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Vegetable oats upma

Vegetable oats upma
Photo: vrk1219, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Ingredients

For 4 servings. 1 serving = 1 adult; a 6-year-old eats about half.

  • Rolled oats200 g
  • Brown onions80 g (~½ medium)
  • Carrots80 g (~1 medium)
  • Green beans60 g
  • Frozen peas40 g
  • Mustard seeds½ tsp
  • Curry leaves¾ sprig
  • Green chillies1
  • Sunflower or rice-bran oil1 tbsp
  • Salt1¼ tsp
  • Lemons½

You need

  • Kadai or deep sauté pan with lid
  • Ladle and flat spatula (dosa turner)
  • Sharp knife and chopping board
  • Measuring cups and spoons

Method

  1. Chop 80 g (~½ medium) onion. Dice 80 g (~1 medium) carrot and 60 g beans into 1 cm pieces. Slit 1 green chilli lengthwise into big pieces.
  2. Dry-roast 200 g oats in the kadai on medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until they smell nutty and look lightly toasted. Tip them onto a plate.
  3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same kadai on medium heat for 1 minute. Add ½ tsp mustard seeds and wait until they pop, about 30 seconds. Add ¾ sprig curry leaves.
  4. Add the onion, chilli, carrot, beans and 40 g peas. Cook 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and the beans are bright green.
  5. Add the oats, 1¼ tsp salt and 240 ml (about 1 cup) water. Stir, cover and cook on low heat for 2 minutes, until the oats are soft but not mushy.
  6. Turn off and squeeze ½ lemon over. Pick the chilli out of the kids' plates.

Make it easier

  • The night before: Chop the upma vegetables tonight.

Keeping and freezing

  • Fridge: keeps 1 day in a lidded box. Cool it within an hour of cooking.
  • Freezer: does not freeze well; eat within the fridge time.

Good to know

  • Contains: gluten (wheat, oats).
  • Toddlers: take their portion out before adding chilli or pepper.