Shake Up Your Morning Routine With These Turmeric Oats

In India, the place I grew up, breakfast is at all times a vibrant affair, with loads of spice and crunch. South Asian breakfasts are inclined to have a savory taste profile: It’s common to begin the day with dosa (fermented rice batter crepes), idli (fermented rice batter steamed truffles), poha (flattened rice cooked in spices with potato), or parathas (stuffed wheat flatbreads), every deeply flavored with fragrant spices, herbs, and greens. Indian morning meals are a stark distinction to the candy breakfasts—like French toast, pancakes, or the everyday bowl of oatmeal topped with brown sugar or maple syrup—which are widespread in America, the place I reside immediately.

Although I sometimes get pleasure from a bowl of candy oatmeal once I’m out for breakfast, the porridge I’m served tends to be bland and one dimensional, with little taste or texture, and I’m typically left wanting extra. I puzzled: What would occur if I integrated among the savory notes I had grown up with into oatmeal?

The concept for these savory turmeric masala oats happened once I was chatting with my mom about my want to seek out new methods to get pleasure from oatmeal. She advised a savory twist: Why not put together oatmeal with a tadka, a conventional South Asian cooking technique? The method includes frying spices in oil or ghee to launch their aromatic flavors earlier than incorporating the combination right into a dish. The concept was so easy, and, like my mom, completely good. I gave it a attempt, and the oatmeal was scrumptious: Every chew was infused with the earthy flavors of cumin, black mustard seeds, coriander, pink pepper flakes, and turmeric.

This savory oatmeal has since develop into my go-to technique for getting ready oats. To make it, I begin by blooming the spices in scorching oil, which helps remodel their fat-soluble taste compounds into extra complicated, fragrant ones that give the oatmeal a aromatic depth of taste. Cumin is the star of the present right here: It brings an earthy nuttiness that anchors the dish. Floor coriander provides a floral be aware, whereas pink chili flakes present only a trace of warmth, making every chew barely spicy with out overwhelming the dish. Mustard seeds, one other key ingredient, presents a pleasant peppery crunch, offering texture to an in any other case clean oatmeal. Onions and garlic, sautéed till translucent, deliver a delicate sweetness that enhances the spices.

After I put together the tadka, I add tomato and bell pepper to the pot and cook dinner them till softened earlier than including the water, salt, and oats. Because the oats simmer, they tackle the candy, earthy flavors of the spices, tomatoes, and peppers. Whereas I desire utilizing old school oats for his or her chewy texture and heartiness, you possibly can simply substitute them with or quick-cooking oats if that’s what you’ve gotten available. The secret is to begin with half the quantity of water and add extra as wanted, and to scale back the cooking time barely so the oats don’t burn or develop into too mushy. Keep away from steel-cut oats, which take for much longer to cook dinner. And in case you’re feeling adventurous, you possibly can add a handful—say, two tablespoons—of different greens along with the tomatoes and bell peppers. I’ve experimented with including mushrooms, carrots, and peas, which give the oats extra colour, taste, and texture.

As soon as the oats are tender, all that’s left to do is topping the oats with contemporary cilantro, lime juice, a halved boiled egg and a few yogurt, if desired. The entire dish takes simply quarter-hour to cook dinner, making this an excellent possibility for busy mornings. You can even put together a batch forward of time and easily reheat it once you’re able to eat.

For those who’ve ever discovered your self uninterested in common oatmeal or just need to change up your morning routine, I like to recommend making an attempt my recipe for savory oatmeal: It’s comforting, has a daring taste, and comes collectively in lower than half-hour. It would simply develop into your new breakfast staple, prefer it has for me.

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