Oat bran - It's the new suji

I'm theoretically quite crazy about oats. They're healthy and fiber rich and very good for your blood glucose levels. They're also good for your heart. Unfortunately, translating all my happy feelings for oats into happy food that I can eat was always a bit of a challenge. Until I discovered oat bran. So what's so great about oat bran? One, it doesn't cook into mush when you make an upma out of it (regular oats do that. Trust me. I know). Two, it might fit quite nicely in recipes that demand a suji (semolina) like texture.I think as a next step, I will try using roasted oat bran as a substitute for bread crumbs in cutlets and the like and see how it works out.

I tried out the upma and it worked out quite nicely for me. I hope it works out just as nicely for you. Here's the recipe:
(Sorry no photos. Ate it up before I thought to take a pic)

1 cup oat bran (Try Baggry's)
One big onion, chopped
A small piece of ginger, grated
Mustard 1/2 tsp (optional)
Chana dal and urad dal a teaspoon each (soaked for about half an hour in water. I soak it up-front because I don't like it when the dal is hard and sticks in your cavities)(optional)
Roasted peanuts (optional)
Curry leaves (optional)
A pinch of asofetida
Two green chilis sliced in half length wise
A cup of mixed vegetables, chopped into small pieces(carrot, beans, potatoes, green peas, whatever you have handy)
A tablespoon of grated fresh coconut (optional)
Oil (as much as you think is healthy)
Salt (whatever works for you)
250 ml water

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan.Using a non-stick pan may be important because oats tend to stick a little more than suji
Simultaneously, dry roast the oat bran on the side on a low flame, till the bran changes color slightly and you get a nice toasted smell
Put in the mustard and let it splutter. Add the soaked chana and urad dal. Saute till the dals turn a deep orange
Add the curry leaves and the green chilis and saute for a minute
Toss in the onions and saute till they turn translucent
Add the asofetida and the grated ginger and saute for another couple of minutes
Toss in the veggies and saute for about a minute
Cover and cook till the veggies are soft, but not mushy. Sprinkle a few drops of water every now and then, so they don't burn
Then pour in the water and bring it to boil. Add salt. At this stage, you can also add coriander leaves, if you like
Once the water boils, mix in the roasted bran slowly making sure that no lumps form
On high heat, keep stirring the mixture as it dries
Once it is more or less done and a little moisture remains, turn down the heat, add the grated coconut and cover the upma with a lid for about 2-3 minutes
After that switch off the flame and leave the lid on for 4-5 minutes to let the upma set
Throw in some roasted peanuts on top, if you like
Ta da. It's done. It's just your basic upma with some heart and insulin-friendly variations.


Let's look at what's healthy about it:

Oat bran: Tons of fiber. Good for your blood sugar. I think that the gi of the oat bran should be lowered by the fact that we roasted it and cooked it for less time than if we had just boiled it
Veggies: More fiber and anti-oxidants. Also reduce the GI of the meal considerably
Roasted peanuts and assorted dals: Low glycemic index and healthy fats
Fresh ginger and coconut: Good for all kinds of things, but am too lazy to research :)