Masala Bread Upma

Ingredients

• Bread - 6 slice
• Carrot - 2 whole
• Onion (medium) - 2 whole
• Tomato - 1 whole
• Garlic - 1 tsp
• Green chili - 2 whole
• Salt to taste
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Fennel seeds (perumjeerakam) - 1/4 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves
• Water
• Oil

Instructions

1. 1Remove the crusts from the bread and tear or roughly crumble the slices into small pieces so they resemble coarse crumbs.
2. 2Prepare the vegetables: chop the carrots, chop the onions, chop the tomato, mince the garlic, and slice the green chilies. Keep the curry leaves ready for tempering and garnish.
3. 3Heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat and when it is hot, add the mustard seeds and urad dal and let them splutter and turn fragrant; add the curry leaves next so they sizzle and perfume the oil.
4. 4Add the sliced green chilies, minced garlic, chopped tomato, and fennel seeds to the pan and sauté briefly until the tomato softens and the mixture becomes aromatic.
5. 5Stir in the chopped carrots and sprinkle the turmeric powder and salt, then sauté the vegetables until the carrots are just tender and well coated in the spices.
6. 6Add the torn bread pieces to the pan and fold everything together gently so the bread soaks up the spiced mixture.
7. 7Sprinkle a little water over the mixture, cover the pan, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the bread is warmed through and has a moist, upma-like texture.
8. 8Garnish with a few fresh curry leaves and toss once more before serving.
9. 9Optional: serve warm with a squeeze of lemon for brightness, if you like.