Dinner Changes Every Day. Breakfast Should Too!

Some people like the same breakfast every day. Me, not so much. I've written about this tendency for at least 30 years – after my first trip to Asia, I remember being beyond excited to sample kao tom and jook made by people who grew up eating those breakfast stews – and, after some consideration, I realized I could stop thinking of myself as weird. Almost no one who isn’t forced to eats the same dinner every night; surely there’s nothing wrong with the varied breakfast.

This week’s was yet another twist on the oatmeal stew, created (if it isn’t already a staple somewhere in the world, which wouldn’t surprise me) because I found myself with a quart or so of white beans cooked with tomatoes until they resembled the Heinz classic.

I don’t know how the beans were cooked, exactly, but I know they weren’t made with Heinz because I found them in my freezer. And I don’t know what inspired me, other than that I was in the mood for oatmeal. The oats and beans combination, either naked sprinkled with a little chopped celery, scallion, cilantro, or all three, has warmed and filled me every morning for a week (except Friday, when I was still gorging on Thanksgiving leftovers), and I think it’s worth sharing.

This is what my pal Kerri and I, in the heyday of VB6, would politely call a bowl of crap. It’s rice and beans with oats instead of rice, and as such nothing special, but it’s vegan, healthy, filling and good-tasting. No doubt you can improve on it, and I’d like to hear about that. You’ll find that recipe below, along with one for jook (Chinese rice porridge) and a savory, spicy Indian version of scrambled eggs (called Akoori) for good measure. They’re tasty, different, and (in my book) no less breakfast-y than cereal or an omelet. Let me know what you think.

— Mark

Start with tomato-y beans (assuming you don't already have some buried in your freezer, I've included a basic recipe), add some rolled oats, water, salt and pepper, and in 10 minutes (more or less) you've got a wonderful and totally surprising breakfast. (Of course, this would be no less satisfying as lunch or dinner.)

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Jook is soupy rice (look at the water-to-rice proportions here), with anything from fish head to chopped scallions and soy sauce. Conceptually, this may not sound that great, but in fact it's creamy and comforting — think of savory horchata. When it was first served to me I thought it miraculous — of course, it had a few more ingredients — and it turns out to be even better when made at home, where you can cook the rice in stock rather than water. It makes for a wonderful breakfast, and is especially comforting as the weather gets colder. The version pictured above is topped with sliced snow peas, fermented black beans, and chile oil, but a combo of scallions and sesame oil is simpler and equally delicious. 

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People who eat breakfast in the States mostly do so in the most boring fashion possible. (Though don’t get me wrong: I like a fried egg as much as the next person.) But in other countries things are a bit more creative. This is a classis Parsi dish and a great one for those who (like me) are into really savory breakfasts. It's also made as street food, which is how I first had it—prepared at a cart and eaten from a paper plate standing up (and, in a hurry, in the back of a car). A fitting dish to eat while rushing out the door in the morning.

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Talk To Me, Goose!

Questions, comments, brilliant suggestions? Just want to share the recipe for your grandma's potato salad, or your mom's meatloaf, or your uncle Drew's three-day 100-percent rye loaf (yes, please)? Don't hesitate to reach out anytime.

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