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Bring 3 cups water, 1 cup milk, the cinnamon stick, and the salt to a boil in a medium saucepan.
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2
Stir in the oats.
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Return to a boil.
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Reduce heat; partially cover.
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Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and the oats are tender, about 25 minutes.
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6
Discard the cinnamon stick.
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Cut the banana crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
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Top the porridge with the banana and dates.
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Sprinkle with flaxseed.
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Drizzle each serving with 1 tablespoon milk.
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Steel-cut oats, also known as Irish or Scottish oats, are the result of chopping the whole oat grains into small pieces with steel blades.
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Rolled (or old-fashioned) oats, on the other hand, are steamed and flattened before being cut to make them more tender.
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For this reason, they cook much faster than the steel-cut variety and are often preferred as an everyday option.
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But if you prefer the pleasantly chewy texture offered by steel-cut oats, there is a way to reduce the cooking time by almost half without sacrificing taste or texture.
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Simply soak the oats overnight in a pot of water to begin softening the very hard coating that surrounds each grain.
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Bring the water to a boil before stirring in the oats to jump-start the softening process, and then allow the mixture to come back to room temperature and sit, covered, overnight.
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In the morning, all you will need to do is warm the oats over medium-low heat, stir, and serve.
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Even if you dont have time to or forget to soak the oats, you can still make them in the morning; it will just take a little bit longer.
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Stir the oats into boiling, salted water, and simmer for about half an hour.
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Dont stir too often; it will break up the grains and make the texture gluey.
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You might also decide to toast the oats before cooking to bring out their nutty flavor.
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Simply heat a little melted butter over medium heat and toast the oats, tossing them gently in the pan or stirring a little with a spoon, until brown and fragrant.
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Then cook in simmering water.
