Bread Upma

Since breakfast meal is considered most vital, the next question comes are we giving right kind of breakfast to our kids? With market flooded with so many brands and products. Making breakfast interesting as well as healthy has become challenging for mothers as our children are so much influenced by advertisements and are fond of junk food too.

It’s far better to have something rather skipping breakfast. But that definitely doesn’t mean kids can gorge on doughnuts or chips each day. Firstly they do not have nutrients secondly they are loaded with calories, fats which can hamper health too. Once in while mommies can get softer of course.

bread upma recipe is an easy an relishing breakfast item. quick to make when you are short of time. best to use homemade bread or you can use any bread – whole wheat, multi grain, brown or white.

you can use fresh bread slices or even a few days old bread to make this upma. if using fresh bread slices, then no need to slice the edges. for a few days old bread, if the edges have become hard, then slice them.

Ingredients :

* 3 cups chopped bread cubes or 5 to 6 bread slices, they can be crumbled too if you like it.

* 2 tbsp oil

* 1 tsp mustard seeds/rai

* ½ tsp cumin seeds/jeera

* 1 medium onion, finely chopped onions

* 1 green chili finely chopped

* 1 inch ginger, finely chopped.

* curry leaves/kadi patta.

* 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

* A pinch of turmeric powder/haldi

* ¼ tsp red chili powder

* a pinch of asafoetida/hing (optional)

* chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

* salt as required

Method:

*Chop the bread slices in cubes. keep aside/if you want to mash dip slices in water take out immediately and crush them together

*heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. add 1 tsp mustard seeds and let them crackle and pop.

*then add ½ tsp cumin seeds. stir and sauté till the cumin seeds also crackle and change their color.

*add ⅓ cup chopped onion. stir. on a low to medium flame, saute the onions till they turn translucent.

*add 1 green chili (finely chopped), 1 tsp finely chopped ginger and curry leaves, chopped. stir and sauté till the raw aroma of ginger goes away. about 10 seconds.

*then add ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes. about 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped.

*add ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp red chili powder and a pinch of asafoetida (optional). for a more spicy taste, you can increase the red chili powder to ½ tsp.

*mix very well. add salt.

*stir and saute this onion-tomato-spices mixture till the tomatoes soften and you see oil releasing from the sides. the tomatoes have to be cooked well, otherwise you will feel the rawness in them. there should also be no liquids or moisture in the mixture and it should be slightly dry. otherwise the bread cubes become soggy.

*add the bread cubes/crushed bread. mix the bread well with the rest of the mixture.

*on a low to medium flame, sauté the bread cubes/crushed bread for 4 to 5 minutes till they become slightly crisp from the edges. this way there is some crispness in the bread cubes on the edges, along with a soft texture in the center of the cubes.

*then add 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. you can also garnish with the coriander leaves, instead of adding at this step.

*mix and serve bread upma hot as a breakfast or as a quick snack.