The recipe is very simple and super quick, but the oats to liquid ratio is critical here.
Its happiness on another level when I find something to substitute my rice with. Something that is more nutritious, something to use as a base for my curries and daals (lentils), something that actually tastes delicious. Even my husband and kids approved of it. And the best thing? It only takes 10 minutes (including prep) to cook these.
Why substitute rice with oats?
I am a rice loving girl. I could never (and still can’t) imagine my life without rice. But let’s face it. Having white rice on a daily basis isn’t a good idea if you want to lead a healthy lifestyle. White rice is very calorie dense as it comprises of 80% carbohydrates. Because white rice does not contain the fibrous outer bran and nutrient filled germ layers, white rice is mostly starch with a correspondingly high glycemic index. It cause the blood sugar level to increase very rapidly and sinks back again as quickly, making you hungry very soon.
Oats on the other hand are a very good source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It contains 66% of carbs, which is much less as compared to white rice. The carbs in oats are mostly starches and fiber. Oats pack more protein and fat than most other grains and are a good source of beta glucan, a unique, soluble fiber linked to multiple health benefits.
Oats is a healthier choice for your day to day meals as compared to white rice. Its good to substitute your white rice with oats every now and then.
What kind of oats to use?
There are many different kinds of oats in the market. What I like to use for this recipe is the whole grain rolled oats (pictured below) , known as kernige Haferflocken in German. Do not use the instant ones as they will get soggy nor the steel cut ones as they take very long to cook.
What to serve the oats with?
The rice-like oats can be served along curries and daals. Here are a few recipe links with serving suggestions for you:
- Everyday-Simple Masoor Daal (Red lentils)
- Hungarian Beef Goulash
- Everyday-Simple Chicken ka shorba (chicken curry)
- Magic Chili-con-Carne
How to cook oats to a rice-like consistency?
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ½ tsp cumin seeds (zeera)
- 1 green chili
- ½ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ cup (370 ml) Chicken stock or Vegetable stock (or water)
- 2 cups (200 grams) rolled oats (kernige Haferflocken)
Instructions
- Chop the green chili and keep aside.
- Heat a pot on medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot add the cumin seeds and fry for 1 minute.
- Add the chopped green chili and fry for another minute.
- Add the turmeric, salt and chicken (or vegetable) stock or water. Mix and bring it to a boil.
- Once the liquid boils, add the oats and mix well to soak all the grains into the liquid. Turn off heat and cover with a lid. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes to let the oats grain soak up all the liquid.
- Fluff using a fork and serve.
Notes
- I highly recommend using chicken stock (preferably home made) for a deeper flavor. However, if you do not have it, you can use water instead.
- Do not overcook the oats, otherwise they will become soggy. Turn off heat as soon as you add the oats to the boiling water and let them rest to soak up the liquid.
- If you want to increase or reduce the quantity, increase or reduce all the ingredients to double/half including liquid.
- You can refrigerate the oats in an airtight container and consume them for 3-4 days.
Hi!
Thanks for your oats as a rice alternative article. I use oat groats for my rice dishes instead.
You have to soak them overnight and cook for 5 minutes and let it rest for 30 minutes in the pot afterward. It is like whole grain rice and less mushy than oatmeal.
If you have an instant pot it works without soaking: on high pressure for 5 minutes and rest afterwards for 30 minutes or longer. You need 1 cup of rice rice oats and 1,5 cups of water in the Instant pot. After cooling down you can store the ready oat rice for 3-4 days in the fridge.
Thanks again for the recipe-
Anthony
Hi Anthony, thanks so much for taking the time to share this alternative. It sure sounds promising. Will give it a try. 🙂