Christmas is Coming!
Christmas is coming at us hard and fast – only a few more days left to secure the final gifts and groceries! In Denmark, Christmas is full of lots of strange traditions that actually start in the days leading up to the holiday. There are a few smaller things we do in December, like bake cookies, decorate the house, and give little gifts in people’s stockings. But the fun really starts on the 23rd! That’s when we have æbleskiver, gløgg, and risengrød (Danish rice porridge)!
December 23rd Traditions!
Today’s recipe is for risengrød, or Danish rice porridge. We eat it for dinner on the 23rd topped with a little bit of butter and cinnamon sugar. Then, we set aside a bowl of porridge and a beer to give to the “nisse” (or Christmas elf) that lives in our attic. He is the one who brings gifts to children throughout December and the risengrød is a reward for all of his hard work! The next day on the 24th, the bowl is empty and the beer is finished (or half-finished, depending on how many beers the “nisse” had already had beforehand 😂 ). This was one of our favorite traditions as kids!
A Simple Recipe
This recipe genuinely could not get any easier. Just make sure that you have short-grain rice on hand so that the porridge turns out the right consistency! Heat up the rice and water and cook until the water is absorbed, then just add milk and let the porridge thicken up for a bit. Stir the mixture every so often so that the bottom doesn’t burn!
If you have the time, you can also put the porridge “to bed.” When it’s been boiling on the stove for 10 or so minutes, wrap the pot in a newspaper and then a thick blanket or two towels, then put it under the covers in your bed. Make sure you wrap it up tight! This will allow the porridge to keep cooking and thickening but not burning on the bottom. The Danish Food Agency officially recommends leaving this for an hour (since rice dropping below a certain temperature can be harmful), so that’s good advice to follow. We’ve left it for 2-3 hours previously and it’s still been so hot that no bacteria can grow (55 C or 131 F), but it’s up to you how long you leave it for and you can always check the temperature with a thermometer.
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Risengrød (Rice Porridge)
Ingredients
- 250 grams porridge rice (short grain rice; generally rice used for risotto [Arborio] works well if you can't find porridge rice!)
- 250 ml water
- 1.1 liter milk (may need a little more or less)
- Salt to taste
- Cinnamon sugar (for serving)
- Butter (for serving)
Instructions
- For this recipe, make sure to use a short grain rice! We try to use Pama rice from Denmark when we have it on hand, but short grain Arborio rice also works for this!
- Add water and rice to a pot and heat over medium heat.
- Allow the rice to cook until all the water is absorbed. Stir as needed to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom.
- Add in the milk and a pinch of salt; stir well.
- Bring to a simmer and then lower the heat – cover and make sure to take the lid off to stir often so nothing burns to the bottom.
- Cook for about 30 minutes. The rice should be soft and the porridge should be thick but still flow off the spoon easily (a lava-like consistency). If you need to, you can add more milk!
- Serve in a bowl and top with cinnamon sugar and a pad of butter.
