Papilla

Gachas is an ancient, traditional Spanish dish consisting of a few basic ingredients: flour, water, salt, olive oil, and garlic. In the past, it was a staple dish among shepherds and farmers, but today it is popular throughout the country. Its texture can vary from soup-like to pie-thick with a golden-brown crust, depending on the method of preparation. The dish is served warm, and some cooks like to add saffron, paprika, or fried onions in order to improve the flavors.

Gachas

Georgia

El ghomi es un plato tradicional de Georgia que se prepara con harina de maíz gruesa y fina mezclada con agua. Si se colocan trozos de queso, como el sulguni, en las gachas calientes para que se derritan antes de consumirlo, el plato se llama elarji. El ghomi se suele servir con diferentes salsas como acompañamiento, como tkemali o bazhe.

Ghomi

Griķi, que se cree que proviene del término griego para referirse a una persona, es el nombre letón del pseudocereal conocido como trigo sarraceno. Uno de los ingredientes básicos de la cocina tradicional letona, griķi es también el nombre de este sencillo plato que consiste en granos de trigo sarraceno cocidos en agua con mantequilla y sal antes de disfrutarlos solos o como acompañamiento de diversas especialidades letonas. El trigo sarraceno hervido se suele comer con mantequilla o crema agria y ensaladas, y suele acompañar salsas cremosas de carne o especialidades de carne como el karbonāde (escalope de cerdo) y el karbonāde ar kaulu (chuletas de cerdo).

Griego

Grutjespap is a Dutch porridge made with buckwheat, milk, and salt. The combination of those ingredients is boiled until it thickens, and grutjespap is ready to be served, preferably warm and with a bit of stroop on the side to make it sweeter.

Grutjespap

Harapash is one of Albania's national dishes, made with a combination of cornflour, butter (traditionally goat butter), olive oil, milk, and cottage cheese. The mixture is blended by hand and boiled until it reaches the preferred texture. The most popular way of serving the dish is to have it as a side dish accompanying lamb offal, but it can also be plated in a thin layer and eaten on its own, sprinkled with cottage cheese.

Harapash

A staple during the month of Ramadan in numerous Middle Eastern countries is a plate of jareesh, a satisfying meal which combines coarse wheat and meat. This centuries-old dish probably originated in Saudi Arabia, but has since spread throughout the entire Middle East and India. Numerous countries in the area have created their unique varieties, employing authentic ingredients and giving the dish local names. In Middle Eastern countries, harees is usually prepared with coarse ground wheat which is mixed with water, butter, and meat, then left to soak overnight. Any excess liquid is drained, and all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed to create a homogenous and slightly elastic mixture that looks like a thick porridge. Chicken and lamb are the most common meat varieties employed in harees, but some regional variations also include mutton. The spices used in the preparation are also regionally influenced: cardamom, cinnamon, and cumin are commonly employed in Arabian countries, garlic and olive oil are usually found in Lebanon, while chili and turmeric are used in Indian variations.

Hareesh

Considered the national dish of Armenia, harissa is a thick porridge made by slowly simmering korkot (dried or roasted cracked wheat) together with fatty pieces of lamb or chicken meat. Said to have been invented in the Ararat plains, the origins of the dish can be traced back to ancient times, as well as to Gregory the Illuminator, the patron saint of Armenia, who would offer it as a charity meal. Even to this day, harissa is considered a charity meal, and is traditionally prepared each year for Easter, as well as to commemorate the Musa Ler resistance during the Armenian genocide of 1915. When it comes to the method of preparing, there are two diverging opinions; one claims it is forbidden to stir harissa until it is cooked all the way, while the other insists it should be stirred as soon as the wheat is half-cooked. The finished meal is served in bowls, topped with butter, and paired with a side of pickled vegetables and lavash flatbread.

Harissa

Heukimjajuk is a traditional porridge originating from South Korea. The porridge is usually made with a combination of ground black sesame seeds, sweet rice flour, and salt. The black sesame seeds are toasted and blended with water into a smooth mixture, and then mixed with sweet rice flour. The porridge is simmered over medium heat until it becomes slightly thin and shiny. Once done, it's seasoned with salt to taste. Heukimjajuk is often garnished with pumpkin seeds or pine nuts before it's served warm.

Heukimjajuk

El dikgobe es un plato originario de Botswana, Sudáfrica y Lesotho, que consiste en una combinación de guisantes, frijoles y samp, que es maíz procesado, lo que le da al plato una consistencia similar a la de las gachas. Los ingredientes se cocinan en una pequeña cantidad de grasa o aceite, mientras que se utiliza sal como condimento. Aunque se puede consumir solo, el dikgobe generalmente se sirve en el almuerzo como acompañamiento de platos de carne, y se recomienda acompañarlo con un vaso de leche fresca.

Izinkobe

Jatjuk is a traditional porridge originating from South Korea. The porridge is usually made with a combination of ground pine nuts, ground white rice, salt, and water. Finely ground pine nuts and ground rice are cooked in water and slowly simmered until the consistency of the porridge becomes slightly thick. This mild porridge is typically seasoned only with salt and garnished with whole or crushed pine nuts. Due to the fact that it's easily digestible, jatjuk is often served to the elderly and recovering patients.

Jatjuk

The fundamental dish of Russian cuisine is known as kasha, a porridge that has represented an essential Russian meal for centuries. Russian kasha refers to various dishes which are created with cereals, most commonly rice, wheat, or millet, and pseudocereals like buckwheat and quinoa. The dish is usually boiled in water and milk, and ranges from sweet to savory in flavor. It can be modified by numerous additions such as fresh or dried fruit, preserves, cheese, butter, vegetables, nuts, or honey. In the past, the porridge was traditionally prepared in cast iron pots and slowly baked in the oven during the night. This authentic Russian dish holds a strong symbolic meaning&ndash;it is the first solid meal served to children, and is typically served during funerals, thus symbolizing the circle of life. Varieties of the dish, prepared with different cereals, are often found in other Slavic countries such as Ukraine, Poland, and Belarus.

