When I think of a substantial healthy, carb rich breakfast, rolled or steel cut oats are the first things that come to mind. As much as they are good for you, there are lesser ways of making them savory than sweet. I personally like them both ways but still have a preference for the savory ones. Those are the ones I can make spicy if I like to and have them with a sweet steaming cup of coffee.

I keep searching for oats recipes online and one of the recipes that interested me was oats with Sriracha sauce. I decided to replicate it with a few twists of my own. I decided to add spinach to up the nutrition and colour factor. I also wanted to combine the oats with an egg to make it a more complete breakfast. The oats are perfectly great on their own but I do enjoy some form of protein every morning.

I also like my oats al-dente rather than overcooked and mushy so I have figured out techniques to ensure that the oats are firm and al-dente every time. If the oats in your pantry are rolled oats but are still the quick cooking variety or you feel that they mush up pretty soon, there are some things that need to be taken care of. Firstly, dry roast the oats in a pan before adding any liquid. This is similar to roasting sooji before making upma. The next important thing is to add lesser water at first and add more if needed later. The recommended amount of water for rolled or steel cut oats is 1:1 ratio of oats to water. If you feel that the oats are getting mushy too fast, reduce the amount of water next time.

Ingredients:

1 cup Rolled oats

1 cup water

1/4 cup chopped spinach leaves

2 tsp sriracha sauce

salt to taste

1 egg

spice mix of your choice

Method

1. Dry roast the oats for 2-3 minutes in a pan over medium low heat.

2. Once the oats are slightly browned and nutty, add the water, spinach, Sriracha sauce and salt to taste.

3. Reduce heat to low and cover the oats and cook for 3-5 minutes till all the water has dried up and the oats are al dente. Depending on the type of oats you use, you may need to cook it for longer.

4. In a small non stick pan, add about 1/4 of the oats in a single layer about 1/4 inch thick and the size of a donut.

5. Put the pan on low heat and crack an egg on top of the oats. Sprinkle a spice mix of your choice or add salt/pepper. Cover the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes till the egg is cooked. I like the yolk to be runny but you can cook it for longer if you'd like a fully cooked yolk.

6. Once cooked, remove on to a plate and serve hot.