RECIPE:
Nissegrøt
Santa's Christmas porridge

Santa gets porridge at Norsk Folkemuseum .
Photo: Christoffer Sandmark, Maverix / Visit Norway

Breathe in the sweet smell of warm milk, butter, and cinnamon. Delicious!

Rice porridge is traditionally served in Norwegian homes between breakfast and dinner on Christmas Eve.

Santa's porridge .
Photo: Christoffer Sandmark, Maverix / Visit Norway

Meanwhile, the shy, introverted and mysterious fjøsnisse, the authentic gnome-like Norwegian "Santa", who lives in the barn, is hungry too!

The Norwegian Santa and kids at Norsk Folkemuseum .
Photo: Christoffer Sandmark, Maverix / Visit Norway

The Norwegian Santa at the barn .
Photo: Christoffer Sandmark, Maverix / Visit Norway

Give him a bowl of porridge and he will be happy and look out for the farm animals in return.

Make sure he doesn't see you or he might not dare to come out!

Santa gets porridge at Norsk Folkemuseum .
Photo: Christoffer Sandmark, Maverix / Visit Norway

If he doesn't get his porridge, he'll be grumpy and may get up to mischief!

Norwegian Santa eating porridge .
Photo: Christoffer Sandmark, Maverix / Visit Norway

Norwegians also hide a single almond in one of the servings of porridge.

Whoever finds the almond ...

Children enjoying Christmas porridge .
Photo: Christoffer Sandmark, Maverix / Visit Norway

… is the lucky winner of a marzipan pig! 🐷

Here's a tasty recipe for traditional rice porridge:

Marzipan pig .
Photo: Christoffer Sandmark, Maverix / Visit Norway

Santa's porridge

Ingredients:

makes 4 servings

200 ml short-grain rice

400 ml water

1 litre milk

1 ts salt

Sugar

Cinnamon

Butter

Source: Matprat.no

Method:

Time: 60 min
Difficulty level: Easy

1. Bring the rice and water to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes, until the rice absorbs most of the water.

2. Add the milk and bring to a boil before lowering the heat. Let the porridge simmer on low heat for an hour or until it's thick and creamy. Stir occasionally so it doesn't burn.

3. Season with a little salt.

Serve with a pat of butter and sugar and cinnamon on top! It's also common to top with raisins and accompany the porridge with thin slices of fenalår, Norwegian dried leg of lamb.

A bowl of traditional rice porridge topped with cinnamon and butter

Santa's porridge.
Photo: Christoffer Sandmark, Maverix / Visit Norway

Treat your tastebuds by adding a salty slice of Fenalår, dried leg of lamb, to accompany the sweet porridge.

Fenalår .
Photo: Eivor Eriksen/Norsk mat

Although it's most commonly served at Christmas, this traditional rice porridge can be enjoyed whenever it's cold outside and you need some comfort food.

Girl enjoying Christmas porridge .
Photo: Christoffer Sandmark, Maverix / Visit Norway