Another taste challenge accomplised: Oatmeal

More than cooking for grown-ups I enjoy cooking for kids. As it is they are a challenge in them-self and their taste buds added to that. When my toddler was around 1 1/2 years old, it was a huge test to cook a meal for him. He was very picky (or I was amateur about infant food) that many times I wouldn't know what to cook and all the more what to do with the leftovers. I would try different combinations, different textures, sometimes a bit of salt and sugar, sometimes completely bland relying on the natural taste of the fruit or the vegetable. Anyways, today I can say that those days have swiftly passed by, with some bitter sweet moments.

Here is one such breakfast item that I have gone from lots of misses to a final hit. I have tried different textures of oatmeal, checked out end number of You Tube videos, and finally,found a Sanjeev Kapoor video on baby food. I have taken some inspiration from there and created my own version to suit my son's taste (finally, the taste is what matters). 

Here's what I do:

Ingredients

1 cup coarsely ground old fashioned oats/ or steel cut oats (of course will take longer time to cook)

1/2 cup warm milk

1/4 cup finely chopped fruit (I usually take a dense fruit like apple, mango, banana)

2 tsp sugar (or rather to taste)

pinch of salt

1tsp butter or ghee

In a pan take ghee and roast the ground oats and apple for a couple of minutes. Than add the warm milk (you could take half milk and half water too, of course the taste-texture would be different) and sugar. Keep stirring. Add sugar to taste (again brown sugar is welcome too). Add nuts of choice (optional). Serve in a bowl. Top with drizzle of maple syrup if you would like...Yum!!!