Overnight steel cut oats with red lentils | Steel cut oats recipe | Oats khichdi recipe | Masala oats recipe
You’ll love this creamy & savory version of steel cut oats cooked with red lentils (oats khichdi) making it more healthy & nutritious. Rich in plant based protein, fiber, iron & potassium, this nutrient dense meal is a perfect start to your day or good for a light meal any time of the day.
In this recipe, I have combined steel cut oats with red lentils to make a savory & nutritious meal that can be had any time of the day. Red lentils pair perfectly with steel cut oats as both their cooking times are similar.
Steel cut oats are highly nutritious, however, they take a long time to cook. We will cut that time to almost half by soaking them overnight along with the lentils. Besides reducing the cooking time, soaking overnight makes the nutrients & protein ready to be assimilated by the body and also makes it easier to digest. After soaking overnight, they are cooked together with some basic pantry essentials.
This is a basic recipe, however, you could also add some vegetables of your choice such as peas, chopped carrots or chopped green leafy vegetables such as spinach or kale to make it a complete meal. You could also add some fresh green/red chilies to increase the heat if preferred.
Why you’ll love these overnight steel cut oats with red lentils
These overnight steel cut oats with red lentils are –
- Quick & easy to make
- Simple ingredients
- Nutrient dense, protein rich
- Suitable for any meal of the day
- Full of flavor
- Vegan/vegetarian
- Easily adjust the recipe – double or half the recipe
- Can be made in a pot, pressure cooker, instant pot or even slow cooker
How to make overnight steel cut oats with red lentils
Step-by-step instructions with pictures & video
These overnight steel cut oats with red lentils are quick to make with simple steps.
- Rinse & presoak the oats & lentils
In a big enough bowl, measure & add both the oats & lentils. Add water to the bowl, then wash and drain. Repeat 3-4 times or till the water runs clear.
Presoak overnight in 1 ½ cups of fresh water (up to 2-3 cms over).
- Prepare the other ingredients
Next day, before cooking, keep ready the coconut oil, cashews and spices. I prefer using the coconut oil for this dish as it gives a very subtle coconutty flavor. You can also use ghee or any neutral oil.
Wash & remove the curry leaves from the stem. I like to tear & bruise the curry leaves a little bit with my hands to better infuse their flavor.
Peel & grate the ginger (or finely chop).
Dice the onion (small or medium size, as per preference). Prepare any other vegetables if you are adding.
Heat up the required water.
- Cook
Wash the soaked oats & red lentils once more before cooking and drain.
Heat the coconut oil in a pot on a medium flame. Add the black peppercorns and the cashews. Sauté for 5-10 seconds.
Next, add the mustard seeds and the curry leaves. Sauté again for 5-10 seconds.
Add the grated ginger and sauté enough to remove the raw smell.
Next, add the diced onions and cook till they are slightly pinkish, enough to remove the raw smell. (If adding any other vegetables, then add them at this stage and sauté)
Add salt & turmeric powder, mix. Next add the measured hot water along with the drained oats & lentils. Mix gently.
Simmer on low heat till they are cooked, anywhere between 15-20 minutes. At the start, you will also notice a foamy residue collecting on the top. Carefully, skim the foamy residue with a spoon and discard it.
Keep stirring in between to prevent from sticking and getting burnt, especially after the halfway mark.
Adjust the consistency by adding little more hot water if needed or cook some more if it’s thin. Remember that both the lentils & oats will continue to thicken as they cool.
Mix thoroughly to create a thick and creamy consistency.
Taste the salt. Once done as per your preference, switch off the gas, cover and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Serving suggestion
Squeeze some lemon/lime juice on the top and garnish with fresh coriander leaves (optional). Do not skip the lemon/lime juice as it not only adds flavor, but also aids in digestion and the Vitamin C helps the body to better absorb the iron from the lentils.
Storing
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container. As this dish contains lentils, it’s best to consume it fresh or by the next day. Although lentils are edible if kept longer in the fridge, but, with time their gas producing qualities increase and become difficult for the body to digest.
If there’s a gap between cooking and eating, you might have to add some hot boiled water while heating to adjust the consistency.
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Overnight steel cut oats with red lentils | Steel cut oats recipe | Oats khichdi recipe | Masala oats recipe
Equipment
- Pot
Ingredients
- ½ cup steel cut oats washed & soaked overnight, drained
- ½ cup red lentils (split & skinned) washed & soaked overnight, drained
- 1 tbsp coconut oil/ghee/neutral oil (refer to notes)
- 8-10 black peppercorns
- 15-20 cashews
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1-2 sprigs fresh curry leaves (approx. 8-10 leaves)
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- 1 small-medium onion diced
- 1 tsp salt or as per taste
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 3 cups hot water
Garnish
- 1-2 tsp lemon/lime juice
- 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves (optional)
Instructions
Presoak overnight
- In a big enough bowl, measure & add both the steel cut oats & red lentils. Add water to the bowl, then wash and drain. Repeat 3-4 times or till the water runs clear.
- Presoak overnight in fresh water (up to 2-3cm over, approx. 1 ½ cups of water).
Prepare other ingredients
- Before cooking, keep ready the coconut oil, black peppercorns, cashews, mustard seeds, salt & turmeric powder.
- Wash & remove the curry leaves from the stem. Tear the curry leaves a little bit to better infuse their flavor.
- Peel & grate the ginger (or finely chop).
- Dice the onion (small or medium size, as per preference). Refer to notes.
- Heat up the required water.
Cook
- Wash the soaked oats & red lentils once more before cooking and drain.
- Heat the coconut oil in a pot on medium flame.
- Add the black peppercorns and the cashews. Sauté for 5-10 seconds.
- Next, add the mustard seeds and the curry leaves. Sauté again for 5-10 seconds.
- Add the grated ginger and sauté enough to remove the raw smell.
- Next, add the diced onions and cook till they are slightly pinkish, enough to remove the raw smell. (refer to notes – if adding any other vegetables, then add them at this stage, sauté)
- Add the salt & turmeric powder, mix. Next add the measured hot water along with the drained oats & lentils. Mix gently.
- Simmer on low heat till they are cooked, anywhere between 15-20 minutes.
- At the start, you will notice a foamy residue collecting on the top. Carefully, skim the foamy residue with a spoon and discard it.
- Keep stirring in between to prevent from sticking and getting burnt, especially after the halfway mark.
- Adjust the consistency by adding little more hot water if needed or cook some more if it’s thin. Remember that both the lentils & oats will continue to thicken as they cool.
- Mix thoroughly to create a thick and creamy consistency.
- Taste the salt. Once done as per your preference, switch off the gas, cover and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Squeeze some lemon/lime juice on the top. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves (optional).
Video
Notes
- 1 cup = 250ml
- Serving size – as breakfast for 4, as meal for 2
- I prefer using coconut oil as it provides a very subtle coconutty flavor.
- You could also add some vegetables of your choice such as peas, chopped carrots or chopped green leafy vegetables such as spinach or kale to make it a complete meal. You could also add some fresh green/red chilies to increase the heat if preferred.
- Calories information is approximate, calculated using online Recipe Calorie & Nutrition Calculator.
Wholesome!