I’m a bit of savoury oat fan. Sweet oats have their place sure, and if someone else is cooking it a banana and oat pancake is going to go down a treat but if I’m in charge? We’re doing savoury oats.

Here are some of my favourite savoury oat-meals (ba dum tss):

• Korean savoury oats - If I believed food had mystical properties this would be what I’d put forward as evidence. The ginger and lemongrass gently awakens you, opening your senses and appetite. The crisp kimchi offers a textural compliment to the soft and chewy oats, acid highlights joining the ginger and lemongrass in their dance while the deep umami of sesame and seaweed provides solid foundation. No notes.

• Miso, sesame and seaweed oats: pretty much a stripped down version for less adventurous palets or when I’m out of kimchi. Soy sauce, sesame (maybe oil), shaoxin wine, miso paste, seaweed, ginger. Can season with furikake if that’s your jam.

• Seitan chicken oat congee. Oh this is a treat. Make some seitan ‘chicken’ like so. Take it and pop it in a slow cooker overnight with oats, ginger and whatever flavours amuse (chicken congee recipes are a good base). Awaken to a delightfully hearty meal that is a perfect winter warmer or easily digested food when ill. The tough seitan compliments the oats and it’s all a delicious savoury soup.

All the above are amenable to additions like Edamame, peas, corn (miso oats espesh) or whatever.

Please share anything you do with oats, or even think might work! Porridge, pancakes, patties, bread whatever. The superior and self domesticating grain must be celebrated in all ways!