“Hara Bread Masala” served with Ginger Tea and Plum Cake … I have always loved bread be it served any way, while sandwiches are my favourite the next is always bread usli which is sure to be prepared in every home … here is another tasty dish turned out of bread slices with addition of green masala and with addition of veggies its healthier too … try it, tastes scrumptious … Yummilicious …
** Bread usli/ upma is a simple- common snack usually prepared with a collection of leftover bread slices. However, in homes were bread is rarely used, the same is bought to prepare either sandwiches or upma/ usli by itself and the fresh bread really tastes wonderful unlike few days older ones. I have already shared a few variations before and will be sharing more as I love experimenting with them in different ways. Bread is not only user friendly but also versatile and blends well in dishes. There is upma, bondas, dosa, sandwiches, toasts, tava fry, croutons, crumbs, Oh! the list is endless.
** I have prepared bread masala with other masala’s while this is the first time I am preparing it with green masala. Here, the masala is simple with addition of spices with coriander (dhania) and mint (pudina) to which I have added some coconut too. Well, in a nutshell you can say I have added dhania chutney to the bread usli along with veggies. For all those of you who always prepare green chutney at home, its easier, you just need to add the same, however, just see to it that you add in more of spices unlike for regular chutney as here I have not added any other spices in tempering.
** Here is my simple version of slightly different but nevertheless tasty spicier version of bread usli/ upma prepared using brown bread along with addition of capsicum- onion- tomato. While I have always included onions addition of capsicum is what has made this usli that much tastier. Off course, the tomatoes blended in have extended a tastier and sweeter taste and the addition of green masala turned it out splendid. I have used brown bread, you can use any bread including pav too. Do browse through the link shared at the bottom of this recipe for a few more versions and do try them.
** Here is my recipe for “Hara Bread Masala” … My Style …
** Ingredients :
Brown Bread or any Bread Slices : 8-10
Capsicum/ Donnemirsanga/ Shimla Mirchi : 2 large sized
Onion/ Piyavu/ Kanda : 2 large sized
Tomatoes : 2-3 medium sized.
Cashew Nuts/ Kaju/ Kajjubi : handful (pieces)
Cumin Seeds/ Jeera : 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder : ½ to 1 tsp
Coconut Oil/ Nariyal Tel/ Narlel Tela : 2 tblsp
Ghee/ Toop : 2 tblsp
** For Hara (Green) Masala :
Coconut/ Nariyal/ Soyi : 3-4 tblsp
Coriander Leaves/ Dhania/ Kottambari Pallo : 1 heaped cup
Mint Leaves/ Pudina : handful
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 8-10 fresh ones
Green Chillies/ Hari Mirchi/ Tarni Mirsanga : 10-12
Garlic/ Lehsun/ Losun : 5-6 peeled
Ginger/ Adrak/ Alle’ : ½ inch piece
Fennel Seeds/ Badisep/ Saunf : ½ tsp
Carom Seeds/ Ajwain/ Vonvo : a large pinch.
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste
** Cut brown bread slices to one inch sized cubes, put in a bowl and keep aside ready. You can use white bread slices or Bombay pav too.
** Peel skin of onions/ piyavu and cut them into one inch sized cubes and keep them aside ready. Wash, wipe dry and cut tomatoes to one inch sized pieces and keep them ready separately. Wash wipe dry and cut the capsicums also into one inch sized pieces discarding the inner seeds, the top stem portion and the bottom edges too, keep cut onions- tomato- capsicum ready separately aside.
** For Hara (Green) Masala : Wash and cut coriander leaves, pudina leaves, curry leaves and add into a mixer grinder. Add in ginger, garlic, green chillies, cleaned and cut to pieces along with fennel seeds, carom seeds, coconut and salt to taste. Grind all to a thick- fine paste adding just a little bit of water.
** Note : At no point should you add water in excess, as we need to add this paste to bread masala which will otherwise turn soggy. So be careful with addition of water and add little by little as required only as you grind.
** Heat oil+ ghee in a thick bottomed kadai/ pan, when hot add cashew nut pieces and fry on medium heat until lightly browned, remove and keep it aside. Add cumin seeds, fry for a few seconds only and then immediately add in the onion pieces and fry on medium heat until they turn translucent (do not brown).
** Add capsicum pieces and continue to fry on medium heat for 2-3 minutes, lower the heat, cover and let cook stirring a few times in between until 50% done. Add garam masala powder, fry for 1-2 minutes, then add tomato pieces, mix well and cook on low heat until 50% done stirring in between a few times.
** Both onion and capsicum should retain a little bit of crunch so avoid overcooking them lest they turn too soft. Add the ground masala, mix well, cover and let cook on low heat for another 3-4 minutes only. DO NOT ADD WATER. Again, here too, the ground masala should not be overcooked or fried for best of taste.
** Add the prepared and kept cut bread pieces, mix well until the masala evenly coats all the veggies and bread pieces. Cover and cook on low heat stirring well in between a few times until all the ingredients are well blended and cooked to a soft but dry consistency. Again, be careful and do not allow the slices to be burnt or stuck to the kadai, the bread slices should be separate without sticking to each other.
** Check if all the ingredients in the kadai are thoroughly heated, cooked and done. I have not added salt as we have already added it to the Hara masala while grinding, again the bread too does contain some salt, so there is absolutely no need to add more. Lastly add fried and kept cashew nut pieces and mix well. Remove from heat, cover and keep it aside for 5 minutes to rest and its ready.
** “Hara Bread Masala” is done and ready to be served. Tastes best served hot and fresh immediately on preparation for breakfast/ evening tea. You can relish it as a snack anytime of the day or even savor it as you light dinner if you want to avoid eating anything heavy. Children are sure to love eating it when they return home hungry from school or play time and it sure is a quick fix dish for those unannounced guest. Addition of capsicum always brings in extra taste to the bread usli/ upma, so does tomatoes. However, here the show stopper is Hara Masala, its just tastes excellent.
** Bread/ Pav are available easily universally and the same snack can be prepared with any type of bread slices available in your vicinity and it tastes equally good. You can also increase/ decrease the spice level if desired while preparing the hara masala if you have young children or aged people at home, though for this snack it is sufficient. Next time in place of preparing the same old upma/ crumbs/ croutons with leftover bread slices try out this snack and if you need more quantity of bread slices do not hesitate to buy a loaf like how I do, you will definitely not regret it, once you taste this one.
** Do check out on the following common links shared below for more choice of “Bread” dishes shared in the blog ….
** Sharing a common link below to “Tea” recipes shared in the Blog, I am sure you all know to brew a good tea, but if desired, just browse through ….
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