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Freekeh and Oat Porridge with Crisp Fried Egg

Freekeh and Oat Porridge with Crisp Fried Egg is a modern Australian breakfast dish of freekeh and egg porridge served topped with a fried egg and fried spinach. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Australian version of: Freekeh and Oat Porridge with Crisp Fried Egg.

prep time

25 minutes

cook time

25 minutes

Total Time:

50 minutes

Serves:

4

Rating:

Tags : Australia Recipes

This is an Australian autumn/winter breakfast dish that turns classic porridge/oatmeal into something very different. So if you want a bowl of comfort food on a wintry weekend morning, this is the dish for you. If you're not aware, freekeh or farik is a cereal food made from green durum wheat that is roasted and rubbed to create its flavour and originates in the eastern Mediterranean. The Aleppo pepper (Arabic: فلفل حلبي, ALA-LC: fulful Ḥalabī; Turkish: Halep biberi) is a variety of Capsicum annuum used as a spice, particularly in Turkish, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Also known as the Halaby pepper, its pods are ripened to a burgundy color, then semi-dried, de-seeded, and crushed or coarsely ground. The pepper flakes are known in Turkey as pul biber (pul = flake, biber = pepper), and in Armenia as Halebi bibar. In Turkey, pul biber is the third most commonly used spice, after salt and black pepper. The Aleppo pepper has a moderate heat level of about 10,000 on the Scoville scale, with some fruitiness and mild, cumin-like undertones. Its flavour is similar to the ancho chilli, but oilier and slightly salty, as salt is often used in the drying process. It is fairly mild, with its heat building slowly, with a fruity, raisin-like flavour.

Ingredients:

100g (3 1/2 oz) cracked freekeh
50g (1 3/4 oz) rolled oats
2 tbsp ghee or butter
500ml (2 cups) vegetable or chicken stock
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 tsp lemon juice

For the Eggs:
4 eggs
2 tbsp olive oil

For the ginger Oil:
6 tbsp olive oil
20g (2/3 oz) ginger, peeled and finely grated
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
3 tsp Aleppo chillies

For the Spinach:
1 tbsp olive oil
400g (14 oz) spinach
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
4 spring onions, finely chopped at a bias

Method:

Place a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the freekeh, oats and ghee. Allow the ghee to melt then toast, stirring constantly, for 2 or 3 minutes, until the grains are lightly golden and nutty. Add the stock and 500ml (2 cups) water. Stir in the turmeric, 1/2 tsp salt and a generous grind of black pepper then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring frequently for 15 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and takes on the consistency of loose porridge.

Stir in the lemon juice, cover the pan, take off the heat and set aside for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the ginger oil. Place a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat, add the ginger and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook together for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant and bubbling slightly. Stir in the chilli flakes and aleppo chilli, pour into a small bowl and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Wipe the pan clean and place over high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/3 of the spinach. Cook for 30 seconds, until just wilted then stir in all the garlic. Add the remainder of the spinach, in two batches, stirring frequently to prevent the garlic from catching.

Add 1/4 tsp salt and the spring onions. Cook for a further 30 seconds then take off the heat.

Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Crack in the eggs, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper and fry for 2 minutes, until the whites are set and the bottoms are golden and crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper.

To serve, divide the porridge between four shallow bowls, put and egg on top and spoon in the spinach mixture. Drizzle over a teaspoon of the ginger and chilli oil and serve the remainder on the side.