Egg in a Hole

This is a very interesting breakfast recipe. My friend made this one day for me and I kind of liked it a lot. I found it to be very convenient to eat as you could just eat it holding it by one hand while working on something. Kids simply love this dish. I have tested it on my kid as well as on others and found out similar reactions from all the kids.

Although I got this recipe from my friend, it is not her own creation. She found it on the net and when I did a google search, I found out innumerable ways of making this recipe. Many people like to also name it differently like Egg in a basket, Bull's eye, Egg-Hole Nest, One-eyed Susie, etc, etc...

Let me tell you how it is made and then you can decide what name you would like to give it :)

Preparation Time : 2 minutes

Cooking Time : 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 slice of brown / white bread

1 egg

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp butter (depending on your taste, you could use less or more)

1 tsp oil

Method:

• Using your knife, cut a small hole in the middle of your bread slice. You could also use any small circular object for doing this.
• Spread the butter on both sides of the bread slice.
• Heat oil in a non-stick pan
• When the oil is hot, place the buttered bread slice on it.
• Immediately, crack an egg in the hole.
• Season it with salt and pepper to taste.
• Let it cook for a minute or two and then flip it on the other side.
• Cook it till it is golden brown on each side and till the egg is cooked .
• Serve hot on a plate and eat it as it is.

I am sending this recipe to "Saving the Private Avi" project.

Egg bhurji

A "bhurji" is a term used to describe a dryish masala dish which is just a mixture of stuff in small pieces. e.g: pieces of paneer, potato, etc. A very commonly eaten bhurji is the egg version - which is effectively a spicy scrambled egg dish or more accurately is probably best described as a scrambled omelette comprising a masala of eggs, potatoes and onions.

Although I have mentioned the ingredients below, you could always add your own spices and make it more creative.

Vegetarians can use grated paneer instead of eggs and make paneer bhurji in the same manner.

I have to say that this is a really fast and easy dish to make and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or as a quick bite.

Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Serves : 3

Ingredients :

4 eggs beaten well

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 medium tomato finely chopped or 2 tbsp tomato puree

1 medium potato cut into small cubes and deep fried.

2 green chillies finely cut

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp ground coriander

2 tbsp milk

salt to taste

2 tbsp oil

a small bunch of fresh coriander finely chopped

Method :

• Heat oil in a large frying pan and add onions to it. Fry the onions nicely till they are golden brown in colour.
• To this add, ginger garlic paste and green chillies
• Then add the tomato puree and fry again for a minute or two
• Now add the spices (turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder, salt) and fry it well for about 2 minutes.
• Then add the fried potatoes and allow it cook for about 3 minutes.
• Then add the beaten eggs and milk and keep stirring continously to ensure that the eggs do not stick to the pan.
• When you see the mixture coming together, check the seasoning and add the freshly chopped coriander leaves and remove from heat.
• Serve hot with chapatis or you could also eat it as a sandwich between 2 buttered slices of bread.

Note: The recipe above mentions potatoes but the picture shown has no potatoes in them because I didn't have any potatoes readily available at home.

Roasted Vermicelli

Today was a surprise for me ...

My daughter usually takes about an hour to finish her breakfast. But, today she gobbled it down in less than 15 minutes.

This is a family recipe that I would like to share with you all. My late grandfather used to make roasted vermicelli very well and every time I make it, it reminds me of him. We used to love eating it as kids and I see that the recipe still works its magic with the youngest generation in our family. So, all you mothers who have a tough time feeding breakfast to your little 2 year old's can try this recipe out :)

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Serves : 3

Ingredients:

100 gms roasted wheat vermicelli

pinch of salt

1 tsp cardamom powder

7 tsp sugar (you could add more as per your taste)

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup hot water

a few cashewnuts chopped roughly

a few raisins

2 tbsp ghee

Method:

• Break the vermicelli into smaller easy to manage pieces by using your hands.
• Take some ghee in a pan and roast this vermicelli on a slow flame.
• When it starts changing colour, add in the raisins and cashewnuts and fry again.
• Then add the cardamom powder and the sugar and fry for a while.
• Finally, add the hot water and milk and stir constantly, cooking this on a medium flame till done. When you see the vermicelli coming together and leaving the sides of the pan, you will know that it is time to take it away from the heat.
• You could also add additional raisins on top as garnish.

French Toast

Last summer holidays, I had been to Goa to "Heritage Village" and over there I had eaten the most perfect "French Toast". I loved them so much that I tried making them at home several times and have now mastered the art of making them. Usually, they used to turn out soggy but now, they are simply perfect i.e crispy on the outside with a delicious moist centre

Today being Sunday, I wanted to make a nice breakfast for my family. So, I decided to make French toast, which is my all time favorite breakfast. French toast with maple syrup simply tastes awesome and a must try for everyone !!!

