Arrowroot porridge

Ingredients

Base

• 6 tablespoonsarrowroot starch
• 250 mlcold water
• 500 mlwhole milk
• 250 mlevaporated milk
• a pinch of salt

To flavour

• 1cinnamon stick
• 1/2 teaspoongrated nutmeg
• 2bay leaves, optional
• 1 teaspoonvanilla
• a strip of lime peel, optional

To sweeten

• 4 tablespoonssugar or condensed milk, to taste

To serve

• extra grated nutmeg
• bread or crackers

Directions

1. Put the arrowroot into a bowl. Add the cold water in gradually. Whisk it into a completely smooth slurry. It should look like thin cream. Strain it through a sieve if you are unsure. Set the slurry aside for the moment. Put the milk into a heavy pan.
2. Add the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Add the lime peel if you are using it. Bring it slowly toward a simmer. Do not let the milk boil over. Take it off the heat and cover it.
3. Let it infuse for ten minutes. Cooking it is fast and needs whisking. Return the milk to a low heat. Whisk the arrowroot slurry again. It settles within minutes of standing.
4. Pour it into the warm milk in a thin stream. Whisk continuously as you pour. Keep whisking hard as it thickens.
5. Let it cook for two or three minutes only. That is enough to cook out the raw taste. Take it off the heat while it is still thick. Finishing it is done off the heat.
6. Stir in all of the evaporated milk. Add the nutmeg, vanilla and salt. Add sugar or condensed milk to taste. Taste it and adjust the sweetness. It should be smooth, silky and mild.
7. Add warm milk if it is too thick. Serving it is done hot in bowls. Grate extra nutmeg over the top. Do not let it boil when reheating.

Technique

• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has been the leading producer of arrowroot starch since the eighteenth century.
• The starch has been used industrially as well as in food, including in carbonless paper manufacture.

Substitutions

• Cornflour can be used but gives a cloudier, heavier porridge.
• Any milk works, and coconut milk makes a dairy-free version.

Variations

• A version made with coconut milk is common in the islands.
• Some households add a splash of rum for adults.
• Other Caribbean porridges are made from cornmeal, oats or plantain in the same way.

History

Saint Vincent has been the world’s main arrowroot producer since the 18th century; the starch is cooked into a smooth breakfast porridge.

Frequently asked questions

What is Arrowroot porridge?

Arrowroot porridge is a breakfast from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: silky porridge from famed Vincentian arrowroot starch. Saint Vincent has been the world’s main arrowroot producer since the 18th century; the starch is cooked into a smooth breakfast porridge.

How long does Arrowroot porridge take to make?

Arrowroot porridge takes 5 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 4. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Arrowroot porridge?

Yes, within limits. Cornflour can be used but gives a cloudier, heavier porridge. Any milk works, and coconut milk makes a dairy-free version.

What is the most important thing to get right in Arrowroot porridge?

Add the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Add the lime peel if you are using it. Bring it slowly toward a simmer. Do not let the milk boil over. Take it off the heat and cover it.