Savory Oats Hash – Indian Oats Poha Upma. Savory Breakfast Oats with onions, veggies and nuts – Kanda Poha. Vegan Gluten-free Soy-free Yeast-free Recipe
We love savory breakfasts. Everyday breakfasts usually are a rotation among Chickpea flour pancake -Chilla, savory cream of wheat – Upma, savory french toasts – Bread Pakora (in the book), lentil rice crepes with chutneys or leftover veggie sides – Dosa, tofu scrambles, and Poha. No one in my house likes sweet or cold breakfast. we all want something hearty and savory. So savory and hot breakfast it is.
Kanda poha is usually made with thick rice flakes that are reconstituted with water to make a dry pasta-like dish. Rice flakes are not easily available in regular grocery stores, so I started making poha with oats. Old-fashioned oats are soaked and cooked just enough so they are tender but are separate grains. Soak the oats just enough time to rehydrate and not get soggy. The dish is somewhat like spiced stir fried rice with veggies and nuts, so you can use it as a side as well with curries, chana masala etc. The recipe works as-is using thick rice flakes as well. We often use half rice flakes and half Oats.
If you have never tried oats this way, you may be surprised by how good the texture and flavor is this way. Soak them longer if you like them cooked softer. The result will be more of a scramble than separate grains.
This recipe is from my cookbook Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen, which is available everywhere where books are sold.
Recipe Card
Savory Oats Hash - Indian Oats Poha Upma
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup (121.5 g) old-fashioned oats use certified gluten-free oats to make gf. (Or use a mix of rice flakes and oats. I usually use 1 cup rice flakes and 1/2 cup oats)
- 3 tablespoon raw peanuts or other nuts like cashews omit to make nut-free
- 1 teaspoon safflower or other neutral oil
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) black mustard seeds
- 10 curry leaves chopped **
- 1/8 teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) asafetida omit to make gluten-free, or use certified gluten-free asafetida *
- 1 hot green chili finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (70 g) finely chopped red onion
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) cayenne / red chili powder or to taste
- 3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup (48.33 g) fresh or frozen green peas thawed if frozen
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro for garnish
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice for garnish (not optional)
Instructions
- Wash the oats and soak in 2 cups of water for 4 minutes, then drain for 2 to 3 mins. (Steps 2 through 4 take about the same time, so the oats do not have to be soaked in advance. Depending on the brand or batch, the oats might get soggy sooner, then soak for just 2 to 3 minutes. I also prefer to use half thick rice flakes and half oats for better texture).
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the peanuts and dry roast until they change color slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds start to pop, 30 seconds. Add the asafetida and chili, then stir in the onions and cook until translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. After the onions are done, you can add other veggies if using and cook then until al-dente.
- Add the salt, turmeric, cayenne, peas, and sugar and mix well. Cook for 1 minute.
- Drain the oats well and add to the pan, then stir in the roasted nuts. Mix well. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the oats are tender, but not mushy like oatmeal. Stir to mix and fluff. Taste and adjust salt and spice. Cover and set aside for 2 minutes. Serve warm, garnished with cilantro and a generous drizzle of lemon juice.
Notes
To make this nut-free, omit the nuts. Nutritional values based on one serving
Nutrition
*Asafetida (Hing) is pungent smelling spice that adds a garlic onion kind of flavor profile to the food. Asafetida is often added to beans and dals to help with digestion. Asafetida itself is gluten-free, but it is usually ground along with a starch. Ground asafetida can contain wheat or other starches. Always check the label. Get the whole asafetida crystals to grind yourself or certified gluten-free ground asafetida to avoid gluten contamination.
** Fresh Curry Leaves can be bought from Indian stores locally or online on amazon. Freeze them in airtight container for months, use frozen directly from freezer.
Mobasir hassan
Poha is a traditional recipe here in Maharashtra and I often get the chance to eat it at home because of my Maharashtrian wife. I let my wife about this eand hope soon she would make it. Thanks for the lovely recipe. Looking forward for more recipes.
Vegan Richa Support
I”m glad that you discovered it. thanks!
