Spiced oats cookies

When I lady baked a batch if butter cookies, the hubby wanted oats cookies. This one is for him!

3/4 cup quick cooking oats

1/4 cup maida

1/4 cup granulated sugar*

2 tbsp butter

2-3 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp pepper powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp ginger powder

A pinch of nutmeg powder

A pinch of salt

1/4 cup raisins 

Method:

Mix the oats, flour and sugar well. Add the spices and mix well. 

Add the butter, and mix well till crumbly. 

Add milk one spoon at a time, mixing well. 

Add the raisins and mix well. 

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 175 degrees. 

Grease the baking tray. Till the dough into balls, flatten and place on the baking sheet. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking to ensure it doesn't burn. 

Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container. 

Oats Chocolate Chip Cookies

Weekends are the time to fill the home with the glorious scents of baking. Finding my stack of chocolate chips intact, I decided to modify my basic oats cookie recipe to accommodate chocolate.

3/4 cup quick cooking oats

1/4 cup maida

1/4 cup granulated sugar*

2 tbsp butter

2-3 tbsp milk

1/4 cup chocolate chips 

Method:

Mix the oats, flour and sugar well.

Add the butter, and mix well till crumbly. 

Add milk

Incorporate the milk one spoon at a time, mixing well so you have a slightly runny batter. 

Add the chocolate chips and mix well. 

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 175 degrees. 

Grease the baking tray, and using s spoon, drop the batter on the tray at equal intervals. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking to ensure it doesn't burn. 

Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container. 

*- if you don't have it, just whizz the equivalent quantity of regular sugar in the blender

Oat flour Sesame Cookies

In my quest for healthy snacking options, I found a cookie recipe that didn't require butter or eggs or sugar. Even the amount of oil needed was negligible. With all those preconditions, I was worried about how it would taste, but it was lovely. And with a blob of cheese on it, it was an amazing canapé. 

1 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp maida
1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp cooking oil
Water
Salt to taste

Method:
Grind the quick cooking oats as fine powder. 

Mx the oat flour, whole wheat flour, maida, baking soda, baking powder, sesame seeds and salt and mix really well. 

Add oil and water gradually and knead into a soft dough. Allow it to stand for 30 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. 

Grease a baking tray. 

Roll out the dough and cut into desired shapes. Arrange on the baking tray. 

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes checking occasionally to endure it doesn't burn. 

Cool and store in an airtight container. 

Beet root kheer

Beetroot halwa is a dish I make quite often, but beetroot kheer is not something I've tried out before. This is adapted from a carrot kheer recipe I saw, and I love it because once the grating is done, it is simplicity personified.

1 large beetroot

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

2 cups milk

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp ghee

Method:

Grate the beetroot and keep aside. 

Heat the ghee, and sauté the beetroot till the raw smell goes. 

Add the oats and milk. Stir well, being to boil, reduce flame and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes, till the volume is reduced by 25%. 

Add the sugar, mix well. 

Serve chilled. 

Hibiscus brittle

Once you start cooking with flowers, it is hard not to get addicted. And hibiscus flowers are one of the best to cook with because of the almost magical way the colours change when you add the lime juice.

So when I saw two juicy hibiscus flowers while taking the dog for a walk, I had to make myself some brittle. The flavour is quite incredible. 

4 hibiscus flowers

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 lime

Method:

Bring the water to boil. Add the hibiscus petals, and let it infuse for 15-20 minutes. 

Squeeze in the lime juice and watch it change colour to a deep red. 

Return the water to the fire, add sugar. Stir till add the sugar is dissolved, and keep heating till you get a two string consistency. 

Pour onto a greased surface and let it cool. Break into pieces, and use. 

I used it to sweeten my oats, but you can use it anywhere.  

Oatmeal cookies, variety is the name of the game

"Life, with its rules, its obligations, and its freedoms, is like a sonnet: You're given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself.”
- Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time
One basic recipe, three variations. Can anyone ask for more?

