Vaghareli Bread/Spicy Bread Snack

mayurisjikoni

14 years ago

EVENT: FOODIE’S REDOING OLD POSTS

Old posts just get lost in the wide wide wide web unless they are very popular. Renu who blog’s at Cook with Renu has started a Facebook Group called Foodies Redoing Old Posts where every two weeks we can redo our old posts and share it on the group. What’s the advantage of doing this? Well, it gives us the opportunity to improve the write up, update photos and get comments. I’ve got so many old posts that need updating especially where the photos are concerned. This group with definitely give me the ‘push’ to prepare the dishes again for better photos.

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

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

Tips:

Use spices of your choice.
Use different flavored oil or butter. Try it with ghee too, it tastes awesome.
To make cumin powder at home, roast a handful of cumin seeds with a tsp of oil over very low heat till they begin to pop. Let it cool down and then grind it into a powder in a coffee grinder. Store in an airtight jar. Add it to salads, yogurt, lassi, etc.

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