Pottage

Yam porridge (or yam pottage) is an Igbo dish known as awaị^[1]

Pottage is a thick soup or stew made by boiling vegetables, grains, and, if available, meat or fish.

It was a staple food of all people living in Great Britain from neolithic times on into the Middle Ages.^{[citation needed]} The word pottage comes from the same Old French root as potage, which is a similar type of dish of more recent origin.

Pottage commonly consisted of various ingredients easily available to serfs and peasants and could be kept over the fire for a period of days, during which time some of it was eaten and more ingredients added. The result was a dish that was constantly changing. Pottage consistently remained a staple of the poor's diet throughout most of the 9th-17th century Europe. When people of higher rank, such as nobles, ate pottage, they would use more expensive ingredients such as meats. The pottage that these people ate was much like modern day soups.^{[citation needed]}

Preparation

Pottage was typically boiled for several hours until the entire mixture took on a homogeneous texture and flavor; this was intended to break down complex starches and to ensure the food was safe for consumption. It was often served, when possible, with bread.

See also

• Pease Pudding
• Casserole

References

1. ^ Emenanjọ, E. Nọlue (1978). Elements of modern Igbo grammar: a descriptive approach. Oxford University Press. p. 42. ISBN 978-154-078-8.