Oats upma – easy to make, fool-proof recipe, healthy, and yummy. Excellent breakfast/tiffin item. Ready-to-cook oats upma is now available in the market. But when it is so simple to make it from scratch, why go for stuff sold in plastic packets?

Ingredients:
Rolled oats – 1 cup
Water – 2 cups

Onion – 1 medium size
Garlic (optional) – 1 clove
Carrot – 1 small
Green chilies – 2
Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Sunflower oil – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
Chana dal – 1/2 tsp

Grated coconut (optional) – 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves – 1/2 cup
Lemon juice – 5-6 drops
Salt as needed

Method:
Chop garlic, onion, and carrot separately into small pieces. Split the green chilies. In a kadai, dry roast the oats for 4-5 mins. This helps reduce stickiness when oats upma is made. Remove and keep aside. In the same kadai, pour oil and add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds crackle, add urad dal and chana dal. Saute until the dals turn red. Add chopped garlic, green chilies, and curry leaves. Saute in medium fire for less than a minute. Add onion, add salt, and cook until onions turn pale. Add chopped carrot. Saute for about a minute. Add water. When the water starts boiling add oats and stir intermittently until water reduces. When the oats get cooked and water reduces, turn off the fire. Add chopped coriander leaves and grated coconut (I personally prefer adding grated coconut. You may not.). Add few drops of lemon juice. Taste and add salt if required. Mix well and serve hot. Oats upma will be of a pongal-like, slightly sticky consistency and is best enjoyed warm.

This recipe and presentation was inspired by my friend Mukta who is the author and chef @ MumMumTime. She inspired me with her Independence day special recipe, tricolor pasta made of carrots and broccoli.