Kasha

A very old and traditional Polish dish called kasza gryczana ze skwarkami is a buckwheat porridge topped with cracklings. It consists of buckwheat groats cooked in salted boiling water, which are combined with fried bits of bacon, and sometimes fried sausage bits, onions, and garlic cloves. To preserve its warmth, people used pillows or small duvets to cover the dish, which is usually garnished with chopped parsley and accompanied by a glass of kefir or buttermilk. It pairs well with a variety of dishes, including sauces, casserole dishes, and meat dishes such as goulash. In Poland, kasza dishes, which consist of grains or seeds cooked in water or milk, are an essential part of Polish cuisine, dating back to medieval times.

Kasza gryczana ze skwarkami

Kat-kat banana is a traditional specialty that features green bananas and fish cooked in coconut milk. It is usually prepared with plantains, which are first boiled with fresh coconut milk, then mashed and combined with cooked, shredded fish fillets, usually carangue or amberjack. The banana-fish mixture is usually flavored with ginger and garlic. This dish is part of Seychelles&rsquo; Creole cuisine and is typically accompanied by chili peppers and rice.

Kat-kat banana

En Japón, el kayu o el okayu son el equivalente a la sopa de pollo en tiempos de enfermedad, un remedio común para los resfriados y la fiebre. Es un plato sencillo que consiste en arroz blando de fácil digestión y agua. El arroz se suele cocinar en caldo dashi o miso para realzar los sabores de las gachas. Debido a sus sabores suaves y delicados, el kayu a veces se consume en el desayuno, y algunos restaurantes de hoteles incluso lo sirven como parte de los bufés de desayuno. Dado que hay una proporción mucho mayor de agua y arroz en el plato, a menudo se utiliza como alimento para dietas de adelgazamiento.

Kayu

La kinteata es un plato tradicional griego que suele describirse como una papilla o una sopa. Se prepara con ortigas tiernas que se hierven, se hacen puré y luego se mezclan con harina de trigo o maíz hasta que el plato adquiere una textura espesa y cremosa. La kinteata suele estar condimentada con ajo o menta y se sirve tradicionalmente rociada con aceite de oliva. Se cree que los griegos de Pontiac fueron los primeros en introducir las ortigas y la kinteata en la cocina tradicional griega.

kinteata

Koliva is a traditional dish consisting of a combination of any of the following ingredients: boiled wheat kernels, honey, sugar, sesame seeds, walnuts, raisins, anise, almonds, and pomegranate seeds. In the Orthodox Christian religion, it is used as a ritual dish that is prepared for funerals, memorials, Lent, Slava, or Christmas, since it symbolizes death and resurrection. This unique porridge is traditionally served with powdered sugar on top, while it is customary to stick a candle in the center and light it at the beginning of the service, then extinguish it at the end.

Koliva

Madrooba ribyan es un plato tradicional de camarones del Golfo, particularmente popular en países como Arabia Saudita. El término "madrooba" se refiere a un guiso espeso, parecido a una papilla, que se prepara cocinando granos como trigo o arroz con carne, pollo o mariscos hasta que la mezcla se vuelve suave y cremosa. En este caso, "ribyan" indica que los camarones son el ingrediente principal. Para preparar madrooba ribyan, los camarones se cocinan con una mezcla de cebollas y ajo, con especias como bahārāt. Los granos se agregan a la olla y se cocinan con los camarones hasta que se vuelven tiernos y blandos, lo que da como resultado un plato abundante y sabroso. Este plato a menudo se sirve como una comida reconfortante durante los meses más fríos o como un plato especial durante el Ramadán y otras ocasiones festivas, y encarna las ricas tradiciones culinarias de la región del Golfo.

Madrooba ribyan

Madrouba is a spicy and comforting Omani and Qatari porridge made with chicken, overcooked rice, and a plethora of flavorings such as turmeric, cumin, cardamom, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, garlic, and black pepper. Variations do exist, though, as there is no fixed recipe. One of the more common is madrouba made with wheat and not rice. It is recommended to serve madrouba while it is still piping hot, preferably garnished with fresh lime zest.

Madrouba

Mămăligă is a traditional porridge and the country's national dish that is often confused with polenta. It is an extremely simple dish of boiled cornmeal that was cooked mostly by peasants in the past, often acting as a substitute for bread. They would prepare it in a round-bottomed kettle known as ceaun, and after it cooled down and hardened, the porridge would get sliced with a piece of string. Mămăligă is often topped with butter, sour cream, or cascaval cheese. Another way of serving the dish includes crushing the porridge in a bowl of hot milk. In the last few decades, this simple and rural meal evolved into something bigger, so today it can also be found in modern, upscale restaurants. The dish is also very popular in Moldova.

Mămăligă

Italy

Matuffi is an old peasant dish originating from Tuscany. It's especially popular around Lucca. This robust and hearty dish is essentially layered polenta with mushrooms and sausages. It's made with olive oil, carrots, celery, onions, lean sausages, red wine, mushrooms, tomatoes, cornmeal, and grated cheese. Bay leaves are traditionally used to flavor the sauce made with vegetables, wine, crushed sausages, tomatoes, and mushrooms. When the polenta has been cooked, it's placed in serving bowls with alternating layers of the polenta and the sauce, with the addition of grated cheese in between. It's recommended to eat the dish with a spoon and follow it up with a glass of full-bodied red wine.