Irish Herbal Porridge

Seasonal herbal porridges were common in many cultures and the perfect example of home herbalism. In Ireland oats and wild herbs were used and sometimes called a pottage. There’s a “seven herb porridge” in parts of Japan using rice and seasonal foraged herbs in both Autumn and Spring called “Nanakusa-no-sekku”.

I’d love to make a collection of herbal pottage/porridge. As well as herbal broths and soups. Both traditional recipes and adaptations inspired by what is around me. Being such simple recipes, the following serves more as a guide than an exact recipe method.

The following is a recipe from Dian Cecht, the healing god of the Tuatha dé Danaan, an ancient race of people who became the Fairies of Ireland. I have read a few variations. This one is from Danu’s Irish Herb Garden.

Followed by a rice porridge/congee version I made recently.

Irish Herb Porridge

Ingredients and Method:

• Organic Oat groats, soaked overnight or for a couple of hours at least. Alternatively use Oat flakes/rolled Oats.

• Dandelion leaves, Chickweed, Sorrel and Hazel buds.

• Simmer the porridge in milk and water - to suit your own taste - and then add the fresh chopped herbs.

• When the herbs have simmered in the porridge for 5 mins or so, the porridge is ready. Enjoy with some honey.

Late Winter August Herbal Rice Congee/Pottage

A nutrient and mineral dense, gut healing pottage (pictured above)

Ingredients and Method:

• 1 cup of cooked rice

• 1 cup Chicken broth

• A large handful of each in season herb, for late Winter here; chickweed and plantain (wildcrafted), sorrel and parsely (from the garden)

• Simmer the rice, broth and chopped herbs for about 10 mins, remove the plantain (it is too fibrous to eat enjoyably).

• Serve as is or with an egg and condiments as pictured

I’m looking forward to making an early spring nettle and cleavers version soon! Check out the Chickweed podcast episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts for more information on the medicinal properties of chickweed. Chickweed is one of the 13 plant profiles in the Herbal Foraging Journal.