Oatmeal with curd is a snack that I make when I need something light to eat in between meals. It is very simple to make, and hardly takes any time at all. What’s more, it is very healthy.
I am in the process of discovering the versatility of oats, the way they can be adapted to fit into different recipes – from sweet to savoury, most of them easy to cook. This is one discovery in the midst of that process. Amma and Patti have always made oatmeal-curd conjee for themselves since forever, but I always scoffed at it, thinking of it as food meant for patients. Until recently, when I made a few variations to the recipe that Amma has always used for the conjee, and ended up with a dish that was, surprisingly, very tasty. I now know I will be making this often.
Here is the recipe that I used:
Ingredients (for 2 people):
1 glass of regular oats (I use Quaker)
Salt to taste
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1 cup curd (a little sour is better)
Finely chopped coriander, for garnishing
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon jeera
Method:
1. Boil about 1-1/2 glass of water in a heavy-bottomed pan. When the water comes to a boil, add the oats to it. Let them cook for about 5 minutes on a low flame, or till the oats turn soft. Keep stirring the mixture, to ensure that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
2. Cool the cooked oats.
3. In the meantime, heat the oil in a kadhai and add the mustard seeds. Let them splutter, and then add the jeera. Take off heat once the jeera turns brown.
4. Once the cooked oats cool, add the mustard seeds and jeera, curd and finely chopped coriander to it. Mix well. That’s it!
PS: What are the dishes that you make using oats? Please to share!
I am not a big fan of oats with curd, not sure why but your pic is so tempting. I do make a variety of dishes using oats – oats dosa, adai, pongal, upma and the masala oats from scratch of which they have sachets now in stores
Apart from this, I have started using powdered oats in place of corn flour in soups, works really well. I am yet to try oats idli 
@Greenboochi
I wasn’t a big fan of oats themselves, till recently. Now, I am a convert.
Wow, you use oats in so many, different ways. Interesting!
Wow! GB you make so many dishes using oats!! Please share the recipes
thanks, pretty neat, will try! i sometimes make upma like this with curds. I have made whole-wheat flour and oats pancakes a couple of times, and tried oats upma, not that big a fan of it though.
@Chattywren
Do let me know how it turned out!
Alright, since you have touched the topic of curd and oatmeal… I must tell you this:
A frozen yoghurt parfait is one of my all time favorite meal options
Now, if you have had one before, don’t need to read beyond!
A parfait is made with frozen yogurt, some roasted oats, museli, nuts, and fresh fruits. It is the yummiest thing on earth, okay?
Fine. Another dish that I am pretty good at, but got bored with is Oats Upma. The recipe is the same as regular upma, you just replace half the suji with oats. Make suji upma the way you make, but use only the half as usual suji that you took to start with. One the upma is 75% done, fold in the oats in it. Oats hardly take any time to get cooked… And there you have another yummy dish! I had it each night for dinner for 2 whole weeks last year as a part of my weight loss diets!
@Aditya
The frozen yoghurt and oats parfait sounds yummylicious! Will try it sometime.. How exactly do you make it? Could you share a more detailed recipe, please?
I make the oats upma, too. I don’t add sooji to it, though, and make it entirely with oats. It is a great, healthy dish, easy to cook as well!
I don’t like the taste of pure oats, so mixing with suji works well for me
Okay here is the catch, I don’t make FroYo at home, because there are so many awesome placed to have it in the city. Those places will serve you a Parfait. But you should be able to find many recipes on the internet for making FroYo at home.
@Aditya
We do get frozen yoghurt here, too, at Kiwi Kiss. I eat that as a dessert, though. It comes in different flavours – not sure if oats would go with that!
Here: Granola (rolled (toasted) oats) on top of frozen yogurt are yumm!
http://www.redmangousa.com/menu/fruit-yogurt-parfaits/
@Aditya
That looks super-duper yummy! I’m going to try it out!
Thanks!
Hey GND, i do this all the time. The difference is i make it for dinner for myself.I mix cooked oats with curd and salt. You can eat it with any sabji as well. It tastes yum.
@Sumana
Yes, adding grated vegetables would be a nice touch to this, I’m sure!
@Aditto: I want that recipe in detail
@TGND : Like you I also used to laugh at Patty making it daily for her breakfast..now at 85 she is ramrod straight and manages everything on her own including cooking! Oats ka kamaal??
Thanks for the recipe
will try it out
@R’s Mom
Oh, oats has lots of health benefits. And they are unbelievably versatile, can be adapted to a lot of recipes, and are so simple to cook!
Do try out the recipe sometime!
R’amma… which recipe? Oats upma?
I just know oats upma
Oh, this looks like a recipe that just cannot go wrong 
Not for me atleast – definitely trying this especially when K has office dinner and I am at home. K dislikes oats 
@Kismi
Do give it a shot sometime!
I only make oats upma … I was looking for other ways to eat oats and your recipe sounds yummy… will give it a try soon
@Lifesong
Do let me know how it turned out!
This sound simple easy & good…will try!
I used to eat Museli with curd
@Smita
It is very tasty. Do try it out sometime!
Oh, my! My oatmeal seems rather plain, compared to this spiced up version.
This is how I make mine (standard breakfast):
Oatmeal cooked on low flame w/soymilk, raisins, and cinnamon. Often topped w/a dollop of yogurt.
@Suko
Thank you!
I don’t like the taste of oatmeal with milk, so I usually make it with curd. Or use it in upma.
you should check out the overnight oats recipes, they look so yumm.. and the combos look tempting. Never tried it though. But the problem there is you need the old-fashioned oats,
@Veens
What are overnight oats recipes?
I thought Quaker’s has old-fashioned oats only. No? :O
Hi there
I know! Kind of beats the point of eating oats. But grinding oats down to a powdery form and using it with bread crumbs to give a frittery effect for anything makes you feel a wee bit better about eating crusty food. I bake / broil it to get that crunchy effect and it’s totally worth it.
Loved the idea of oats & yogurt. I’m horrible with midnight snacks! I think this would be an awesome way to replace the greasy things I stuff myself with at midnight while working! Have you tried using oats as a crust or for fried snacks?
@Crunch
Hey there! Welcome to my space!
I haven’t ever tried coating food with oats before frying it, to give it extra crunchiness. Great idea! Thanks for the suggestion – will try it out soon!
Hey you, I was never too taken by the idea of oats, but like you have become a recent convert. I use Quaker oats, but mostly in the sweet variety for breakfast.. I make lots of variations, but have blogged 2 kinds:
here: http://hungryandexcited.wordpress.com/2012/12/17/chocolate-oats/
and here: http://hungryandexcited.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/banana-bread-oatmeal/
I usually try and use natural sweeteners like cane/brown sugar or jaggery syrup and throw in some fruit and it makes for a good power breakfast which keeps me going for quite a while.
Apart from these two which I make fairly regularly, I have also done versions making basic oats with a sweetener and adding in a teaspoon of homemade jam or peanut butter at the end and blending it all together. Also divine!
@Haathi
Woah, you use oats in so many different ways — all of them interesting!
Haan theyre easy to cook and adapt well to most flavours. I am yet to explore the salty/savoury route
@Haathi
I usually go the salty/savoury route with oats.
I have oats for breakfast everyday and its always with a pinch of salt and lots of thayir. I am lactose intolerant, so have found this to be the best way to have them. Or I have cooked oats with some vellam. Delicious
@Sudhagee
I have been experimenting a bit with oats of late, and this has turned out to be the way I have liked them the best.
Cooking oats with vellam sounds like a good idea, too!