TORAL PATEL
I cant wait to make it. Can I make this with steel cut oats?
Richa
steel cut oats need 25 mins cooking time. you can use pre cooked steel cut oats
Maneesha
I love this recipe from your book! I have both your cookbooks and am in love with both of them!
Richa
<3 <3
BWeaves
I’ve made this dish several times from your book and I love it. It’s very forgiving if I leave out or add different ingredients. It’s a very different way of handling oats and I love it.
Richa: Have you ever tried Kasha? The whole grain (actually the stamen of the plant) can be boiled in 10 minutes and then used like any grain. The groats (ground chunky like grits) can be boiled but turn into something like hominy grits or oatmeal. If the groats are coated with egg first and then stir fried for a minute and then boiled, then the grains stay separate. So use the whole grain if you don’t eat eggs.
I make a pilaf out of Kasha, adding mushrooms, carrots, onions, celery and some sort of soy sauce or veggie broth. Takes 15 minutes from start to finish. Reheats great in the microwave. I use leftovers in recipes that need a bit of quinoa or rice or something, like your potato quinoa patties (can’t remember the name you gave them, sorry).
Look for Wolff’s Kasha in the Kosher aisle of the grocery store. There’s nothing Kosher about Kasha. It’s just a very eastern European food. I don’t know why it’s not more popular. It’s a complete protein. It’s very quick to make. And it tastes good. And it’s buckwheat, which is gluten free, because it’s got nothing to do with wheat. It seems like it would work great in a lot of Indian recipes, too.
Richa
i’ll try that, thanks! i have seen it before, but it wasnt very popular or easily available like oats.
Dori
Is this American Indian??? Mn
Richa
yay
Susanna
I have to post again to give my 5 stars 😀
Richa
awesome!
Susanna
Thank you so much for this recipe. I missed Poha so much. I loved it so much to eat Poha in the morning in India. Now I tried it first time to prepare it in Germany and koped so much it for a taste similar to my experiences… And: it turned out great 🙂 I had my first Poha in Germany this morning and it won´t be the last. 😉
nicci parsons
mm oversoaked the oats which didnt help ! and ditn have cashews so used almonds !will know next time! needs more flavour i think , so next time more spices and i added cumin too. no way this serves 4 in my house i could eaten whole lot myself , even allowing for fact the oats were more like oatmeal!! will try again tho as has potential!!
Richa
hmm. over the years i have noticed that the oats from different brands behave differently, or the type. whole grain old fashioned, vs regular old fashioned. They probably get processed a bit differently. So you might need to soak for as little as 2-3 minutes or as much as 8-9. I usually mix in some rice flakes so that even if the oats get slightly oversoaked, they will still stay separate because of the rice flakes mixed in. Hope this helps.
We eat small portions 🙂 . the nutrition will get updated eventually, i am adding it to the new recipes slowly.
Pamela D.
I absolutely love this recipe! How can I get the grains to cook separately? Is it because I’m omitting oil that my results are more mushy than the picture? I’ve tried decreasing the soaking time but it’s still mushy. (Though very tasty so I care less.) Thanks!
Richa
From making this for a while I know that some brand oats make it fluffier than others. Sometimes just a good rinse is enough to soak the oats. Try that. Rinse in cold water just before adding to the pan. No soak. And then let it steam covered. Fluff after a few.
Maureen
This is intriguing. I’ve never had savory oats before, but definitely want to try this. I don’t use any oil, so was wondering if just putting the mustard seeds and curry leaves in a dry pan would work? I can’t wait to make this! Thanks!
Richa
Here is how you can make it without oil https://www.veganricha.com/2016/01/how-to-cook-indian-food-without-oil-oil-free-dal-tadka-recipe.html
Raju
I added cinnamon, cloves and ginger in the initial fry and it turned out just right for us. Tx for the recipe.
Meg Naughton
Hi there! Do you know of any specific brands of Hong that are gf? I’m having a tough time finding it.
Thanks!
Richa
I have found hing in some specialty stores that are gf. Worldspice.com carries asafetida that is ground with rice flour. There are some stores in new york and portland that some readers have found gf asafetida as well. You can omit it if you do not find it. Add a dash of garlic powder instead with the onions.
