Oats curd rice

Oats thayir saatham (ஒட்ஸ் தயிர் சாதம்), is our new favorite breakfast nowadays.
I soak steel cut oats overnight and cook it in stove top with old fashioned oats to prepare this curd rice. Most days I use old fashioned oats only, if I didn't soak steel cut oats. I won't recommend using steel cut oats only, as the old fashioned one or the quick oats gives a better texture for this recipe. Some days I pressure cook it the night before and leave it in countertop , just like our native style 'old rice' for next morning curd rice.  If you are using a quick oats you can cook it in stove top easily and use that for this recipe too.
I temper this curd oats, so that my hubby loves it like the regular 'curd rice' . I am sure anyone who loves curd rice will definitely like this.

Oats curd rice with mango pickle

Ingredients:
Oats - 1 1/2 cup
(Old fashioned oats - 1 cup + steel cut oats 1/2 cup).
Indian plain yogurt (fat free curd) - 1 cup
sea salt - a pinch
water - 4 cups.
sesame oil - 1 tbsp.
mustard seeds- 1 tsp
urid dhal - 1/2 tsp
ginger - 1 inch ( chopped finely )
green chillies - 1 (chopped finely).
curry leaves - 1 sprig.
cilantro- chopped ( 1 tbsp)
fresh chopped shallot - 2 tbsp
Method:
Soak the steel cut oats for 2-3 hours . Add it to a cooking vessel along with old fashioned oats. 
Cook it in stove top for 10 minutes or until it is gets mushy.
If you are using an instant pot or pressure cooker, soaking is not necessary. Cook it in high pressure for 5 minutes with 4 cups of water. 
We can do this at night and keep it in countertop to get it little fermented. This is a healthier as well as easier version.

Before using it, add salt, curd, chopped shallot, cumin, cilantro to the cooked oats.

To temper: Heat a frying pan . Add oil.
Put the urid dhal and mustard seeds . After hearing the popping sound, add chopped curry leaves, cilantro, green chillies and ginger. Pour it over the oats. Mix well.

Oats curd rice is ready !

Serving suggestions:
Serve as  breakfast with mango pickles or just enjoy simply, because it tastes excellent all by itself. 

Instant pot basic recipes and timings,

Electric pressure cooker (aka Instant pot) is the new hero in many households nowadays. Since its arrival, desi women have started 'fan clubs' for it :) . I too got two IP s , but still using both my traditional cookers too often. (Now since June 2020, traditional cookers are in my storage only😃). 
Still I don't believe that IP can totally replace the traditional pressure cooker of Indians. In my view IP is more safer for anyone who is new to cooking, it won't need much monitoring (switch off automatically) etc. But electric pressure cookers are more expensive than traditional cookers. Also the accessories for all brands of electric cookers are way more expensive than old cookers. 

Still I love electric pressure cookers , as it won't pollute the air inside the house. 

I thought I should write down some of the simple recipes and timings in this post, which I use regularly. (I will be updating this page often).

Links for Instant pot manual : Ultra 10 in 1 , Duo

Sarkarai pongal in Instant pot

Some terms in Instant pot:
NPR - natural pressure release (IP releases pressure in its own - this is more safer)
MPR - Manual pressure release (by turning the feature in weight valve)
Always be careful while releasing the pressure manually. I always suggest waiting a minimum of 10 minutes before opening.

Basmati rice:
Rice - 2 cups, Water - 2 cups 
number of cups of Water = number of cups of rice  
Rinse and add rice and water to Instant pot (directly to the inner pot given).
Choose pressure cooking, high pressure setting.
Set time to 3 minutes. Close lid . Check the pressure weight valve and keep it in sealing position)
After it finishes cooking, let cool for 5-10  minutes (NPR - natural pressure release).
Release excess steam manually now. Open the lid.
We can release pressure immediately also (no need for waiting time).
Gently loosen up the rice using a fork , by stirring it once.
Perfectly cooked rice is ready.

Toor dal (paruppu):
Toor dal - 1 cup, Water - 3 cups (thrice of dal).
(or) just see that the water stands 1 inch above dal.

Rinse the dal and clean it in water.  Add 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp hing , 1 onion (sliced), 3 green chilies, 1 tsp cumin.
Mode : Pressure cooking, high pressure.
Time : 7 minutes
Set it to pressure cooking high and 7 minutes. After it switches off, release pressure manually after 5 minutes or immediately .

Mutton (lamb):

Lamb loin (or any lamb / goat meat) - 1 lb , Water - let water stand 1 inch above mutton pieces. 

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp.
Mode : Pressure cooking, high pressure.
Time : 7  minutes
Set it to pressure cooking high and 7 minutes. After it switches off, release pressure manually after 5 minutes or open immediately by manual release mode or wait till pressure releases naturally.

