Upma recipe

This is based on a popular breakfast dish from Southern India and tastes great with a cup of masala chai.

Ingredients

5 slices bread or ½ small loaf, ideally day-old, crusts removed and cut into cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mild chilli powder
1 tsp finely chopped fresh root ginger
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp nigella seeds
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
6 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 bunch fresh coriander, stalks and leaves separated and chopped
1 loose handful cashew nuts, soaked in water for 1 hour and roughly chopped
squeeze lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper

If the bread does not feel stale, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and toast in the oven or in a frying pan. Set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan and toast the curry leaves until crisp. Add the cumin seeds, chilli, ginger, garlic, turmeric, mustard seeds, nigella seeds, onion, green chillies, then the tomatoes, and cook for a few minutes. Add the coriander stalks and cook for 5 minutes, or until thickened.
Stir in the bread and cashew nuts. Add some water to loosen if necessary. Season with salt and pepper and add the coriander leaves and lemon juice. Serve immediately.