Porridges

Bubur ayam is the Indonesian version of chicken congee, a thick rice porridge topped with shredded chicken and various savory condiments. This breakfast staple probably originates from the Chinese rice porridge, but it employs regionally ... READ MORE

Arroz caldo is the Filipino variety of congee, a thick rice porridge that is ubiquitous in many Asian countries. It is also one of many congee varieties found in the Philippines. Distinguished by the addition of chicken, arroz caldo is us... READ MORE

Elarji is a specialty of the Georgian Samegrelo region, prepared as a thick porridge consisting of coarse cornmeal, cornflour, and sulguni or tchkhinti cheese, depending on what's available. The dish has an extremely thick texture, and it is very ... READ MORE

Taci şi înghite is an interesting variation on the traditional Romanian polenta dish, which is a staple throughout the country. This variation consists of soft mămăligă combined with a mixture of salty cheese and sour cream in alternating la... READ MORE

Traditionally prepared over an open fire, this velvety Ukrainian corn porridge originated in the Carpathian highlands. It consists of corn flour cooked in a mixture of sour cream and Bryndza cheese. In the past, it was associated exclusively with ... READ MORE

Traditional Romanian-style cornmeal porridge called mămăligă is combined with white cheese in this simple Romanian dish. To make mămăligă, a mixture of cornmeal, salt, and water is gradually poured into boiling water and cooked until it h... READ MORE

What started as a simple fisherman's dish made with shrimp cooked in bacon grease, then served over creamy grits is today a cult Southern dish due to the fact that Craig Claiborne mentioned it in the New York Times in 1985, after he tried the dish... READ MORE

Pirão is the quintessential Brazilian side dish which resembles a watered-down porridge or polenta. It appears in numerous varieties throughout the country, but it is mainly prepared by stirring manioc flour in various flavorful meat or sea... READ MORE

Lugaw is a Filipino rice porridge that is traditionally thought of as soft food for sick people, due to the fact that it doesn't require much chewing. Warm, filling, and mushy, the dish acts as an ideal base for any type of meat and seasonings, ju... READ MORE

Bissara is a comforting Egyptian and Moroccan dish made with puréed beans – either split peas or dried fava beans. It can be prepared in the form of a soup or porridge, while the thicker versions are commonly used as a dip. The pur&ea... READ MORE

Polenta taragna is an elaborate polenta spin-off made with a mix of yellow cornmeal and buckwheat flour, enriched with butter and cheese that are mixed in right before serving. The name comes from the word tarai or tarel, referri... READ MORE

Polenta concia (or cunsa in local dialect) is a rich, creamy version of polenta that is traditionally prepared in a copper pot. The list of ingredients explains why it is also known as polenta grassa, meaning fat polenta... READ MORE

Chè ba màu is a colorful Vietnamese dish that belongs to the category of desserts, drinks, puddings, porridges, and soups regarding its consistency. It might include sticky rice, tapioca pearls, lotus seeds, sweet beans, water chestn... READ MORE

This Estonian and Finnish classic is prepared with a combination of roasted and finely milled flour types, usually oat, rye, barley, and pea flour. The mixture is then blended with dairy products such as buttermilk, kefir, or sour milk in order to... READ MORE

Kavut is a traditional dish originating from the eastern regions of Türkiye, but it's mostly prepared in the villages of Trabzon. The dish is usually made with a combination of whole-meal wheat and barley grains. They are roasted and ground, ... READ MORE

Mămăliguță cu brânză și smântănă combines traditional Romanian-style cornmeal porridge with cheese and sour cream. To make mămăliguță or mămăligă, cornmeal is gradually added into boiling salted water and cooked until thickened and smo... READ MORE

Often described as a porridge or a congee, cháo long is a Vietnamese dish that combines pork bone broth, rice, and various pork offal such as liver, kidney, spleen, intestines, or hearts. The dish is always served warm, with sliced offal an... READ MORE

Chok is the Thai version of traditional Chinese congee, a type of rice porridge. It is typically prepared with boiled jasmine rice cooked with water, chicken broth, or pork broth until the dish becomes very thick. Pork meatballs, liver slices, shr... READ MORE

Considered the national dish of Armenia, harissa is a thick porridge made by slowly simmering korkot (dried or roasted cracked wheat) together with fatty pieces of lamb or chicken meat. Said to have been invented in the Ararat plains, the... READ MORE

Bubur ketan hitam is a traditional sweet porridge originating from Indonesia. It’s usually made with a combination of coconut milk, palm or cane sugar, and black glutinous rice. Despite the name, once cooked, the rice turns dark purple, not ... READ MORE

Dakjuk is a traditional chicken porridge originating from South Korea. Although there are many variations, the porridge is usually made with a combination of rice, chicken (shredded and poached or roasted), sesame oil, chicken stock, garlic, scall... READ MORE

