Bread Uppuma

 Bread Upma

         Upma, a breakfast dish from Southern India is a very simple but delicious dish. It can be prepared within half an hour. It is an ideal dish to make when guests arrive unannounced or you have not planned breakfast. Authentic and traditional uppuma is made with semolina or Cream of Wheat. The only vegetable used in uppuma is onion but in this day and age when everyone is health conscious, people have started to add green peas and carrots. I too add them to uppuma since my family likes it with vegetables but, personally I like the traditional version.

         Upma can also be made with various other ingredients. Some of them are vermicelli, cracked wheat, millets, leftover idlis and bread. In this recipe we are using day old bread. I prefer to use thick sliced dense bread so that it does not disintegrate in the pan.

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of bread, cut into 1 inch pieces (I used sourdough)
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp channa dal
• 1/2 tsp urad dal
• 1/2 tsp minced ginger
• 1 green chili
• 2 tbsps chopped onions 
• 2 tbsps chopped green pepper
• 1/2 a small tomato, chopped
• 1/2 to 1 tsp egg curry masala (curry powder will work too)
• Salt to taste
• Oil 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice to taste
• Some chopped cilantro for garnish

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
• Add the mustard seeds to the oil and wait for it to pop.
• Now add both the dals and fry until they turn golden brown.
• Add the cumin seeds, ginger and green chili. Fry everything for 15 seconds.
• Add the onions and green pepper and fry until onions turn translucent.
• Now add the egg curry masala and stir for 10 seconds.
• Quickly add the tomatoes and fry for two minutes until tomatoes turn mushy.
• Add about 1/4 cup of water and salt to taste.
• Allow the water to boil.
• Finally, add the bread pieces to the pan and mix them well with the rest of the ingredients in the pan.
• Keep mixing until the bread pieces absorb all the moisture from the pan and become dry.
• Squeeze some lemon juice on the uppuma and mix well. Garnish with cilantro.
• Enjoy!

Notes:

1. Don't use light breads in this recipe. They will just disintegrate in the pan while mixing with the other ingredients.

2. If you do not have the dals on hand you can leave them out.

3.This recipe is just for two slices of bread, enough for one serving. Just multiply the ingredients for more servings.

4.Egg curry masala goes good here, but you can use curry powder if that's all you have.

5. Try scrambling an egg in the masala mixture before adding the bread pieces for an unusual take on bread uppuma.

 

Bread Upma  Upma can be made with various main ingredients. The most traditional and popular one is Semolina or Cream of Wheat. Some of the other ingredients are vermicelli, cracked wheat, millets, leftover idlys and bread. In this recipe we are using day old bread. I prefer to use thick sliced, dense bread so that it does not disintegrate in the pan. This is mostly served for breakfast, but you can have it any time of the day.  Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Total Time: 35 mins Makes: 1 serving INGREDIENTS: 2 slices of bread, cut into 1 inch pieces (I used sourdough) 1/4 tsp mustard seeds 1/4 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp channa dal 1/2 tsp urad dal 1/2 tsp minced ginger 1 green chili 2 tbsps chopped onions  2 tbsps chopped green pepper 1/2 a small tomato, chopped 1/2 to 1 tsp egg curry masala (curry powder will work too) Salt to taste Oil 1 tbsp Lemon juice to taste Some chopped cilantro for garnish Method: Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Add the mustard seeds to the oil and wait for it to pop. Now add both the dals and fry until they turn golden brown. Add the cumin seeds, ginger and green chili. Fry everything for 15 seconds. Add the onions and green pepper and fry until onions turn translucent. Now add the egg curry masala and stir for 10 seconds. Quickly add the tomatoes and fry for two minutes until tomatoes turn mushy. Add about 1/4 cup of water and salt to taste. Allow the water to boil. Finally, add the bread pieces to the pan and mix them well with the rest of the ingredients in the pan. Keep mixing until the bread pieces absorb all the moisture from the pan and become dry. Squeeze some lemon juice on the uppuma and mix well. Garnish with cilantro. NOTES: 1. Don't use light breads in this recipe. They will just disintegrate in the pan while mixing with the other ingredients. 2. If you do not have the dals on hand you can leave them out. 3.This recipe is just for two slices of bread, enough for one serving. Just multiply the ingredients for more servings. 4.Egg curry masala goes well here, but you can use curry powder if that's all you have. 5. Try scrambling an egg in the masala mixture before adding the bread pieces for an unusual take on bread uppuma. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------