World porridge championship winner crowned

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Adam Kiani holding his golden spurtle award and specialty winner, Bobby FisherImage source, Adam Kiani
Image caption,

Adam won the coveted Golden Spurtle trophy whilt Bobby Fisher took home the prize for best specialty dish.

Oats, salt, water and a little help from a friend saw Adam Kiani crowned the winner of the 30th annual 'Golden Spurtle' world porridge making championships in the Scottish Highlands village of Carrbridge.

Adam, who lives in London, competed under the Pakistan flag with his flatmate, James Leach, who has been his best friend since they went to primary school in Birmingham.

Speaking to BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, Adam said: "I feel like the secret is collaboration.

"James and I went through the whole process together and in the final we both forgot a ladle.

"We were sharing a tiny teaspoon to serve our final porridge. I couldn't have done it without the support of James and all my friends."

James and Adam's passion for porridge led them to create an Instagram page, external to share their unique recipes for sweet and savoury porridge with the tagline "porridge is power".

Image source, Adam Kiani
Image caption,

Best friends since primary school, James and Adam competed together in Carrbridge and run a social media of porridge recipes

This year's Golden Spurtle competition saw entrants from 20 countries including Australia, Germany, Ukraine and Zimbabwe compete head-to-head with their porridge recipes.

Winner Adam received the coveted Golden Spurtle award.

A first time entrant in the competition, Adam, 25, had extra luck with the help of a spurtle that belonged to his grandmother.

A spurtle is a Scottish wooden kitchen tool, used to stir stews, soups and porridge.

"I think that might be part of the secret." Adam said

"It still must have had some grandmotherly warmth and magic that had been transmitted into the porridge."

Image source, Adam Kiani
Image caption,

A first time entrant to the competition, Adam used a spurtle belonging to his grandmother while competing

The rules of the competition stipulate that contestants must make the perfect plate of porridge using only three ingredients - oats, salt and water. There is also a specialty award for the competitor who creates a recipe involving oatmeal.

This year's specialty winner was Bobby Fisher.

Porridge chieftain of this years event, Charlie Miller, said: "We have had an extraordinary response this year.

"We are so proud that after 30 years the event remains so popular, and residents and volunteers continue to put Carrbridge on the world map."

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