French Toast

My first memory of this dish is from a Star hotel in India. We were staying there and went down for the free breakfast. In the buffet, there was an item called French Toast. It just looked liked pieces of bread toasted with something. I took it (and others) and went to my table.

I hated it the moment I took a bite into it. It was sweet and soggy and smelt of egg. I never tried it again... until recently when I made my "Indian Version".

Like Egg Puff, this is a totally trial and error recipe. But these are the quantities I've used:

Ingredients:
6 Bread Slices – cut in any shape / size
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt to Taste
Oil to fry.

Method

1. Break the eggs into a flat bowl so the bread slices can fit in well.
2. Mix all the other ingredients (except bread and oil) and beat well.
3. Put 1 tbsp Oil in a frying pan.
4. When the oil is hot, dip 1 slice bread in the egg mixture. Turn it around so the egg mixture is coated on both sides of the bread.
5. Place the bread slice on the pan. Repeat steps 4 and 5 till the frying pan is filled with bread slices in a single layer.
6. At this point, you can cover and cook – I like to do this to ensure that the egg is cooked well inside the bread slice.
7. Repeat steps 3, 4, 5 and 6 till all the bread slices are cooked turning each slice in between.
8. Serve hot.

Note 1: If there’s any left over egg mixture, you can make an omelette with it.
Note 2: You can add finely chopped green chilli to "up" the spice factor.

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Egg Puff

I am not sure who doesn’t like Egg Puff (I am only talking about those who eat eggs). Atleast everyone I know love it. I really missed it after coming to UK. Then I read somewhere that you can make it quiet easily with the puff pastry – that is readily available in all the grocery stores. I tried this recipe a few years ago and kept making it every now and then.

Whenever I go to India, I still get it from my favourite bakery and eat it. Whatever I tried, I never got the same taste. But I still make my version as that is the only way I can enjoy this snack. I usually have it with tea or soup for dinner. With the cold weather, I made Carrot Coriander Soup and this for dinner.

I like to buy the puff pastry sheets. They are a bit more expensive than the puff pastry block. But they are rolled out and ready to use.

There is no definite recipe for this. But for complete newbies, this is just a rough guide. You can add more spices if you like.

I covered the top of the egg also with puff pastry – which is not how its usually done in India (atleast in Hyderabad). If you want the top of the egg to be overlapped by the corners, then 1 puff pastry sheet might give you 8 puffs. Again, the puff pastry sheet might vary.

Its mainly a matter of trial and error for this recipe.

Ingredients For 4 egg puffs
1 puff pastry sheet, thawed according to the instructions and cut into desired size
2 hard boiled eggs – halved.
1 pinch of Coriander Powder per puff
1 pinch of Jeera Powder per puff
1 pinch of Chat Masala per puff
Salt to taste.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degree C.
2. On the cut part of the egg, sprinkle all the powders and salt.
3. Place the cut part of the egg on one puff pastry "slice" and either overlap the edges or cover it with another slice.
4. To seal the puff pastry, use water. If you are overlapping the edges, place one edge over egg, brush a little bit of water on the edge where the other edge will overlap, overlap the other edge and press gently. If you are placing one slice on top of the other, brush the edges with water, place the second slice on top and press gently.
5. Place on a baking tray and bake for 15 to 20 mins. The puff is ready when the puff pastry rises fully.
6. Serve with hot tea for a snack or soup for dinner.

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Tomato Egg Curry

Sundays are usually the only days when we have lunch at home. So we generally have a non-veg dish. That's how it was when I was growing up. We had to have non-veg on Sundays. So I am kinda used to it.

There was a time when I could eat non-veg everyday. But from the time I fell pregnant, I craved for veg food. So everyday we had veg food at home. To make up for it, I used to treat my husband on Sundays to non-veg. Not that he was fussy about it; it made me feel good as I know he likes his non-veg.

This is something I made about a month back when our friends were over for an simple, informal lunch. Ofcourse there were other items as well.

Ingredients:
10 to 12 Eggs boiled, shelled and incisions made (you can halve the eggs as well.)
2 Onions - finely chopped
12 tbsp Chopped Tomatoes
1.5 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
2 tsp Chilli Powder
2 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp Oil
2 tsp Mustard Seeds
2 tsp Cumin Seeds
15 - 20 Curry Leaves
Salt to Taste

Method:

1. Add oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add the Mustard and Cumin Seeds and let them splutter.
2. Then add the Curry Leaves and fry for a min.
3. Now add the Onions and fry till they turn brown.
4. Add the Ginger Garlic Paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
5. Add the Chopped Tomatoes and fry until the masala comes together.
6. Add the Chilli, Coriander, Cumin and Turmeric Powders and mix well.
7. You can add half cup water at this stage if the curry is too dry.
8. Add eggs and boil to desired consistency.
9. Serve with Roti or Rice or Pulao.