Savoury oat porridge with ginger-garlic crumbs

Method

1. 1

   Season the spring onions with a pinch of salt and some pepper, then coat them in a third of the olive oil. Char them on the hob in a hot, dry pan, in 2 batches, turning once or twice. Each batch takes about 3 minutes to soften and blister, then move it onto a plate.

2. 2

   Next, the crumbs. Wipe the pan, pour in the rest of the oil and drop the heat to medium, then fry the garlic and ginger, stirring every so often, for about 15 minutes, until crisp and deeply golden. Lift two thirds of them into a bowl to keep for later.

3. 3

   While the crumbs cook, give the eggs 6 minutes in boiling water for soft centres. Drain, cool briefly under the cold tap, then peel them.

4. 4

   Pour the water over the crumbs left in the pan, then stir in the oats, 1 tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper. Let it bubble gently, stirring, for around 4 minutes, until it is a loose porridge, and loosen with a splash more water if it thickens.

5. 5

   Make the soy butter: warm the soy sauce in a small pan with a generous grind of pepper until it simmers. Turn the heat right down, then whisk the cold butter in a few cubes at a time, letting each melt before adding the next. Keep it below the boil so it stays glossy.

6. 6

   Spoon the porridge into bowls and pour the soy butter over each. Top with a halved egg and the charred spring onions, then the chilli flakes and the reserved crumbs.

Adapted from The Bittman Project