Bread Upma

Bread Upma is a very simple recipe which you can have for breakfast, brunch or evening snacks. Variation in regular breakfast menu makes us happy, and this will bring the much-needed variation. Let’s get started.

Ingredients:
1. Bread (5 slice of breads cut in to small pieces)
2. Curry leaves (2-3 springs)
3. Butter (1/3 teaspoon; I have used salted butter)
4. Green chilies (2, sliced)
5. Tomato (1 medium size, chopped)
6. Cumin powder (1/2 teaspoon)
7. Coriander powder (1/2 teaspoon)
8. Salt as per your taste.
9. A pinch of asafoetida or Hing
10. Garlic (3 cloves, sliced)
11. Ginger (A ¼-inch piece of ginger, crushed)
12. Onion (1 medium size, sliced)
13. Mustard seeds (1/3 teaspoon)
14. Cumin seeds (1/3 teaspoon)

Method:
1. In a heated pan add the butter and let the butter melt.
2. Add the Mustard and Cumin seeds.
3. Add the garlic, curry leaves, green chilies, sliced onions and ginger and fry for a minute. Don’t let the onions become brown.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and give a quick mix. Cook it for 1-2 minutes.
5. Add salt to taste. (Since I have used salted butter, I have added very little bit of salt; if you use unsalted butter, you can adjust it accordingly)
6. Add all the dry spices and give it a good mix
7. Add half a cup of water and cook for a minute
8. Add the pieces of bread and mix everything properly so that the spice mix is fully coating all the bread pieces.

Bread Upma is ready.

Enjoy.

Mo

Dalia pulao (Broken wheat pulao)

Are you looking for a healthy dish with full of nutrition, perfect for breakfast or brunch, good to eat and easy to cook? Your wait is over. Let’s cook Dalia Pulao.

Ingredients:
1. Dalia (1 cup)
2. Ghee or clarified butter (2tsp)
3. Cinnamon stick (1-2)
4. Cardamom (2-3)
5. Clove (2-3)
6. Salt to taste
7. Green peas (2tbsp)
8. Raisins & Cashew nuts (As per your preference)
9. Green chill (2)
10. Olive oil (1/2 tsp)
11. Bay leaf (1)
12. Water (2 cup)

Method:
In a pressure cooker, heat up the oil. Add cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves and the dalia. Fry the mixture for a minute or two in low flame. Add salt, green peas, chilies, raisins, cashew nuts. Mix everything properly and add the ghee. To this, add 2 cups of water (For 1 cup of dalia, you need to add 2 cups of water). Close the lid and let it cook for two whistles. Your Dalia pulao is ready.

I have used only green peas; you can use any vegetables; small pieces of potatoes, carrots, cauliflower etc. You can make Dalia pulao once in a while for breakfast and mix and match your vegetables.

Enjoy.

Mo

Lemon Rice

Lemon rice is a very common rice preparation in Southern part of India. It’s very easy to cook, good to eat and very healthy. Although it is called lemon rice, I have used lime instead of lemon. You can use either of them. I really  like the punchy bitterness of lime. Many people use tamarind also. This super easy dish can be your breakfast or brunch depending upon when you are eating. It will take just 5-7 mints if you have rice ready at hand; you can use left over rice from last night too.

Ingredients:
1. Boiled rice (3 cup)
2. Rai or mustard seeds (1/4 teaspoon)
3. Red chili or Green chili (2, sliced)
4.Curry leaves (2 springs)
5.Turmeric powder (1/4 teaspoon)
6.Salt to taste
7.Peanuts (1/4 cup, fried)
8.Lime Juice (one half of a small size lime or lemon)
9.Split Bengal gram or Chana-Dal (1/2 tablespoon, soaked for 10 min or boiled for 5 min)
10.Onion (1/2, medium size)
11.Oil (2 tablespoon)

Note: Black gram  or Urad-dal  is one of the important ingredients but its very difficult to find here in Thailand, so i did not use it. If you have it you can use 1/2 tablespoon along with the other ingredients.

Method:
Heat the oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds to the hot oil. When mustard seeds start spluttering, add sliced onions, split Bengal gram or Chana-dal, curry leaves. Saute it for a minute or two; and then add salt, turmeric powder, chilies and lime juice. Add the boiled rice and give it a mix. Make sure the rice doesn’t break while stirring. Add some fried peanuts and serve it hot.

Enjoy.

Mo