Oatmeal Upma

My dear son is not a picky eater but his interest towards any food lasts only for some four tablespoons. I , like a paranoid mother take it upon myself to feed him the rest ,while showing him his favorite cartoon character or repeating his very favorite Goldilocks and the three Bears story for the nth time. My spouse lately observed that while I feed a spoonful of rice to my son, I unknowingly start chewing, I also happen drink imaginary water, when he drinks from his glass. God what is happening to me???  This baby has taken over my life and prior to his birth, the love of my life had always been food. I guess it is perfectly ok to chew imaginary stuff once a while, but the food I love to eat has to be checked most of the time. So I am shifting focus from sugary chocolates to dark chocolates and creamy cookies to crackers. Its time to gear up for something healthy, nutritional and filling, but knowing me it will take time. Slowly and steadily,have sworn to cook oatmeal at least once a week. Today was oatmeal upma day.

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Ingredients: 

• 1 cup oatmeal, dry roasted and cool
• 1 small onion
• 1 tsp chopped garlic 
• 1 tsp chopped ginger
• a pinch of asafetida
• a few curry leaves
• a cup of mixed vegetables ( optional- I used combination of beans, carrots, peas)
• salt
• 1/2 tsp  of turmeric
• 1/2 tsp  of mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp of coriander powder
• 1 tsp of nuts ( I used peanuts)
• 1 tbsp of  oil
• 1 and 1/2 cup of water

 Method:

• Heat the oil in a pan, add asafetida and mustard seeds and peanuts
• When the mustard cracks add turmeric, onion, ginger, garlic.
• Add salt and curry leaves
• Add vegetables  and cover it and let it cook for 5 mins
• Add oatmeal and 1 and 1/2 cup of water
• Cook for 7 mins on medium heat

you can always add parsley/ cilantro or add some more spice of your choice, but this does comes out well

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Finished 383 pages of a " Sparta" authored by Roxana Robinson - good read
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