OATS KEERAI PONGAL

Oats has become like a staple breakfast for us over the last couple of years. I prefer oats in the form of traditional Indian breakfast recipes than oatmeal. Adding more vegetables and greens makes it taste even better. Most of the time I dry roast the oats before cooking. This makes the oats not too sticky. Here goes my recipe for oats keerai pongal.  This tastes good by itself. Any preferred side dish like chutney, sambar, or pickle can be added along side with this pongal.

Ingredients:
Oats, 1 cup
Moong dhal, 1/2 cup
Peppercorns, 1.2 tablespoon
Cumin seeds, 1/2 tablespoon
Curry leaves, a handful
Ginger, 1 small piece
Green chili, 1 (optional)
Salt as per taste

Washed and chopped spinach or another greens, 1 cup.

Preparation:
Dry roast the oats for 5 minutes under low-to-medium flame.  Wash dhal well and cook it in a pressure cooker for up to 3 whistles until the lentils are all mashed up.  Meanwhile, chop the ginger into fine pieces and slit the chili into 2 and keep them aside.  Heat a small pan with a teaspoon of oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the peppercorns, cumin seeds and fry then for a minute until good smell comes from the peppers and cumin.  Then add the chopped ginger, curry leaves, and chili and fry everything for another minute.  Now add 2 cup of water, the cooked dhal, chopped spinach, and oats along with salt and mix everything well.  Cook under medium flame for a few minutes until the oats is cooked and the dish turns into a pongal consistency.  Serve hot with any preferred side dish.