1 May, 2014
Speedy steel cut oats upma (savory snack with vegetables)
When you think of steel-cut oats, the first thought that comes to mind is the oatmeal for breakfast and anything sweet that would go into it. Here’s an easy whole grain savory snack made with it for those who don’t have a sweet tooth 🙂
Fiesta Fridays #14 (hosted by Saucy of SaucyGander and Sir Johnny of Kitschnflavours and Flours n Dainty Buns), here I come, with this savory snack to spice up your taste buds, so you can eat more of the cakes and sweets that others bring!
‘Upma’ (‘U’ pronounced as in the word ‘butcher’) is a south-Indian term for a savory snack made of curried grain (or vermicelli) and vegetables. I often make this particular snack for the kids in the evening, since it takes very little planning and time to cook, especially if a pressure cooker is available. This is a ‘saatvik’ version (sans onion and garlic), but adding onions to this mixture will only make it even more delicious.
Ingredients:
steel-cut oats- 1 cup
water- 1 1/2 cup
vegetables: carrot- 1, green bell pepper- 1/2 (other vegetables such as green beans, peas, potatoes, corn would go well with this too)
ginger (peeled)- small piece
Thai green chilly- 1
curry leaves- few (optional)
mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp.
to temper:
urad dal (black gram)- 1/2 tsp.
asafoetida powder- a pinch
avocado oil (or other neutral oil)- 1 1/2 tbsp.
turmeric powder- a pinch
salt- to taste
Method:
1. Add water to oats in a steel vessel and cook in the pressure cooker. Let the whistle blow 3-4 times. Allow the pressure to release from the cooker. The oats may look a little mushy, but it will not have any remaining water. If any excess water is present, drain it. Stove top cooking would also work, but may take more time than a pressure cooker. Even if it looks mushy now, trust me, in the end, it will acquire a non-gooey and crunchy texture 🙂
2. While oats is getting cooked, chop vegetables, green chilly (slit lengthwise, for lesser heat) and ginger into small pieces.
3. In a shallow pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida powder. When the seeds sputter, add green chilly, curry leaf, vegetables.
4. Add salt, turmeric powder and cook covered till veggies are tender.
5. Add cooked oats, turn off the heat and toss to combine. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm.
Here’s a printable version:
steel-cut oats upma
Ingredients:
steel-cut oats- 1 cup
water- 1 1/2 cup
carrot- 1
green bell pepper- 1/2
ginger (peeled)- small piece
Thai green chilly- 1
curry leaves- few (optional)
mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp.
urad dal- 1/2 tsp.
asafoetida powder- a pinch
avocado oil- 1 1/2 tbsp. (or other neutral oil)
turmeric powder- a pinch
salt- to taste
Method:
1. Add water to oats in a steel vessel and cook in the pressure cooker. Let the whistle blow 3-4 times. Allow the pressure to release from the cooker.
2. While oats is getting cooked, chop vegetables, slit a green chilly lengthwise and chop ginger into small pieces.
3. In a shallow pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida powder. When the seeds sputter, add green chilly, curry leaf, vegetables.
4. Add salt, turmeric powder and cook covered till veggies are tender.
5. Add cooked oats, turn off the heat and toss to combine. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm.
Note:
A few drops of lime juice can be added in the end to get a tangy flavor.
47 thoughts on : Speedy steel cut oats upma (savory snack with vegetables)
Loved it Apsara and thanks for the mention :).
my pleasure, Sonal 🙂
Looks delicious, Aspara! How wise of you to bring something a little healthier to Fiesta Friday! I, for one, am happy to be offered a little balance in my diet. 🙂
thanks, Nancy. I like savory dishes, myself, even in a party 🙂
Sweet! That’s the way to think out of the box! What can I sub out for urad dal- and asafoetida powder-….or is it worth looking for this…?
thanks, Savvy sis! The urad dal is to add crunch, you could use peanuts in its place. Asafoetida adds a unique flavor to Indian dishes and promotes digestion, you could look for it in an international market if you plan to cook more Indian food. Or, it can be left out too!
This is such a great idea – I’ve never made savory oats, but I need to now!
thanks, Laura. yes, do try it.
Looks so healthy and delicious! I love your garnish 🙂
thanks, Josette. 🙂
That looks so interesting 🙂 what do you do if don’t have a pressure cooker??
thanks, Elaine. You could cook the oats on stove top, with a little less water, it would just require monitoring and stirring. I love my pressure cooker. These days many vegan/vegetarian cookbooks recommend it too 🙂
Okay, thank you xx
Which pressure cooker do you use? I just use the big bulky one I have to cook lentils…would love to get a small one that I can use more frequently…
I have a 6-litre and a 4-litre pressure cooker that I got from India. The small one is very handy for this, releases pressure quickly 🙂
We need these healthy dishes to keep us in check this fiesta friday! We make something similar with Dalia (cracked wheat), Apsara so I can imagine how delicious this must have been!
yes, it tastes almost exactly like the one made from cracked wheat! I like that one too 🙂
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I love your idea of using the steel cut oats as a snack. You are right as I have only eaten them as oatmeal with some fruit and nuts. Thanks for sharing a new way for me to use these healthy oats 🙂
I’m glad you like it, Judi 🙂
Delicious and so healthy Xx
thank you! xx
great idea, thank you!
you’re welcome, Aneela!
I just got a new pressure cooker (a gift!) and I had no idea what to do with it. Thanks for a great idea.
Hilda, that is the greatest gift, ever! Also the best way to cook beans and lentils. Enjoy!
This looks fantastic!! And it’s great to get your tip about substituting black gram, as I haven’t been able to find it in grocery stores. Would love to try this for a weeknight dinner, and thank you for bringing this to Fiesta Friday!! We have lots of cookies and cakes (as usual, haha), and it’s always good to have a few savoury options as well. 😀
Thanks, Saucy! You’re a wonderful hostess, always enjoy FF with you 😀
The oats upma looks delicious Apsara 🙂
thank you, Naina!
Wow! This is an unusual recipe for me, but looks so delicious! Thanks so much for bringing this to the party! 😀
thanks, Julianna. I’m glad you like it. 🙂
Gosh, I’m really curious about this for two reasons. I’ve always loved oats but have never, ever cooked with them apart from porridge! And I love spices. Will have to try this. On the hob/stove top as I don’t have a pressure cooker. But I do have several types of oats in my baking cupboard – sadly neglected.
thanks, Sir Johnny. welcome to my blog!
We only made once oatmeal savoury. Your recipe goes way further,…a great & genius tasty idea too, my friend! Yummm! x
thanks, Sophie. I wouldn’t call myself a genius, though. This is a kind of standard snack where I come from 🙂
I like the idea of using oats for upma…and your thought on my site to use quinoa too:) Glad to have the recipe!
thank you, Peri!
This is going to make the ‘boring oats’ to interesting! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
you’re welcome! I just visited your blog, and like it! 🙂
Good take! I would love to use raw vegetables in this. 🙂
Yes, cooked is always an option though
that’s true, but then it would be called salad with raw vegetables, I suppose! 🙂
Exactly !
Oh how ironic, I was planning to make oats upma this week and am impressed at how light and fluffy yours looks. I don’t use a pressure cooker though, so slow heat for me x
Thanks, Deena. I like cooking on stove top, but I don’t like the stirring part! xx
Yesterday I made this for dinner. Loved it 🙂
Awesome. Thank you for the feedback, Seema. 🙂