Breakfast · Karnataka

Bread Upma

Karnataka's answer to stale bread: cubes tossed with a mustard and curry leaf tadka, onion, tomato and peanuts until they soak up the masala.

Prep 5 min · Cook 12 min · Total 17 min · Serves 2

Ingredients

Tadka

• 1 ½ tbsp Oil
• ½ tsp Mustard seeds
• 2 tbsp Roasted peanuts
• 1 sprig Curry leaves

Upma

• 6 Slices of bread, a day or two old
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1 Tomato, chopped
• 1 Green chilli, chopped
• ¼ tsp Turmeric
• ½ tsp Red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped

Method

1. Cube the bread. Cut the bread into 2 cm cubes, crusts and all.
2. Temper. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the mustard seeds and when they pop, the peanuts and curry leaves.
3. Cook the masala. Add the onion and chilli and fry until soft. Add the tomato, turmeric, chilli powder and salt and cook until the tomato is mushy. Sprinkle in 2 tbsp water to make it saucy.
4. Toss and serve. Add the bread and toss gently until every cube is coated and warm. Squeeze over the lemon, scatter coriander and eat straight away, before the bread goes soft.

Tips

Slightly dry bread works better than fresh, which turns soggy. Bread is salty already, so taste before adding more salt.