Oats upma

Recipe adapted from here

 

Oats- 1 cup

Ghee- 1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp to drizzle

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Dried red chillies- 2

Cashew nuts- 1 tbsp (optional)

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Onion- 1 medium, finely chopped

Green chilly- 1 large, roughly chopped or slit

Ginger- 1 tbsp, crushed and finely chopped

Green beans- 1/4 cup, finely chopped

Carrots-1/4 cup, grated or finely chopped

Green peas- 1/4 cup (I used frozen ones)

Desiccated coconut- 1/4 cup (optional)

Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Salt- to taste

Water- 2 cups (refer notes)

Coriander leaves- 1/4 cup plus enough to garnish

Dry roast the oats in a pan for about 4 to 5 minutes, on medium heat and stirring continuously. The oats should be slightly crisp. Keep aside.

Into the same pan melt the ghee and splutter the mustard seeds.

Add the dried red chilly, cashews and curry leaves and saute till the cashews turn a light golden colour.

In goes the onions, ginger and green chillies. Cook till the onions become soft, they need not become brown.

Stir in the beans, carrot and green peas, add enough salt and cook covered. You don't need to add any water to cook it, just the steam would do. It wouldn't take more than 5 minutes, of course depending on how finely you have chopped the vegetables.

Open the lid and add the desiccated coconut (if using) followed by roasted oats and turmeric powder. Mix well.

Pour 1 cup water and mix the oats, wait for the oats to absorb all of the water and then add the second cup, give a good stir, check for salt and add if needed and cover and cook till most of the water is absorbed.

If you do find that there is still a bit of water, open lid and cook it off.

Add a generous dollop of ghee and sprinkle the coriander leaves and give one final mix.

Garnish with remaining coriander if needed and serve warm with pickle or chutney.

Notes: I actually hate oats with a vengeance but was pleasantly surprised at how nice this tasted.

You can of course skip the ghee and make it in any vegetable oil of choice.

The 2 cups of water i used gave me a mushy upma. We like it that way but if you prefer a drier version, then reduce the water to say 1 1/2 cups. 

Its best to eat it as soon as its cooked as it clumps up to a mass if not.