Oatmeal

Masala Oats From 'Parsi: From Persia to Bombay'

by:
December  7, 2022
5
1 Ratings
Photo by SAM A. HARRIS
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 15 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

"Masala oats is my go-to staff breakfast during the manic weekends at work. After a frantic morning shift of slinging out hot breakfasts to the crowds of East London, we find a welcome pause to sit down to a sustaining bowl of hot, spicy, savory oats—our own energizing breakfast to ready the team for the forthcoming lunchtime onslaught." —Farokh Talati

Excerpted from Parsi: From Persia to Bombay: recipes & tales from the ancient culture. Used with the permission of the publisher, Bloomsbury. Copyright © 2022 by Farokh TalatiFood52

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Ingredients
  • 100 grams ghee or unsalted butter
  • 1 small red onion, finely diced
  • 1 celery stick, finely diced
  • 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 large tomato, finely chopped
  • 2 small green chiles, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 100 grams rolled oats or porridge oats
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 pinch hing (asafoetida)
  • 500 milliliters chicken stock or water
  • 4 tablespoons pickled onions
  • 1 small handful of well-chopped curly-leaf parsley
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
Directions
  1. Melt the ghee or butter in a sturdy-bottomed pot over a low heat. When hot, add the onion, celery and carrot and cook for about 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent and the vegetables have softened, but none have taken on any color.
  2. Add the tomato, chiles, garam masala and salt. Season with a few healthy grinds of black pepper and stir everything together. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to break down.
  3. Add the oats, turmeric, hing and stock or water. Bring the mixture back to a simmer, stirring continuously, for about 2 to 4 minutes, until the oats cook and thicken—you want the consistency of a well-formed but loose porridge, as this is the essence of what you’re creating.
  4. Place the hot masala oats in serving bowls and top each with a spoonful of pickled onions and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

1 Review

Cynthia C. January 15, 2023
Breakfast is a bit of a challenge as my husband does not eat identifiable eggs and doesn’t like sweet things for breakfast. This is a wonderful, savory dish that I recommend doubling for great leftovers. Definite keeper.