Waseem
Awesome recipe for oats this way.
Kris
This is the ultimate comfort food – can’t make it too often at my house!
Richa
Awesome!
Ayaka
Can this be make ahead breakfast?
Richa
Yes. I often make a big batch and refrigerate the leftovers for evening snacking or next day breakfast. sprinkle some water and reheat on the stove or microwave. Garnish with cilantro and lemon juice and serve.
Ayaka
Nice! Always love make ahead recipes ????????
Liz
I finally tried this recipe today and I’m so glad I did. This is delicious! Many thanks!
Richa
Awesome!!
Ayushi Bisht
I have always experimented with oats. Like oats kheer, oats idli, oats appam, oats poha. I call this cuisines oats poha 🙂 My sissie doesn’t like oats but loves poha so I prepare oats this way many times. I add capsicum, peas, beans, carrots, potatoes, cashews etc. Next time, m planning to make it eggetarian oats poha 🙂
Richa
Oats definitely work out well in many ways.
Neeta
Richa, what could I sub for the nuts? I am allergic.
Richa
Omit the nuts. Add more veggies like cooked potatoes, cubed small, carrots etc.
Megha
Thank you Richa for sharing this healthy recipe. Oats is a part of my diet everyday. Will try this soon! However, I make Oats Dosa.
Marie
Hello Richa,
I had just returned from walking my dog on a cold and icy morning in Virginia, and found this recipe in my inbox. Off to the kitchen.
It was wonderfully, warming, a good mix of textures with the nuts. And the heat from the green chili added internal heat. Who would want to eat cold dry cereal when you can have this?
I use curry leaves but never froze them. I will now. Always spoiled and pitched them.
As always, a good dependable recipe from my favorite cook.
Happy New Year!
Marie
Richa
yay! Awesome! so glad you loved it!
Mae
I have almost all of the ingredients to make this, and if it weren’t for all of the leftovers from my New Year’s gathering last night, I so would have made this for breakfast! I love oats. I don’t mind cold or sweet breakfasts, as long as the sweetness is from fruit and not extra sugar, and as long as it is not too cold out for smoothies! I like to have liquid breakfasts like fresh juice or smoothies, but in the wintertime I make pureed soups in my vitamix. It’s like a hot savory smoothie!
Su
Wow, that sounds yummy!
Cassie
What an interesting take on oats and hash! This would be great with some Sriracha and sweet potatoes on the side! I have to try making this–even though I’ve never had savory oats before!
Richa
you have to try oats in savory form. Try this method to make fried rice style oats!
Meghann
This looks amazing, I’ve never thought of using oats this way! May I ask… what are curry leaves? I’ve never heard of them (they sound yummy though!).
Happy New Year!
Richa
Curry Leaves -Kadi patta, also called kadipatta, or sweet neem leaves, come from a subtropical tree native to India. They are dark green and have a lime, coriander kind of flavor. In their fresh form, they have a short shelf life and do not keep well in the refrigerator. You can freeze the fresh leaves very loosely packed in an airtight container for a few months. They are also available dried, though the aroma isn’t greatr. You can add them to food whole or chopped. You can find them at Indian stores local or online, or online on amazon. Freeze them for months and use directly from the freezer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry_tree
This is a traditional recipe, but you can omit the curry leaves and add more lemon and other spices instead.
Kalliope
I’ve made it with rice flakes before but never oats. Does this use old fashioned rolled oats? And is there an online source for curry leaves?
Richa
yes old fashioned oats. Yes you can find curry leaves fresh or dried on amazon. Freeze the fresh curry leaves and use them right from the freezer.
Mary
Is there an acceptable substitute for the curry leaves?
Richa
There isnt. Omit them and add bit more lemon.
mia
I LOVE this recipe! It’s one of my favourites from the book. I had never had anything like this for breakfast before I tried it, and it’s a favourite breakfast now. Quick and easy enough for work days too 🙂
Richa
Awesome! I know right. its so different from sweet oatmeal. I could never eat oatmeal, but fluffy oats this way are amazing.