3/4 cup quick cooking oats
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp butter
2-3 tbsp milk

MethodDry roast the oats till they smell toasty.
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, and mix well.
Add the butter, and mix it so it resembles breadcrumbs.
[This is the basic mixture- you can personalize it in many ways]
Add 2 tbsp milk and mix well, so you get a dough that holds together, but breaks away when pulled- you might need to add 1 tbsp more till you get the consistency. Do not knead beyond that point.
In the meanwhile, preheat the oven at 180 degrees, and grease a baking tray.
Divide the dough into 16 parts, roll into a ball, and press down to get a cookie shape. Place on the baking tray at well spaced intervals.
Place a shallow dish with water in the lowest level, and the baking tray in the middle level. Bake at 180 degrees for 15- 20 minutes, checking after 12 minutes to ensure it doesn't get over crisp.
Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

There can be three variations-
Add 2 tbsp roasted flax seeds, before adding the milk
OR
Add 1/4 cup raisins, before adding the milk
OR
Add 3 tbsp cheese and 1 tsp chilli flakes before adding the milk

Oatmeal cookies

More cookies- oatmeal cookies this time- to help the kid while he studies for his exams! These rustic looking cookies are very high on the taste quotient, and disappeared almost before I could click a photograph.

1 cup instant oats
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar (I used less)
1/3 tsp cinnamon powder
1/3 tsp ginger powder
1/3 tsp pepper powder
1/3 tsp nutmeg powder
Water as per need.

Method:Dry roast the instant oats till they smell toasty
Mix the butter into the flour till it looks like breadcrumbs
Add oats, sugar and spices mix together so it holds together when pressed.
Gradually add water till the dough is able to hold together- when you pull, it should break away easily- do not overknead

Roll the dough into a cylinder and put in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Cut into discs, press lightly between the palms, and set on the tray distributing equally- the cookies shouldn’t be too thin as they will not be very crunchy.
Bake for 15- 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degrees- keep checking after 12 minutes to ensure it doesn't burn.

Bun with Oats

Disasters come in many forms, this is one of them. The last time I baked bread, I added more water than I should have, and could do nothing with the dough except fill it into a tin and bake it. In my infinite wisdom, I figured that the best way to counter that would be to add less water. Good in theory, except, I made the dough too dry, and I ended up with buns that didn't taste too bad, but which looked like they can be used as weapons when a thief breaks in. This is the recipe as it is meant to be.

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tbsp sugar
2 cups flour

2 cups oats
2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

Method

In a large bowl, combine yeast, warm water (only about 1/3 cup), and sugar. Let stand for 10 minutes, until foamy.  If the yeast doesn't become foamy, let it rise for 10 minutes more- unless it is foamy, you are better off throwing it out and starting afresh

Add in flours, and salt and mix well. Add the olive oil, and mix till crumbly.

Add the yeast, and knead for about 2 minutes. Cover the bowl and let rise for 60 minutes in a warm place. 

Deflate the dough, divide it into balls, place on a greased baking tray and let it rise for about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Brush the top with some oil, and bake for 20 minutes till well browned and crispy.

Remove to a wire rack, and let it cool before serving.

Moong-Oats Toast

I make this often for the kids when they come home from school. Have been meaning to take a picture for a very long time, but since that doesn't seem to be happening, I took this using the phone today. Might replace it with a better picture sometime- or not.

Soak 1/2 cup oats for half an hour, drain, keep aside
Grind the soaked oats and 1/2 cup sprouted moong dal with 2 tbsp curds and salt to taste, till it attains a smooth consistency.
Spread the mixture one side of the bread.
Place the open sandwich, topping side down, on a greased frying pan, and cook till it turns brown.
Turn over and brown the other side.
Cut into triangles and serve.
Good with ketchup and sliced olives.

Oats upma

I've never been a great fan of oats, but you can't deny it's health benefits, which is why I like to experiment with it, hoping something nice turns up. This definitely was nice, but not as nice as a regular upma.

Roast 1/2 cup oats till the raw smell goes (but before it starts browning).
Heat 1 1/2 tsp olive oil, add mustard seeds, and when it starts spluttering add an inch piece of ginger cut fine. After about 30 seconds add 1 medium onion copped fine (I had spring onions, so used that), and when it starts turning transparent, add 1/2 capsicum chopped fine and a few cashewnuts. Saute till the capsicum looks done.
Add 3/4 cups water, and bring to boil. Add roasted oats, and 2 tbsp curds, and cook on low heat till the oats are well cooked.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve piping hot (I didn't because I am saving the few that I have for the evening dal).

Normally, I squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon for the khatta, but wanted a change and substituted curds instead. Tasted good, but was slightly mushier than I would have liked.