Garam Masala Tuesdays: Oats Khichdi

Sukaina of Sips and Spoonfuls recently blogged about a topic that resonates so closely to what I feel as a blogger.

The post talks about how Sukaina got an email from one of her readers and how the reader thought she had a perfect life with everything about it perfect- “the perfect house, the perfect blog post, the perfect meal, the perfect recipe, that perfect image, the words or story that sounds just perfect.” But, of course, as she points out in her post, in reality, things are far from perfect.

For me, Sukaina’s blog is perfect. Her recipes look and sound great. The pictures are bang on in terms of styling, lighting, sharpness, and focus. The video she made is still, in my opinion, one of the best cooking videos I have seen. So it was refreshing to know that she goes through the same doubts as I do, that like me, she too is constantly struggling with getting everything perfect and somehow that more often than not does not happen.

Take this post for example. I made and took pictures of this “oats khichdi” a few days back. I was not happy with the pics. So I decided I will have a go at them again. I made the khichdi again, and I had a picture in mind as to how I wanted to style it (which I did even the first time but this time I improved on it). I tried different surfaces, different stylings but somehow what I wanted I couldn’t achieve, mainly because that would have required props I did not have. So I ended up with these pics that I am posting today and I am just not satisfied. None of them were how I had imagined it to be. But, since the recipe is good I decided to post anyway with what I have, mainly because of what Sukaina had to say.

I know I have come a long way from where I started almost 3 years back, but I still look at blogs and sigh to V, when will I be THAT good!

I also know there are people who have started blogs with the perfect pictures, the perfect recipe and everything about their blog being perfect; but I have come to terms with the fact that while some people catch on quickly, some take their time. I am the latter, but then, I try every day to improve myself and I think that says for some thing. So even though I am not happy with what I have to put forth today, I know tomorrow I will improve on it. But because of my insecurities I should not let a good recipe go by and as Sukaina puts it:

There would be no blog if that moment of perfection is coveted. Perfect is not always possible. And that shouldn’t be our aim. If you succeed each time, you will stop trying. And if you stopped trying, you would stop creating.

With that said, here I am trying, and creating, another Garam Masala Tuesday.

I know I seldom post breakfast recipes on GMT, so this should be a change. Its just that even though I cook Indian breakfast I hardly get time to photograph it in the morning, and we never have leftovers for me to take a picture later. And hence the lack of such recipes. And as I just mentioned this too would have been shelved away, but somehow it fought its way through.

This is a recipe I got from my parents’ cook in Allahabad, Heera (our dear, dear, sweet Heera, how I miss you and your food!)

Heera would make this savory masala oats dish or Oats khichdi as we would call it for breakfast almost every other day, because well, we would request it almost every other day. The fact that it is chock full of veggies and healthy had nothing to do with it. It was because it just tasted so darn good. The health benefits were just a freebie. And when I got to know it was so simple and quick to make I had to get the recipe, because breakfast should be just that- easy and quick. You do not want to spend an hour in the kitchen early in the morning when all you want to do is get something in your mouth.

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.

Garam Masala Tuesdays: Oats Khichdi

 

Print

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: Shumaila

Recipe type: Breakfast

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

• ¾ cups oats
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tsp green chillies, finely chopped
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp kadi pata/curry leaves
• 1½- 2 cups water (depending on my mood- whether I want it soupy or not, I increase or decrease the quantity of water)
• ¾ cup finely chopped vegetables (carrots, beans, peas- you can use frozen veggies - I sometimes use corn as well even though Heera never put corn but since its mixed in the frozen vegetables packets I end up putting corn as well)
• ½ cup fresh spinach, finely chopped (you can also use frozen spinach if you want)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro/ coriander leaves
• salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Once hot, add the mustard seeds and let them sizzle. Add the ginger, chillies and curry leaves, and saute lightly for 30 seconds on medium-high flame.
2. Add the chopped onions, and cook till translucent.
3. Add the veggies and salt. Let cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the chopped spinach, and saute for 30 seconds. If using frozen spinach, add it when adding veggies.
5. Add the oats and mix. Add in the water and let cook 3-4 minutes. (Feel free to increase the water if you would like your bowl of masala oats a little more soupy)
6. Mix in the cilantro and serve hot in bowls and have a nice day!

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

3.2.1230