Bread Upma

Bread is one constant thing on my grocery list. I usually buy it as a back up plan - what if I get up late and it's already late for us to start with office or school work. Also, what if I have nothing planned for tea time I can turn it into sandwich or bread butter etc. But sometimes this back up plan never gets used up and that fresh loaf starts turning hard and dry that no one feels like having it. To finish of such dry bread, I go for other options like bread pudding, bread pakora, bread roll, French toast, bread upma etc.  The dryness of the bread never shows up in these options and you get to use your not so fresh bread in an appealing manner. 

Ingredients

1. 6 to 7 bread slices, cut into small cubes
2. 2 tbsp oil
3. 1 tsp mustard seeds
4. ½ tsp jeera/cumin seeds
5. 1/2 cup of chopped onion
6. 1 green chili, finely chopped
7. 1 tsp of finely chopped ginger
8. A sprig of curry leaves
9. About 1/2 cup of chopped tomatoes
10. ¼ tsp turmeric powder
11. ¼ tsp red chili powder
12. A pinch of asafoetida
13. 1 tbsp chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
14. Salt to taste

Method

• In a pan, heat the oil. Once hot, add the mustard seeds and let them pop. Add the cumin seeds and let it crackle. Lower the heat to medium and add the chopped onion, ginger, green chillies, curry leaves and saute untill the raw smell of ginger and green chillies fade away and the onions turn golden brown.
• Now add the spices - turmeric powder, red chilly powder and asafoetida and give a mix. Add the chopped tomatoes, sprinkle some salt and give it another mix.
• Now cook it untill the tomatoes soften and the oil starts separating from the mixture.
• Drop the cubed bread cubes into it and mix well and let it cook untill the bread cubes get crispy texture on its sides, i.e. for about 3-4 minutes.
• Add the chopped cilantro now and give it a final toss. Serve it warm along with hot tea.

Tips

1. Toasting the bread cubes in some ghee before using it in the upma, would make it more delicious. 
2. Before adding the bread cubes, make sure that the cooked mixture of onion and tomatoes are dry or paste like and not watery, else when bread is added into it, the bread pieces would get soggy.