Oats Bisibele Bhath

Ingredients:

Rolled Traditional Oats  – 1 1/2 cups
Pigeon Peas/Toor Dal – 3/4 cup
Carrots – 2
French Beans – 10
Turnips – 2 (you can use Chayote, Potato instead)
Red Chili Powder – 1 teaspoon
Tamarind Extract – 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Bisibele Bhath Powder – 5 tablespoons, add more for stronger flavor (for recipe, click here)
Clarified Butter/Ghee – 2 tablespoons
Cashew Nuts – 10 to 12
Mustard Seeds – 1 teaspoon
Curry Leaves – 6 to 7
Dry Red Chili – 1, cut into pieces
Onion – 1
Capsicum – 1 small or use 1/2
Fresh Green Peas – 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Pressure cook pigeon peas with enough water (about 1 1/2 cups). Cook until they are soft but still firm and hold shape.
2. Dry roast oats on medium flame until you get a nutty aroma. Turn off the heat and keep it aside.
3. Cut carrot and beans into juliennes.
4. Peel and cut turnips into small cubes.
5. Bring about 4 cups of water to boil.
6. Add carrots, beans and turnips.
7. Add red chili powder, bisibele bhath powder, tamarind extract and salt. Cook until the vegetables are soft but still hold shape, al dente. I prefer them slightly crunchy, so cook them for lesser time.
8. Now add roasted oats, cook until they turn soft but not mushy.
9. Add cooked pigeon peas. Mix well and cook on low flame for about 10 minutes. Adjust the consistency by adding a little more water if required. It will thicken slightly as it cooks and thicken more on cooling down.
10. Meanwhile, in a pan, heat clarified butter/ghee.
11. Add cashew nuts, roast them slightly. Remove from pan and keep them aside.
12. To the same pan, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and dry red chili pieces.
13. When mustard seeds stop spluttering, add sliced onion, capsicum and green peas. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Do not wait for the onions to turn soft. Season it on the cooked bisibele bhath along with roasted cashewnuts.
14. Serve it piping hot with boondi . This does not taste good if it cools down. If you need to re-heat, add a little water, mix well and then heat it, preferably on stove top.