Oats Khichdi (Oat and Lentil Stew)

In my quest to cook with Oats, I am discovering new and easy recipes. I am loving this new side of culinary feasts that I had missed on for so long.
This recipe is is a combination of Oats and Moong Dal. In South India, this dish is known as Pongal and traditionally cooked with rice.
It is a great dish because it can be devoured any time of the day, requires minimal ingredients, and can be prepared in a jiffy!
For the traditional Khichdi recipe, check this out.

Ingredients:
1. Cumin seeds, 1 tsp
2. Curry leaves, 3-4 twigs
3. Ginger, 1 inch, minced
4. Oil
5. Cashews (optional), a fistful
6. Peppercorn, crushed, 3-4 (optional)
7. Oats, 1 cup
8. Moong dal, 1/2 cup, steamed/cooked through
9. Water, 1.5 cup
10. Salt to taste
11. Turmeric powder, 1 tsp
12. Hing, a pinch
13. Green chili, 1, chopped
14. Spinach, a bunch, chopped

Directions:
1. Heat a non-stick wok.
2. Add in oil. When the oil is hot, add in cashewnuts, cumin seeds, hing, ginger, curry leaves, peppercorn, and green chili.
3. When they turn brown and the cumin starts to sizzle, add in oats.
4. Then add water, turmeric, and salt and mix well.
5. Cook for about 5 minutes until the consistency is thick and oats absorbs most of the water.
6. Add spinach and moong dal.
7. Mix and adjust the seasoning.

Serve warm.

Thanks to Rak and Sailu for this delicious and healthy recipe.

Oats and Tomato soup

In allegiance to Oats, this one is fanasty food for health freaks hands down. And good timing on this one as the temperature dips below freezing. A warm serving of home made soup soothes likes none.

Thank you IndusLadies for this recipe.

Ingredients:
1. 1 green chili
2. 4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled.
3. 2 big tomatoes
4. 1 carrot, peeled
5. Salt to taste
6. Pepper to taste
7. Vegetable broth
8. Oats, soaked, 1 cup

Directions:
1. Pressure cooker carrots, garlic, chili, and tomatoes. Add salt.
2. Let it cool.
3. Blend it to a smooth consistency in the food processor.
4. Transfer to a wok and let it come to a boil.
5. Check the flavour and adjust with pepper and salt. Add broth to reach the desired consistency.
6. Add on oats.

Serve warm.

Oats Upma

As you know, a healthy gluten-diary-sugar free diet is changing my eating as well as cooking habits.  I've been on the lookout for tasty yet fitting recipes for my well-being without having to kill myself over finding the ingredients. Luckily enough, there is a plethora of cooking tutorials on youtube and recipes on the internet. The recipe below has been clearly copied and I take no credit for this work. Also, I want to thank one of my blogger friends, Priya,  who inspired me to cook with Oats. She is the one who introduced me to the versatility of this super-grain. Thanks, Priya!

Ingredients:
1. Onion, chopped, 1
2. Garlic pods, 2, minced
3. Green chili, 2, minced
4. Carrot, 1, diced
5. Green peas, 1 cup, frozen
6. Green beans, 1 cup, frozen
7. Oats, 3-4 cups
8. Salt to taste
9. Hing, a pinch
10. Lemon juice to tatse
11. Turmeric powder, 1 tsp
12. Oil
13. Curry leaves from 3-4 twigs
14. Chana dal/bengal gram, a fistful
15. Mustard seeds (optional)


Directions:
1. Dry roast rolled oats.
2. In a non stick wok, add oil.
3. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
4. Add in turmeric powder, hing, onions, garlic, green chili, curry leaves, and bengal gram.
5. Saute until they turn brownish.
6. Add in carrots, green peas, beans and water. Let it boil.
7. Add in lemon juice, salt to taste.
8. Slowly add in oats, mixing thoroughly.
9. Reduce the heat and keep mixing until all the water is absorbed by the oats.

Believe me this tasted as good if not better than the traditional Upma. I do not regret any bit of it. 

Healthy eating? Bring it on!