Bread Tomato Upma

Traditional cooks who, when prompted upma, say “semolina” in a word association game, will probably raise quizzical eyebrows at this recipe. Upma without its core ingredient! No doubt the brainchild of someone with a large loaf of bread on hand along with a batch of tomatoes and an allergy to sandwiches. Bless the sandwich-hater for this brilliant recipe – "bread tomato upma", the nicest way to use bread when it’s best-before date has arrived.

You Need:

• Bread – 6 slices
• Tomatoes – 3-4 small
• Onion – 1 (optional)
• Green chilies – 2-3
• Curry leaves – 10
• Salt – to taste
• Pepper – to taste
• Turmeric powder – a pinch
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Oil – 2 teaspoons
• Fresh coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon, chopped

How To Make Bread Tomato Upma:

Chop the bread slices into 2-cm cubes. You could trim the edges if you like (I don’t do that).

Cube the tomatoes. Slit the green chilies. Chop the onions finely, if using.

In a pan, heat two teaspoons of oil. When hot, add mustard seeds and let them pop. Follow with curry leaves, slit green chili and chopped onions.

Cook till the onions are translucent. Add a pinch of turmeric and give a quick stir. Without waiting, immediately add the bread cubes.

With the heat on medium, turn the bread cubes around so that the oil/turmeric coats the bread cubes evenly and the bread starts giving out a toasted aroma (2 mins).

Slide in the tomato cubes. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Mix well.

Set the heat to low and put the lid on the pan on. Allow the bread cubes to gradually absorb and cook in the tomato juices.

Open the lid every 2-3 minutes, turn the contents of the pan around. Continue till the bread tomato upma has reached the consistency you like.

Top with bikaneri bhujiya and fresh coriander leaves.

Dig in.

Notes:

Have fun with more bread recipes: