The most delightful things that we encounter in our life are often very simple, like good food. It doesn’t have to be exotic with a complex recipe, to be delicious.
There is nothing like the satisfaction you get from a mug of hot coffee on a rainy day and bread toast with a hot bowl of soup.
A humble slice of bread has saved us from our daily lunch-box dilemmas, it is a versatile food item that is an ultimate meal companion.
It started with a simple combination of bread and water which has now modified into various recipes over the years.
Every culture uses the bread differently but it is still something we can’t say no to. Today the bread has unlimited varieties and has opened possibilities of various delectable dishes.
Cooking with bread is easy and quick, you can make wholesome breakfast to delightful appetizers and delicious desserts.
Here is a list of dishes you can make with bread:
1. Cheese Toast
It is a simple cheese toast recipe that is easy to make and is perfect for a quick snack to satisfy your hunger pangs. First, preheat the grill or sandwich maker on its maximum temperature. Add cheese slice on a bread slice and sprinkle some salt and black pepper as per your taste. Cover it with another bread slice. Grease the baking tray with butter and put the bread slices on it. Coat the top of it with butter and keep the tray in the grill. Grill the bread for 5 minutes and when the bread looks golden brown, remove from the grill. Your cheese toast is ready to be served with ketchup or green chutney. Repeat the process and make as many toasts as you like.
2. Bread Pakora
Bread pakora with delicious potato stuffing makes for a scrumptious snack which can be savoured with a hot cup of tea. To prepare this dish, you will need to make the filling first. Put 6 potatoes with water in a pressure cooker and boil them till 3-4 whistles. Peel and mash the boiled potatoes in a bowl. Then, add 5 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves, 3 green chillies, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 1/2 dry mango powder (amchur) and 1 teaspoon salt, and mix well. Next, make the besan batter. In a large bowl, add 3 cups besan, 1 teaspoon thymol seeds, 2 teaspoons red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, 2 pinches asafoetida and salt. Add water as required to get the desired consistency of the batter. Add a few drops of oil to the batter and keep it aside. Then, take a bread slice and cut it into halves so that you get 2 triangular pieces. Apply green chutney (mint and coriander chutney) on one side of the triangular slice and apply mashed potato mixture evenly on the bread. Cover this slice with another triangular slice. In a deep bottomed pan, heat 2 cups refined oil. Dip the potato-filled slice in the besan batter to coat the bread and then put it in the hot oil. Deep fry the pakoras until crisp and golden brown.
3. Chocolate Bread Pudding
Dessert is a must after dinner and what’s better than chocolate pudding? To make this delicious Continental recipe, start with cutting 8 slices of brown bread into small pieces. In a bowl, beat 6 eggs and add 1 teaspoon vanilla essence. Mix and keep aside for a while. Then, take a pan and heat 600 ml milk in it, add 500 grams cream, 4 tablespoons cocoa powder and 8 tablespoons sugar. Then, add the beaten eggs and mix the bread pieces into it. Once cooked, remove the pan from flame. Take pudding moulds and start greasing them. Pour the mixture into the moulds, cover them with a foil and keep them in the cooker. Let it cook for 20 minutes, and let the pudding settle. Ensure not to let the steam out. Once the mould has settled, you can remove the foil and keep the pudding in the freezer for 30 minutes before you serve the dessert.
4. Sweet Vegetable Sandwich
If you love cold sandwiches then this recipe might interest you. It is a sweet classic vegetable sandwich. To make this sandwich, wash 1 bunch of iceberg lettuce and 2 handfuls of basil leaves and keep them aside. Then, using a chopping board, chop all the ingredients: 1 large boiled sweet potato, 2 cucumbers, 1 onion and 1 tomato into slices. Keep them in separate bowls. Take a bowl and mash 1 pitted avocado in it and add salt and black pepper. Mix well. In another bowl, add 4 tablespoons melted butter, 4 tablespoons honey and 2 teaspoons mustard paste, and mix well. Then assemble the sandwich: Take the bread slices and spread a layer of the honey-butter mixture over them. Place lettuce over it and then sweet potato. Top it with basil leaves, onion and tomato slices. Finish by adding the final layer of mashed avocado and season with salt and pepper. Add another slice over it and cut in the middle to make two halves. The sandwich is ready to be savoured.
5. Garlic Croutons
Croutons is a side dish made with bread pieces fried to perfection that can be used with any soup of your choice. To make these crunchy croutons, you will need 4 slices of white bread and cut them into small pieces and keep them in a bowl. Sprinkle salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper and 1/4 tsp crushed garlic over the pieces and mix well. Then, take a deep bottomed pan and place it over medium flame. Add 1/2 cup virgin olive oil to it. When the oil is hot, add the bread pieces to it and deep fry them until golden brown. Transfer the croutons on a plate lined with absorbent paper to soak the excess oil. Your homemade croutons are ready to be served with steamy and delicious soups or as snacks with tea.