Resi is a traditional dish originating from Cyprus, and it's especially associated with the Paphos region. The preparation of resi is linked with village weddings, and it's a ritual where the lamb is slowly cooked over low heat, while friends and ... READ MORE

Champorado is a thick Filipino rice pudding. Originally prepared with chocolate, nowadays it is usually made with cooked glutinous rice blended with sugar and cocoa powder. The origins of the dish derive from a Mexican chocolate-based drink known ... READ MORE

Kačamak or bakrdan is a simple dish made by cooking cornflour in salted water, similarly to Italian polenta and Romanian mămăligă. After the corn mixture has thickened, it is usually mixed with melted butter or pork fat and oil, and it ca... READ MORE

Polenta taragna della Valchiavenna is a variation on the traditional polenta, originating from the Valchiavenna area in northern Italy. The porridge is made with a combination of wheat flour, cornmeal, local dark buckwheat flour, butter, salt, and... READ MORE

Polenta is an ancient dish of Northern Italian origin, most commonly made from coarse corn flour cooked in water. Although polenta today is characterized by its intense yellow color, before the arrival of corn in Europe in the 16th century, it wa... READ MORE

Ghomi is a traditional dish from Georgia consisting of coarse and fine cornflour combined with water. If the pieces of cheese such as sulguni are placed in the hot porridge to melt before consumption, the dish is called elarji. Ghomi is often serv... READ MORE

Koliva is a traditional dish consisting of a combination of any of the following ingredients: boiled wheat kernels, honey, sugar, sesame seeds, walnuts, raisins, anise, almonds, and pomegranate seeds. In the Orthodox Christian religion, it is used... READ MORE

Phutu is a traditional porridge made by steaming maize meal until it develops a crumbly, grainy texture. It is one of the staple foods in the country, and it's regularly consumed by most cultural groups. When served, phutu is typically accompanied... READ MORE

Guriev kasha is a traditional semolina porridge. Unlike more typical porridge varieties, Guriev kasha is not merely cooked in milk–instead, milk or cream is baked in the oven, and the crust which is formed on top is removed and used to separ... READ MORE

This creamy semolina porridge is a traditional dish that is usually consumed as a nutritious breakfast, a light snack, or a simple dessert. Prepared with semolina, milk, and just a pinch of salt, the key is to cook it slowly until it achieves the ... READ MORE

Mămăligă cu lapte is a traditional dish consisting of cornmeal porridge served with milk. The cornmeal porridge is made by cooking cornmeal in salted water until the concoction reaches a thick and smooth consistency. It is then allowed to chill a ... READ MORE

First prepared by the Native American centuries ago, grits are tiny broken grains of corn that are boiled and served with other flavorings, usually as a breakfast dish, when they are accompanied by bacon, eggs, and toast on the side. The dish is p... READ MORE

Mămăligă is a traditional porridge and the country's national dish that is often confused with polenta. It is an extremely simple dish of boiled cornmeal that was cooked mostly by peasants in the past, often acting as a substitute for bread. They ... READ MORE

A staple during the month of Ramadan in numerous Middle Eastern countries is a plate of jareesh, a satisfying meal which combines coarse wheat and meat. This centuries-old dish probably originated in Saudi Arabia, but has since spread thr... READ MORE

Enjoyed for centuries in Scotland and made from oats–one of the few grains that grow well in the country–Scottish porridge is a healthy and tasty dish containing high amounts of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Traditionally, the oatmeal... READ MORE

Griķi, which is believed to stem from the term for a Greek person, is the Latvian name for the pseudocereal known as buckwheat. One of the staple ingredients of traditional Latvian cuisine, griķi is also the name of this simple d... READ MORE

Ajdova kaša is a traditional dish originating from Slovenia. Although there are many variations, it's usually made with a combination of buckwheat, vegetable stock, onions, garlic, mushrooms, bay leaves, fat, parsley, salt, and pepper. The ... READ MORE

A very old and traditional Polish dish called kasza gryczana ze skwarkami is a buckwheat porridge topped with cracklings. It consists of buckwheat groats cooked in salted boiling water, which are combined with fried bits of bacon, and sometimes fr... READ MORE

Ajdovi žganci is the national dish of Slovenia, consisting of buckwheat flour and water. The word žganci is derived from žgati, meaning to burn. Originally, the dish was a basic meal for most people, a breakfast used to ... READ MORE

The authentic Ticino polenta should be cooked on an outdoor fire (or in a fireplace), but sadly, the practice is not common anymore. However, there are a few restaurants in the region that offer this traditional dish, prepared in the most authenti... READ MORE

The fundamental dish of Russian cuisine is known as kasha, a porridge that has represented an essential Russian meal for centuries. Russian kasha refers to various dishes which are created with cereals, most commonly rice, wheat, or mille... READ MORE