Oats upma recipe - healthy version of traditional upma that is made from oats and mixed vegetables.
As you know upma is the popular South Indian breakfast. At home we love the rava upma and I do make it occasionally for our breakfast. But this oats upma is much more regular in our house.
Because it is very quick to make and also it has many more health benefits. Also the addition of veggies makes it more nutritious and healthy.
This recipe is EASY and QUICK to make for your morning breakfast. This can be ready in only 25 minutes.
Apart from this, sometimes I do make quinoa upma as well.
If you prefer oatmeal or porridge in your breakfast and tired of having same thing or sweeter versions, then try this savory dish of oats. I am sure you will like this.
How to make oats upma recipe (Step by Step Photos):
1) Take oats in a pan on medium heat. Dry roast them with stirring constantly.
2) Roast them till they are slightly browned in color, it may take around 4-5 minutes. Remove it to plate and keep it aside.
3) Heat the oil or ghee in the same pan on medium heat. Once hot add mustard seeds and let them pop.
4) Then add chana dal and saute for few seconds, then add urad dal and saute till both dal turns light brown in color.
5) Now add cashew nuts and saute till they are lightly browned.
6) Add green chilies, ginger paste and curry leaves. Saute for a minute or till the raw smell of ginger goes away.
7) Add onion and mix.
8) Cook till onion is light pink or translucent in color and becomes soft.
9) Now add carrot and peas. Also add salt.
10) Mix well.
11) Cover it and cook till they are soft and tender.
12) Do stir in between and make sure that they are not sticking to the pan. If they are sticking, you can splash of water and continue cooking.
13) Now add roasted oats.
14) Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
15) Now add water and mix.
16) Cook for 2-3 minutes or till all the water dries out. Turn off the stove.
17) Add chopped coriander leaves
18) And squeeze the lemon juice. Mix well
Remove the oats upma in a serving bowls and serve.
NOTE: Here I am using instant or quick cooking oats. So after adding water it took me only 2-3 minutes to cook. If using rolled oats or old fashioned oats then you will need more water around 1 ½ cups. Also it will take around 7-8 minutes of cooking time after adding water.
For a variation, you can add other vegetables like green beans, capsicum, tomato. Or skip the veggies entirely and only add onions.
Serving suggestion: Serve oats upma as a breakfast or afternoon snack. If you want you can serve any chutney on side, but I prefer as such. It can be packed into lunch box and make it more healthy by adding more veggies in the upma.
Oats upma recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Instant oats (Check notes if using old fashioned rolled oats)
- 1 ½ tablespoons Oil or ghee
- ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon Chana dal (Split bengal gram)
- ½ teaspoon Urad dal (split, skinless black gram)
- 5-6 Cashew nuts optional
- 2 small Green chilies finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Ginger paste or freshly grated or crushed
- 7-8 Curry leaves
- ⅓ cup Red onion chopped
- ¼ cup Carrot finely chopped
- ¼ cup Green peas
- Salt - to taste
- 1 cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Cilantro or Coriander leaves chopped finely
- 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
Instructions
Preparation:
- Take oats in a pan on medium heat. Dry roast them with stirring constantly.
- Roast them till they are slightly browned in color, it may take around 4-5 minutes. Remove it to plate and keep it aside.
Making oats upma recipe:
- Heat the oil or ghee in the same pan on medium heat.
- Once hot add mustard seeds and let them pop.
- Then add chana dal and saute for few seconds, then add urad dal and saute till both dal turns light brown in color.
- Now add cashew nuts and saute till they are lightly browned.
- Add green chilies, ginger paste and curry leaves. Saute for a minute
- Add onion and mix. Cook till onion is light pink or translucent in color and becomes soft.
- Now add carrot and peas. Also add salt. Mix well.
- Cover it and cook till they are soft and tender. Do stir in between
- Now add roasted oats. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
- Now add water and mix. Cook for 2-3 minutes or till all the water dries out.
- Turn off the stove.
- Add chopped coriander leaves
- And squeeze the lemon juice. Mix well
Brilliant idea! Love using oatmeal to make Upma healthier. Thanks for sharing.
you're welcome
Hi Kanan,
Thanks for this lovely recipe.
Its not mentioned in the recipe so I just wanted to confirm if the chana dal needs to be soaked and/or pre-cooked before adding it here?
Thanks & regards
Leon
not soaked, not cooked.
The raw dal is sauteed in hot oil till golden brown.
Wow!!! One more recipe from oats.
It looks so delicious and yummy.
it not only looks delicious but tastes delicious too.
wow another healthy version of breakfast and that too without powder spices just salt, lemon juice and veggies. kudos to you.
thanks for sharing
yes without any spices it does taste good.
Give it a try