In Finland, a porridge called riisipuuro is made by boiling rice with milk and sugar.
Riisipuuro is a popular breakfast in Finnish households because the recipe is simple.
Sometimes it is eaten simply with salt, as in traditional Japanese porridge, and other recipes include fruit toppings, allowing for a wide range of enjoyment.
In this article, I would like to introduce the taste, recipe, and history of riisipuuro, a traditional Finnish milk porridge.
If you are wondering, “How is riisipuuro different from Japanese porridge?” or “I would like to know more about the recipe,” please refer to this page.
What is riisipuuro?
“Riisipuuro” is a Finnish dish similar to porridge, made by boiling rice in water or milk.
Grains used as ingredients in recipes range from rice to oats, also known as oatmeal, rye, and wheat.
Also, “puuro” means grain porridge in general in Finnish.
For example, a puuro with oats as the grain is called a “Kaura puro,” and a puuro with rye is called a “ruis puuro.”
The traditional puuro using “riisi,” or “rice” in English, is called riisipuuro.
The rice is not the Japonica rice commonly consumed in Japan.
In Scandinavia, rice for puuro, which has a round, medium grain shape, is the primary type of rice used.
Puuro is a Finnish breakfast
The recipe for riisipuuro is straightforward.
First, various grains, such as rice, are added to a pot with water or milk and simmered for a few minutes.
Then add your favorite toppings, such as sugar, cinnamon, and butter, and you are done.
It can also be made quickly by putting the rice and milk in a dish and microwaving it.
Puuro is easy to prepare, making it a perfect meal for busy mornings.
It is, therefore, one of the most common breakfast items in Finnish households, as well as bread and cereal.
Riisipuuro was a Christmas morning treat
Riisipuuro, a sweet and creamy milk porridge, is one of today’s most commonly eaten dishes, from breakfast to dessert.
The fact is that riisipuuro was originally a special feast served on the table as breakfast on Christmas Day.
Butter is used to flavor traditional riisipuuro.
And the riisipuuro we eat on Christmas morning have a magical spell.
Place one peeled almond in a large pot of cooked riisipuuro.
The story goes that good luck will come to the person whose almond was in the dish when it was divided.
It may be similar to omikuji, or fortune telling, in that it predicts your luck for the New Year.
A wide variety of recipes
The taste and appearance of puuro vary greatly depending on what main grains and toppings are used.
The choice of main grains alone is quite broad, from rice and rye to wheat and oats.
Toppings can also be freely combined with various ingredients, such as cinnamon, honey, berries, other fruits, dried fruits, and nuts.
It is a boom among young Scandinavians to post it on SNS as a fashionable sweet with colorful fruits as garnish.
In Japan, where porridge is usually a combination of white rice and salt, some people may be surprised to hear of a sweet porridge-like Finland’s puuro.
However, when you try it, the sweet porridge is not strange at all, and you can enjoy a taste between a staple food and a dessert.
Conclusion
I hope you have enjoyed my introduction to the Finnish-style porridge, Riisipuuro.
The fact that rice is eaten in the same way in the distant Nordic country of Finland is very familiar to the Japanese, for whom white rice is a staple food.
When abroad, there are always concerns about local food compatibility, but Finland’s riisipuuro is sure to suit the tastes of rice lovers.
