Steel Cut Oats with … Tamari and Green Onion?!

Okay, so this is going to like totally freak you out. But I think you can handle it. Are you ready?

It’s savory oatmeal. Steel cut oats, thinly sliced green onion, and a drizzle of tamari. FOR BREAKFAST…..!?#&%#@!

Now, before your head explodes, stop, take a deep breath, and try to open your mind to a new outfit for your beloved oatmeal. I couldn’t believe it either, but after reading this post on Mark Bittman’s Savory Oatmeal , I knew I had to step outside the maple and brown sugar box and give it a try.

Chicken Jook, aka Congee

If you’ve ever eaten the Chinese Rice Porridge called Jook or Congee, then you can pretty much imagine what this tastes like. Jook is something I turn to as an alternative to chicken noodle soup. A small amount of rice is cooked down in chicken broth infused with ginger, garlic, and green onion, until the rice reaches a porridge-like consistency. Simple, healing, and easy on those who are queasy, Jook is often eaten for breakfast.

Much as I love my recipe for Jook, I never had the cajones to eat it for breakfast. Finally, I know what I’ve been missing out on. This savory oatmeal is a really nice departure from sugary, fatty, or bland breakfast foods.

For my version (yes, it’s become a staple now), I use steel cut oats for their toothsome texture. Just prepare them according to package instructions, and add a splash of tamari or soy sauce and a bit of thinly sliced green onion. That’s all the recipe you need. Think of it as a wet brown rice with green onion and soy. If you like it, experiment with adding a few drops of toasted sesame oil, a poached or fried egg, a grating of fresh ginger root, or even a spicy dot of Sriracha. Steel cut oats keep well for a few days with no compromise to their texture, so feel free to make a couple days worth. When reheating leftover oats, add a bit of water if they look dry.

Hubs has long turned to plain rice and soy sauce as a favorite simple comfort food, so even though he loves his oatmeal bowl heaped with brown sugar and half and half, he wasn’t too tough a sell on the savory oatmeal. Personally, as someone who is rarely turned on by breakfast sweets, I am now able to approach the oatmeal pot with a sense of anticipation rather than duty. When it comes to a meal as repetitious as breakfast can be, I think falling in love with this new healthy option may have added years to my life.