Poppy Seed Oatmeal
The festive season is a time when the scent of poppy seed and dried fruit reminds us of family reunions and unique flavours. But do these signature flavours have to be reserved only for Christmas? They definitely don’t. We can just as well enjoy them in the build-up to Christmas and even extend the joy afterwards.
Poppy seeds are a real treasure trove of health. They are rich in calcium, phosphorus, B vitamins, magnesium and fibre. What’s more, they support our bones, nervous system and digestion. This ingredient is definitely worth including in your diet all year round, and holiday inspirations can be a great start. Today’s oatmeal with poppy seeds is a recipe for a warming, flavourful breakfast that fits perfectly into the holiday atmosphere, but will also be great on any other day. Ready to give it a go?
Preparation
I soaked the poppy seeds overnight. First I cooked the oats in water. In the meantime I drained the poppy seeds, soaked them again in water (twice as much water as poppy seeds) and boiled them. I soaked the dried fruit in hot water, set it aside for 15 minutes and drained it. Next I finely chopped the fruit and the nuts and combined all the ingredients in a bowl. I poured in the coconut drink and sprinkled it all with honey. Ready.
Soaking overnight and then boiling is not one step too many
Poppy seeds are small and hard, and they stay that way. Raw or briefly rinsed, they are gritty between the teeth and taste of almost nothing, because the oils that carry the flavour are locked inside the seed coat.
That is why Polish Christmas baking treats poppy seed the same way: soak, drain, cover with fresh water and boil. The overnight soak softens the coat, the boil finishes the job, and only then does poppy seed taste nutty and sweet rather than dusty. Skipping either half leaves you with the other problem.
Change the water between the two stages
The instruction to drain and soak again in fresh water is doing something specific. Poppy seeds carry dust and a faint bitterness that comes out into the first water, so pouring that water away and starting fresh for the boil is what keeps the finished dish sweet.
Twice as much water as seeds, as the recipe says, and 15 to 20 minutes of gentle boiling is enough for five tablespoons. Drain them well afterwards: wet poppy seeds thin the oatmeal and it has no way to thicken back up, since nothing is cooked after this point.
This is a poppy seed dish with oats, not the other way round
Five tablespoons of poppy seeds against four of oat flakes is worth noticing before you make it. The poppy is the main ingredient here, and the result is dense and dark rather than a pale porridge with a sprinkle on top.
If that is more than you want, three tablespoons of poppy to four of oats still tastes clearly of poppy seed and gives a lighter bowl. Going the other way, towards traditional makowiec, means grinding the boiled seeds before mixing, which is worth trying once: ground poppy releases far more flavour and turns the whole bowl properly dark.
Nothing is cooked after the bowl is assembled
The oats, the poppy seeds and the dried fruit are each prepared separately and then simply combined, with the coconut drink poured in cold and the honey on top. That is why the dried fruit is soaked and drained rather than cooked with anything: soaking is its only chance to soften.
Fifteen minutes in hot water suits dates and prunes, and they need draining and chopping before they go in, or the bowl ends up with sweet lumps in one place. The walnuts are chopped rather than whole for the same reason, and they go in at the end so they keep their bite.
Making it ahead
The poppy seeds are the slow part and they keep, so cook a larger batch and refrigerate them for up to three days. With boiled poppy seeds already in the fridge, this breakfast takes as long as cooking the oats.
The assembled bowl does not keep as well: the oats keep absorbing the coconut drink and the whole thing stiffens overnight. If you would rather have festive breakfasts planned into the week with a shopping list, that is what the Diet & Training by Ann app does.
Poppy seed oatmeal
Ingredients
Method
- Soak the poppy seeds overnight.
- Cook the oat flakes in water.
- Drain the poppy seeds, cover them with fresh water using twice as much water as seeds, and boil them gently for 15 to 20 minutes, then drain well.
- Soak the dried fruit in hot water for 15 minutes and drain it.
- Finely chop the fruit and the walnuts and combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
- Pour in the coconut drink and sprinkle with honey.
Notes
Frequently asked questions
Because they are small and hard, and the oils that carry their flavour are locked inside the seed coat. Raw or briefly rinsed they are gritty and taste of almost nothing. The overnight soak softens the coat and the boil finishes the job, which is exactly how Polish Christmas baking treats poppy seed.
Poppy seeds carry dust and a faint bitterness that comes out into the first water. Pouring it away and using fresh water for the boil is what keeps the finished dish sweet. Use twice as much water as seeds and boil gently for 15 to 20 minutes.
It is more poppy than oats, so the result is dense and dark rather than a pale porridge with a sprinkle on top. Three tablespoons to four of oats still tastes clearly of poppy seed and gives a lighter bowl.
Not in this recipe, but it is worth trying once. Grinding the boiled seeds, the way traditional makowiec does, releases far more flavour and turns the whole bowl properly dark.
The poppy seeds, which are the slow part. Boil a larger batch and keep them in the fridge for up to three days, and the breakfast then takes as long as cooking the oats. The assembled bowl does not keep as well, since the oats keep absorbing the coconut drink and stiffen overnight. Festive breakfasts come planned into the week with a shopping list in the Diet & Training by Ann app.
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