Indian

Bread Upma

Bread upma tosses cubed bread through a tempering of onion and tomato.

Jump to recipe ↓
Bread Upma

15 mintotal

Prep 5 min · Cook 10 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Easy
Spice
Mild

Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a wide pan or kadhai on medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and let them pop.

  2. Add the cumin seeds, slit green chillies, grated ginger, and curry leaves. Sauté for 10 seconds.

    10 sec

  3. Add the finely chopped onions. Sauté until they turn translucent and soft.

  4. Add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric, red chilli powder, and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes turn completely soft and mushy.

    2–3 min

  5. If using, stir in the tomato ketchup and a splash of water. This creates a slightly wet base for the bread to absorb.

  6. Add the bread squares to the pan. Gently toss everything together so the masala coats the bread evenly.

  7. Stir-fry on medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes. The bread will absorb the spices, and the edges will become slightly roasted and crusty.

    3–4 min

  8. Turn off the heat. Drizzle the lemon juice and garnish heavily with fresh coriander.

  9. Serve hot immediately.

How to tell it's done

Soft, spongy, heavily spiced bread cubes that are moist from the tomato base but possess slightly toasted, crisp edges.

Nutrition

Per serving, from 2 servings.

365kcal

Where the calories come from

  • Protein9.3 g10%
  • Carbohydrate52.2 g57%
  • Fat13.7 g33%
Sugars
9.3 g
Saturated fat
2.3 g
Fibre
4.5 g
Sodium
1016 mg
Potassium
393 mg
Calcium
154 mg
Iron
4.2 mg

Estimated by calculation from the ingredient list, using USDA FoodData Central. Not a laboratory analysis.

Getting it right

Tip

Slightly stale (1-2 day old) bread works best because it absorbs the wet tomato masala without immediately turning into a soggy mush.

What to serve it with

A beloved childhood classic. Top it with crunchy Sev and serve with a hot cup of Masala Chai.