Chicken curry:

Chicken with bones - 2 lb, Water - should be 1 inch above curry.

Prepare curry as per directions in any recipe (use saute' mode) . 

Add water for a curry consistency.
Mode : Pressure cooking, high pressure.
Time : 5 minutes
Set it to pressure cooking high and 5 minutes. After it switches off, release pressure manually after 5 minutes or immediately .

Chicken roast (sukka / dry curry):

Chicken with bones  or boneless - 2 lb, Water - should be just enough to cover curry.

Prepare the onion tomato masala as per directions in any recipe (use saute' mode) . 

Add chicken and saute.

Sprinkle water just enough to cover curry.

Mode : Pressure cooking, high pressure.
Time :3 minutes
Set it to pressure cooking high and 3 minutes. After it switches off, release pressure manually after 5 minutes or immediately .

Open the lid and set to saute mode to evaporate the standing liquid, to get a dry curry.

Hardboiled Egg (5-5-5 minutes rule):

using an egg rack for instant pot is more convenient. 

I got this from Walmart for $2 on clearance sale. 

Pour 2 cups of water in a 3 qt (or any) IP inner pot. Place the steel trivet inside (see images to understand what this means).
Place the eggs . (I keep a silicone IP egg cooking holder above the trivet and place the eggs on it).
Set to high pressure, pressure cooking mode, 5 minutes.
After it finishes cooking, wait 5 minutes, release steam manually.
Fill a separate bowl with cold water (tap water) and keep the eggs for 5 minutes.
Peel them off.
Perfect hard-boiled eggs are ready !

Oats:
Steel cut / old fashioned oats - 2 cups
water - 5 cups (cups of oats x 2 + 1 cup water)
Mode : Pressure cooking, high pressure.
Time : 5 minutes
Set it to pressure cooking high and 5 minutes. After it switches off, release pressure manually after 5 minutes or immediately .

Curd oats: (after it cooks, release pressure valve after 5 mins or naturally. 

For 2 adult serving : Take half of the cooked oats. Keep other  half in fridge for next day.

Then add 1/8 tsp salt ,1/4 tsp pink salt, 1/4 tsp cumin powder, 3 shakes of hing, yogurt 3/4 cup). Mix well. serve.) 

Dry peas (green or white pattani):
Dry peas - 1 cup, Water - 3 cups (thrice of dal).
(or) just see that the water stands 1 inch above dal.
Rinse the dal , Soak the peas overnight (or) Boil some 5 cups of water. Add the dry peas and keep it closed for an hour before cooking.
Mode : Pressure cooking, high pressure.
Time : 2 minutes
Set it to pressure cooking high and 2 minutes. After it switches off, release pressure manually after 5 minutes or immediately .

Green gram (whole moong  / paasi payaru):
green gram - 1 cup, Water - 3 cups (thrice of dal).
(or) just see that the water stands 1 /2 inch above dal.
Rinse and soak green gram overnight .
Mode : Pressure cooking, high pressure.
Time : 1 minutes
Set it to pressure cooking high and 1 minutes. After it switches off, release pressure manually after 5 minutes or immediately .
If not soaked overnight,
Mode : Pressure cooking, high pressure.
Time : 3 minutes
Set it to pressure cooking high and 3 minutes. After it switches off, release pressure manually after 5 minutes or immediately .

Black beans:

Soak overnight.

Pour water in instantpot's cooking pot just to cover the beans (up to 1/2 inch above).

Mode : Pressure cooking, high pressure.
Time : 3 minutes 

Set it to pressure cooking high and 3 minutes. After it switches off, release pressure manually after 5 minutes or immediately. Drain and discard the water immediately. (use beans immediately or freeze it). 

White Channa :

Soak overnight.

Pour water in instantpot's cooking pot just to cover the beans (up to 1 inch above).

Mode : Pressure cooking, high pressure.
Time : 12 minutes 

Set it to pressure cooking high and 12 minutes. After it switches off, release pressure manually after 5 minutes or immediately. (Drain the water . Cool and use that water as fertilizer for plants).

Red Channa :

Soak overnight.

Pour water in instantpot's cooking pot just to cover the beans (up to 1 inch above).

Mode : Pressure cooking, high pressure.
Time : 8 minutes 

Set it to pressure cooking high and 8 minutes. After it switches off, release pressure manually after 5 minutes or immediately. (Drain the water . Cool and use that water as fertilizer for plants).

Rajma: 

Soak overnight.

Pour water in instantpot's cooking pot just to cover the beans (up to 1 inch above).

Mode : Pressure cooking, high pressure.
Time : 10 minutes 

Set it to pressure cooking high and 10 minutes. After it switches off, release pressure manually after 5 minutes or immediately. (Drain the water . Cool and use that water as fertilizer for plants).