I'm thinking of getting messy with some porridge oats and am not sure if I should cook them or not, will it make them thicker / cause them to "swell" or is there no difference?
Obviously I'll let them cool down before the mess commences....
I suspect 'porridge oats' are similar to what we call 'oatmeal' in the states... a whole grain rolled oat you mix with water and boil for a few minutes?
In that case, I'd definitely say cook them. Me, personally, I actually over cook them a bit...and add some extra water and a decent dose of sugar, though not so much for taste. The overcooking brings out some extra starch from the oats and the sugar/extra water makes a bit of a slimy / slippery goo ... with the warm, soft, mushy oats mixed in. Definitely a different feel from almost anything else messy, and a real treat to slip an slide around in!