Breakfast cereals are popular the world over. From our humble Indian Dalia to mueslis and granola, there are plenty of options. Dalia cooked in milk in a pressure cooker or a big patila is one of the earliest breakfast cereals I remember eating. With the side of ghee toasts, Dalia was a much loved breakfast in my nani’s home. As me and brother grew up, we started experimenting more with what we found on supermarket shelves. It was after a few years studying in Singapore, that my brother introduced us to Muesli with fruit and milk for breakfast.
We would often rely on buying big jars of Baggry’s muesli in different flavours that we stocked in our pantry. On summer mornings where the mothership would leave us paratha-less and to fend for ourselves, we would simply grab a bowl, pour cold milk, add muesli, cut mango and banana and enjoy! The drill was simple. We would be sated for the sometime but would look forward to having an early lunch.
Muesli or Granola?
I know I go on about Muesli here and you must be thinking why the post is called Homemade Granola. Well, the reason is that it was not until recently that I actually found out the difference between Muesli and Granola. With the internet and hipster cafes abuzz with talk of Granola, I thought it was just another name for the Muesli. Turns out Muesli is not baked and can be had with hot or cold milk. Granola on the other hand, is always baked and is mostly enjoyed with cold milk or yogurt. Ingredients for both remain the same.
So what prompted me to try making Granola at home?
You know how on Diwali, most Indian homes see this ritual of exchanging gifts and sweets. A popular gift during Diwali is a pack of assorted dried fruit. A recent visit to my parents’ home in Delhi, prompted a question from my mother. She had stored most of her dried fruit stock in her freezer and didn’t know what to do with it. What does one do with so these packs of almonds, raisins, cashews, walnuts and what not?
I was quick to the rescue and suggested that we make a batch or two of granola since we all enjoyed it so much for breakfast. The pantry had oats, honey, sunflower seeds and some other essentials. So we went ahead with this multi-seed adventure called Granola!
Here’s how you make it
Prep Time: 15 minutes, Cooking time 35-40 minutes, Total time 1 hour. Makes 10-12 servings
Ingredients
- Whole Oats, 2 cups
- Almonds, Sliced or crushed, 1/2 cup
- Cashews, chopped, 1 tablespoon
- Hazelnuts, chopped, 1 tablespoon
- Coconut flakes, sliced or broken down, 1 tablespoon
- Raisins and/or Sultanas, 1 tablespoon
- Dates (any kind, I used Iranian Mayram dates), pitted and chopped, 1 tablespoon
- Dried Figs (Anjeer), a handful (optional)
- Sunflower and Pumpkin seeds, 1 tablespoon
- Honey, 2 tablespoons
- Coconut Oil or Olive Oil, 1 tablespoon
- Sea Salt, a few pinches
- Cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon
Method
Start by heating your oven to 300 degrees C. While the oven heats, start on assembling the ingredients. It is important that you bring the dried fruits to room temperature if they were stored in the fridge or freezer.
Take a large mixing bowl. Measure and add the oats, nuts, coconut flakes and seeds. Hold on to the dates, figs and raisins for later. Add sea salt and mix these well.
In a small bowl, mix honey, coconut oil, cinnamon, and mix well. Add this liquid to the oats and nut mixture and toss to incorporate.
Prepare a baking tray by lining it with parchment sheet or baking sheet.
Wet goes into the dry! Mix! Spread over a lined baking sheet
Spread the granola mixture evenly on the lined baking tray.
Place the tray in the oven at 180 degreed C for 15-20 minutes. Everyone’s oven is different so keep an eye while the granola is in the oven. In 15 minutes, check and turn the contents carefully so that the granola toasts evenly.
Meanwhile, chop the dates and figs. In another 10-15 minutes, or when the colour of the granola changes to a lovely golden brown, take out of the oven carefully and add the chopped dates, figs and raisins. It will still appear as wet or sticky.
Let the granola cool down. Once cooled, the granola will harden and will be drier and crispier.
Transfer to an air tight container for storing.
To serve as a cereal, top yogurt or milk with some granola. Add chopped mangoes, banana, berries or fruits of choice.
Enjoy this hearty bowl of Granola goodness on its own or with milk/yogurt + fruits of choice!
- Whole Oats, 2 cups
- Almonds, Sliced or crushed, 1/2 cup
- Cashews, chopped, 1 tablespoon
- Hazelnuts, chopped, 1 tablespoon
- Coconut flakes, sliced or broken down, 1 tablespoon
- Raisins and/or Sultanas, 1 tablespoon
- Dates (any kind, I used Iranian Mayram dates), pitted and chopped, 1 tablespoon
- Dried Figs (Anjeer), a handful (optional)
- Sunflower and Pumpkin seeds, 1 tablespoon
- Honey, 2 tablespoons
- Coconut Oil or Olive Oil, 1 tablespoon
- Sea Salt, a few pinches
- Cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon
- Start by heating your oven to 300 degrees C. While the oven heats, start on assembling the ingredients. It is important that you bring the dried fruits to room temperature if they were stored in the fridge or freezer.
- Take a large mixing bowl. Measure and add the oats, nuts, coconut flakes and seeds. Hold on to the dates, figs and raisins for later. Add sea salt and mix these well.
- In a small bowl, mix honey, coconut oil, cinnamon, and mix well. Add this liquid to the oats and nut mixture and toss to incorporate.
- Prepare a baking tray by lining it with parchment sheet or baking sheet.
- Spread the granola mixture evenly on the lined baking tray.
- Place the tray in the oven at 180 degreed C for 15-20 minutes. Everyone’s oven is different so keep an eye while the granola is in the oven. In 15 minutes, check and turn the contents carefully so that the granola toasts evenly.
- Meanwhile, chop the dates and figs. In another 10-15 minutes, or when the colour of the granola changes to a lovely golden brown, take out of the oven carefully and add the chopped dates, figs and raisins. It will still appear as wet or sticky.
- Let the granola cool down. Once cooled, the granola will harden and will be drier and crispier.
- Transfer to an air tight container for storing.
- To serve as a cereal, top yogurt or milk with some granola. Add chopped mangoes, banana, berries or fruits of choice.
- Enjoy this hearty bowl of Granola goodness on its own or with milk/yogurt + fruits of choice!