer are perfect for sour sweetness, and you can just pop them in straight out of the freezer. Cook slowly until the oats turn soft and comforting, and the raisins and berries plum-up, sweetening the porridge naturally. Serve with fruity sauce (when not detoxing!)and thick greek yoghurt...low fat of course...Fuel for a whole morning...

Or...

A's favourite savoury Haleem...Persian chicken porridge 

Traditionally cooked overnight in bakers' ovens and served in little cafes that open from dawn. Originally made with wheat and turkey or lamb, but more often with porridge oats and chicken in our house.  It's a great way to use up left over chicken or turkey from a roasted dinner.

To make enough for three to four people place a teacupful of oats into a saucepan or porringer and a good pinch or twist of sea salt. Poach a chicken breast in salted water until just tender but not dry. (I usually reserve the cooking liquid to make chicken stock.) When cool, shred the chicken with your finger or two forks using the same method used in Chinese restaurants to prepare duck with pancakes. Add this to the oats in the saucepan.  Gradually add  cold water into the oats and cook over a moderate heat, feeding the water in, in the same way that you would a risotto.  This is one of those dishes where you need to stand and stir...a bit of cooking therapy...After a little while you can add milk instead of water to give a much creamier texture. Cook until the oats are broken down into a smooth porridge.

When not detoxing I like to eat it with the traditional spoonful of butter. It's also served with the addition of a little cinnamon and sugar or clotted cream stirred in but I prefer to keep it savoury.

  

This month I'm joining the Breakfast club blog-hop hosted here why not join in too?