Masala Oats Porridge

Instant oats may not be everybody's favorite when it comes to breakfast but it sure is the easiest and most filling dish! Perfect for those crazy mornings when you need to eat something in a jiffy. I do not have any dislike or strong liking for oats but it is something very easy to make so it is part of my daily routine. Having said that, I do get bored of having the regular oats everyday and that is when I thought of trying this spicy variation :)

It is basically like a khichdi made with oats instead of rice. Again this is a very basic recipe and the combinations are endless so you can modify it by adding vegetables of your choice and altering the spices to suit your taste buds. If you can manage your kids to like this dish then it is also a very good way of getting some veggies into their daily meals. For the very fussy eaters, I suggest that you grate the vegetables and they probably wouldn't even realize that they are eating them ;)

Oats is a fibre rich, heart-friendly cereal that is also low GI. It is also a good source of nutrients like manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus and copper. Oh and considering the fact that it takes just few minutes to cook this, I think you have more than enough reasons to include this your diet ;)

Masala Oats Porridge: Recipe

Ingredients:

• Instant oats (I used Quakers) - 1/2 cup
• Moong dal - 1/4 cup, washed and drained
• Mixed vegetables (frozen or fresh) - 1/4 cup
• Onion - 1 small, chopped
• Tomato - 1 small, chopped
• Green chili - 1 slit
• Garlic - 1 or 2 cloves, minced
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Red chili powder - 1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Jeera seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Water - 1.5 cups
• Coriander leaves - finely chopped for garnish

Method:

• Heat ghee in a pressure cooker (preferable non-stick) and add the whole jeera seeds. Followed by the garlic, onion and green chilli. Saute well till the onion turns translucent.
• Now add the tomato and the spice powders namely turmeric and red chili. Fry well for few minutes until the tomatoes turn mushy and start releasing moisture.
• Add the mixed vegetables and season with salt. Cook for few minutes and then add the oats. Mix well to combine.
• Add the moong dal and water. Stir and taste the water to check the seasoning. Make changes accordingly. Cover and pressure cook for one or two whistles.
• Once the pressure settles, mix well and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with some pickle and curd, if you prefer.