Vaghareli Bread/Spicy Bread Snack

Bread can be toasted, buttered, fried, made into so many things…. sandwiches, breadcrumbs, croutons etc. When my brother and sister in law visited us for the first time in Mombasa, my sister in law Arti made vaghareli bread for us as a snack. Vaghareli is the Gujarati word for tempering.

Since then I use to make it regularly to put in the snack boxes of my 3 kids. Instead of making a fresh batch every now and then, I improvised on the recipe and made them crunchy so it could be stored in a jar for a few days. You can use  white or brown bread. I don’t cut the crust as it becomes nice and crunchy too. Thank you so much Arti for this quick, easy and crunchy snack. I just love it. When did you make it the last time?

 I didn’t use cumin seeds as eventually they get left at the bottom of the pan or jar. I add cumin powder after the bread gets toasted so that the flavour remains for longer and no wastage of cumin seeds. Over time I’ve used a variety of spices to make this snack, pepper, zaatar, chaat masala, dried herbs etc. I just sprinkle the spices once bread becomes crunchy and its hot out of the oven. Try with different flavored oils.

Baking it is an easier option for me as less oil is used and it becomes more crunchy. For a really quick snack, just stir fry it in a wide pan. This way you’ll a bit crunch and a bit of softness.

VAGHARELI BREAD OR MASALA BREAD
6 to 8 Servings

400g bread slices (1 small loaf or half of the big loaf)
4 tbsps oil
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp chilli paste
½ to ¾ tsp salt
1 tbsp cumin powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp red chilli powder

1. Preheat the oven at 150°C.
2. Cut the slices of bread into small squares.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan or a wok over medium heat.
4. When it is slightly hot, add the ginger and chilli paste and saute for a few seconds.
5. Add the turmeric powder and immediately add the cubes of bread.
6. Add salt and mix well.
7. Spread out the bread cubes onto a baking tray.
8. Let it bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or till the bread cubes become crunchy.
9. Add the cumin and chilli powder and mix well.
10. Let it cool a bit and serve or store in an airtight jar.