Asida (Sudanese Porridge)
Wheat flour, water and salt come together in this vegetarian — 55 minutes, 6 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for saucepan and pan. At easy difficulty across 6 steps, it's a good one for a busy evening. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (1)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Bring 3 cups of the water to a boil in a heavy saucepan and add the salt.
- Meanwhile, whisk the wheat flour into the remaining 1 cup of cold water until you have a smooth, lump-free slurry.
- Lower the heat to medium and pour the flour slurry into the boiling water in a steady stream while stirring constantly with a sturdy wooden spoon to prevent lumps from forming.
- Keep stirring vigorously as the mixture thickens, working it against the side of the pan, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until it pulls away cleanly from the sides and forms a smooth, stiff, glossy dough.
- Wet a bowl or serving plate with water, then turn the hot porridge into it and shape it into a smooth mound or dome using the back of a wet spoon.
- Make a shallow well in the centre, warm the clarified butter with the honey and cardamom, and pour it over the porridge so it pools in the well, then serve hot and scoop portions from the mound.
You'll use: Saucepan · Pan · Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Honey
- maple syrup · agave
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
Tips & common questions
How long does Asida (Sudanese Porridge) take to make?
About 55 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 6 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of honey?
Try maple syrup. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Asida (Sudanese Porridge) vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Asida (Sudanese Porridge) is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: عصيده.jpg (CC0) via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.