Tunisian Zrir-Inspired Sesame Oat Porridge

Name: Tunisian Zrir-Inspired Sesame Oat Porridge
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Tunisian
Ingredients: ⅓ cup (45 g) white sesame seeds, hulled, raw, for toasting then grinding; ¼ cup (35 g) almonds, whole, for toasting then grinding with the sesame; 1 tbsp (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1½ cups (135 g) old-fashioned rolled oats; 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk, cold; 1½ cups (360 ml) water; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; 3 tbsp (63 g) honey; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground caraway (optional); 1 tsp (5 ml) orange blossom water (optional); ¼ cup (35 g) almonds, whole, for toasting then roughly chopped; 1 tbsp (9 g) white sesame seeds, raw, for toasting; 1 tbsp (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling; 1 tbsp (21 g) honey, for drizzling

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Creamy rolled oats stirred with toasted sesame and almond paste, honey, cinnamon and olive oil. It borrows the nutty, fragrant flavors of Tunisian zrir in a warm breakfast bowl.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 35 min
Makes: 4 bowls (about 1 cup / 250 g each)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the sesame-almond paste
⅓ cup (45 g) white sesame seeds, hulled, raw, for toasting then grinding
¼ cup (35 g) almonds, whole, for toasting then grinding with the sesame
1 tbsp (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
For the porridge
1½ cups (135 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups (480 ml) whole milk, cold
1½ cups (360 ml) water
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine sea salt
3 tbsp (63 g) honey
½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground caraway (optional)
1 tsp (5 ml) orange blossom water (optional)
For topping
¼ cup (35 g) almonds, whole, for toasting then roughly chopped
1 tbsp (9 g) white sesame seeds, raw, for toasting
1 tbsp (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1 tbsp (21 g) honey, for drizzling

Equipment (6)

Large dry skillet, 10-inch (25 cm)
Medium saucepan, 3-quart (3 L)
Spice grinder or small food processor
Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
Cutting board and knife
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Measure everything first. The sesame and almonds toast quickly and the porridge needs your attention once it starts simmering.
Use plain rolled (old-fashioned) oats. Instant oats turn gluey and steel-cut oats need a much longer cook.
Use blanched or skin-on almonds, whichever you have. Both work.
A spice grinder or small food processor is best for the sesame paste. A mortar and pestle also works but takes longer.

1
Toast the sesame
- Combine the sesame_ground and sesame_topping seeds (about ⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp total) in a dry 10-inch skillet.
- Set over medium-low heat and stir constantly for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Pour onto a plate right away so they stop cooking.
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Ready when: Seeds are light golden, smell nutty, and a few begin to pop.
Tip: Sesame goes from golden to bitter in seconds. Never walk away, and remove it from the hot pan immediately.
2
Toast the almonds
- Return the same skillet to medium-low heat and add both batches of almonds (½ cup total).
- Toast, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
- Tip onto a cutting board and cool for 2 minutes.
- Roughly chop the almonds_topping portion and set aside.
- Keep the almonds_ground portion whole.
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Ready when: Almonds are fragrant and the cut face of one is pale golden.
Tip: Almonds keep browning on the hot board, so pull them a shade before they look done.
3
Grind the paste
- Put the toasted sesame_ground seeds, the whole almonds_ground and 1 tbsp olive_oil into a spice grinder or small food processor.
- Pulse in 5-second bursts for 30 to 45 seconds, scraping down once.
- Stop when you have a thick, slightly gritty paste.
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Ready when: The mixture clumps together like damp sand or coarse nut butter, with no whole seeds left.
Tip: Don't over-grind into a runny butter. A little texture is traditional.
4
Simmer the oats
- In a 3-quart saucepan, combine the oats, milk, water and salt.
- Heat over medium, stirring often, until small bubbles appear around the edge, about 4 minutes.
- Lower to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring every minute or so and scraping the bottom, for 8 to 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Oats are soft with no raw chew, and the porridge is thick but still pourable, like loose pudding.
Tip: Milk boils over fast. Keep the heat at a gentle simmer and don't leave the pot.
5
Stir in flavor
- Add the sesame-almond paste, 3 tbsp honey, cinnamon and the caraway, if using.
- Stir well for 2 minutes over medium-low heat.
- Taste and add a tiny pinch more salt if it tastes flat.
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Ready when: The paste is fully blended and the porridge is evenly tan with no streaks.
Tip: If the porridge looks too thick, stir in 2 to 4 tbsp (30 to 60 ml) hot water.
6
Rest and perfume
- Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the orange blossom water if using, and cover.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes so the oats finish absorbing the liquid.
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Ready when: The porridge is creamy and holds a soft mound on the spoon.
Tip: Orange blossom water is strong. Stick to 1 tsp so it stays a hint, not a perfume.
7
Serve with toppings
- Divide the porridge among 4 warm bowls.
- Top each with chopped almonds and a sprinkle of the reserved toasted sesame.
- Drizzle the 1 tbsp olive_oil_finish and 1 tbsp honey_finish evenly over the bowls.
- Serve immediately.
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Tip: Warm the bowls with hot tap water first. The porridge stays creamy longer.

Good to know

Tips

Toast the sesame only until light golden. Over-toasted seeds taste bitter and can't be fixed by extra honey.
Stir the oats often and scrape the bottom of the pot, because the milk and sesame paste can stick and scorch.
Use a good, fruity extra-virgin olive oil for the finishing drizzle. Its flavor is noticeable, and it pairs well with the honey and sesame.
The porridge thickens as it cools, so loosen leftovers with a splash of hot milk or water.

Make ahead

"Toast and grind the sesame-almond paste up to 5 days ahead and store it in an airtight jar in the fridge. Toast and chop the topping almonds up to 3 days ahead and keep them at room temperature in a sealed container."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 1 hour. Fridge: store cooled porridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze in portions for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave, adding 2 to 4 tbsp (30 to 60 ml) milk or water per portion, and stir until hot and creamy. Add fresh toppings after reheating."

Substitutions

whole milk → unsweetened oat milk or almond milk. Makes the porridge dairy-free. The texture will be slightly thinner.
honey → date syrup or maple syrup. Date syrup gives a deeper, molasses-like sweetness. Use the same amount.
white sesame seeds → 3 tbsp tahini plus 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds. A shortcut that skips grinding. Stir the tahini in at step 5, and use the remaining toasted seeds for topping.
almonds → pistachios or walnuts. Pistachios are a common pairing in North African sweets.