As fancy as it may seem, this intriguingly-spiced oatmeal topped with pomegranate syrup is uncomplicated to prepare. At once sweet and savoury, Chinese five-spice powder is typically comprised of star anise, fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and Sichuan peppercorns. It is readily found at Asian grocery stores, in the spices or Asian foods section of many supermarkets, and at Bulk Barn.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
2 cups milk
2 cups water
1 cup steel-cut oats
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
¼ tsp salt
1 cup pomegranate juice
Pomegranate arils
Instructions
Bring the milk and water to a simmer over moderate heat in a medium saucepan. Add the oats, five-spice powder, and salt; stir to combine, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer the oats, uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan, until they have absorbed almost all of the liquid and have become tender and creamy, about 30 minutes. (The oats will continue to absorb liquid after they are removed the heat.)
While the oats are cooking, bring the pomegranate juice to a boil over moderate heat in a small saucepan; continue boiling until it is syrupy and is ¼ of its original volume, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat; set it aside and let the syrup cool slightly.
Divide the oatmeal among serving bowls, drizzle with the pomegranate syrup, and sprinkle with pomegranate arils.
I do not provide nutrition analyses of the recipes I post for various reasons, but mostly because I would rather not uphold diet culture messaging about choosing foods based on their caloric value or macronutrient composition. Humans survived for millennia without knowing the calorie and nutrient content of the foods they ate. They were fine – really.