Overnight oats, the Indian way

Overnight oats are the answer to mornings when there is no time to even light the stove. You mix oats with curd or milk the night before, and by morning breakfast is sitting ready in the fridge. This version tastes like home, with cardamom, fruit and crunchy seeds instead of imported flavours. Five minutes of mixing at night, zero cooking in the morning.

Why it helps

Oats bring slow-digesting fibre, and soaking them in curd or milk adds protein, so this jar keeps you full well past mid-morning. Compare that with rushing out on biscuits and chai, which leaves you raiding the office drawer by eleven. The seeds add crunch and good fats, and the fruit means no added sugar is needed. More quick, filling breakfasts

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup curd, or milk if you prefer it lighter
• 1 small banana, sliced, or a handful of chopped apple or mango
• 1 tablespoon mixed seeds (chia, flax, sunflower, whatever is at home)
• A pinch of cardamom powder
• 1 teaspoon honey or 2 chopped dates (optional)
• A few chopped nuts to finish

Method

1. The night before, add the oats to a jar or katori with a lid.
2. Stir in the curd or milk until every oat is coated. Add a splash of milk if it looks too thick.
3. Mix in the seeds, cardamom and dates or honey if using.
4. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 4 to 5 hours.
5. In the morning, give it one good stir and top with the fresh fruit and nuts.
6. Eat straight from the jar, at home or at your desk.

Make it your own

• Make two or three jars on Sunday night, they hold well for a couple of days in the fridge.
• Swap the banana seasonally: mango in summer, chikoo or pomegranate in winter.
• Want it more filling? Stir in a spoon of peanut butter or extra curd before serving.

Enjoy it as part of the CurviCare Plate, or try the fruit chaat with seeds for another no-fuss option.