I am willing to bet that every Latvian growing up has eaten, or at least has been served, copious amounts of semolina (cream of wheat) porridge (mannas or mannā putra). I am no exception. It was served either for breakfast or late in the evening, after a hot bath. I still remember sitting at a table in my grandparents’ house, wearing a nightie and a bowl of steaming porridge sprinkled with sugar in front of me.
I have to admit that I haven’t cooked semolina porridge for a while – oatmeal tends to be my go-to porridge. However, mannā feels more like childhood, a good nostalgia food.
Recipe I have added here will make slightly thinner and creamier porridge, enough for a large breakfast for one. If you like more bite to your porridge, use less milk – you can always add a bit more milk to thin it out, if necessary.
Porridge toppings can be quite varied – you can sprinkle it with sugar, cinnamon, add a spoonful of your favourite jam or marmalade, melt a spoonful of butter in it or cover the porridge with fresh berries.
Semolina Porridge (Mannas putra)
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup semolina
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Pour milk in a medium saucepan. Add sugar and salt. Heat the milk for a few minutes on a medium low heat.
- Add semolina to the saucepan. Cook the porridge for 5 minutes while stirring frequently so lumps don't form.
- Turn of the heat, cover the pan and let it stand for further 5 minutes.
- Transfer porridge to a bowl, add toppings and serve.
May 16, 2021
Walking down memory lane with this dish – Omi would make it once every now and then as a treat, and it’s always been a real favourite of mine. Really happy to be able to make it for myself so many years later
July 28, 2021
[…] in a sterilised jar, and this beautifully deep red jelly is done! I eat the jelly with pancakes, on porridge, and even as a spread in a cake. You can use the same method to make black currant, cranberry, […]
September 8, 2022
It was ace just it takes a bit longer than 5 mins
April 3, 2024
I remember my mom making it with cranberries. Boiling the cranberries, straining them, then putting in the cream of wheat and stirring while it’s boiling. It was amazing when it was cold with milk poured over it