This recipe takes just 15 minutes and is a healthy start to a good day. Kids simply love eating bread this way.

Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Makes : 6 french toasts

Ingredients:

6 White bread slices

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

3 tbsp powdered sugar (add more as per your taste)

1 tsp cardamom powder

a pinch of cinnamon powder

oil for frying

1 tbsp maple syrup

Method:

• Cut the edges of the bread slices and keep aside
• Beat eggs in a bowl and keep aside.
• Add sugar to the milk and mix well till all the sugar has dissolved
• Then add the egg mixture into the milk mixture.
• Now, add the cardamom powder and the cinnamon powder and mix well.
• Take one slice of bread and dip it in the above mixture. Soak it well on both sides.
• Shallow fry this over a pan with some oil, over medium heat
• Fry on both sides till slightly golden brown
• Repeat the same process for the remaining bread slices
• Cut them diagnolly and place them on a plate
• Just before serving, drizzle some maple syrup over the french toasts.

Sweet and Spicy Poha

A dish made out of thin rice flakes which is sweet but also has a nice spicy kick to it

Preparation Time : 10 minutes

Cooking Time : 10 minutes

Serves : 4

Ingredients:

2 cups of thin rice flakes called poha

1 small onion finely cut

1 tsp of corriander powder

1 tsp of cumin powder

1/2 cup of fresh grated coconut

1 tsp of mustard seeds

1 tsp of chilli powder

1/4 tsp of turmeric powder

1 banana cut into small fine pieces

1 tsp of oil

3 tbsp of milk

salt to taste

sugar to taste

some curry leaves

Method:

• Take a pan. Add some oil to it
• When the oil is hot, add the curry leaves and mustard seeds to it.
• When it starts crackling, add the onions and fry till they are pink in colour.
• Then add all the spices and mix well
• Then add the poha to the spices.
• Add coconut, milk and the bananas and mix nicely
• Add sugar to taste.
• If you find it too dry then adjust it by adding the milk.
• Sweet and spicy poha is ready to eat.

Apams

My mom used to make these sweet apams when we were kids. Even today, whenever I go to Mumbai, she makes it a point to make them for me. It is not only delicious to eat but also fun to make.

Apams

A traditional south Indian dish which is a sweet and fluffy dosa that can be eaten for breakfast or lunch.

Preparation Time : 4 hours

Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Serves : 4

Ingredients :

1 1/2 cup of uncooked boiled rice to be soaked overnight

1 tin coconut milk

1/2 tsp yeast

Salt to taste

Sugar to taste

1 tbsp of lukewarm water

Method:

• Grind the soaked rice with 1 tin coconut milk.
• While grinding, add salt and sugar to taste
• Take a small vessel and add little lukewarm water, 1 tsp sugar and yeast.
• Mix well and keep for sometime till it starts rising.
• Mix this in the ground batter and add little water.
• However, be careful to not make it very liquidy. The batter should not be too thick or too thin.
• Keep it till it rises for 3-4 hours.
• Then beat the batter nicely with a spoon till it goes down to the original level.
• At this point, check the seasoning.
• Put little oil in a deep bottomed pan (apam dish).
• On medium heat, pour a cooking spoon full of batter in the centre of the pan and move the pan to spread the batter
• Cover and cook till done
• Tastes good as it is. Also can be served with some nice chicken in coconut gravy.

Banana Fritters

While in the US, my sister taught me to make these banana fritters. They are so light and delicious and also very popular with kids.

So here goes the recipe...

Banana Fritters

A pancake made out of bananas and all purpose flour which is a light start to a healthy breakfast.

Preparation Time : 10 minutes

Cooking Time : 10 minutes

Serves : 4

Ingredients :

1 very ripe banana

2 tbsp sugar

1 egg

3/4 th cup milk

1 cup all purpose flour

pinch of salt

oil for shallow frying

Method:

• Mash the banana and mix it with the sugar and eggs.
• When well beaten, add in the flour, milk and salt.
• Make the batter liquid enough to spread into a pan cake
• Heat oil in a non-stick pan
• Spread a little batter into a round pan cake.
• Fry on both sides.
• For garnish, you can add some banana slices on top of it or simple serve it with maple syrup.

Good Breakfast Recipes

Breakfast is supposed to be the most important meal of the day. But how many of us actually like to get up in the morning and start cooking up a great breakfast. Most of us easily settle down for some porridge, cereal and other ready to eat breakfast stuff.

Although even I like to eat cereal sometimes for breakfast, I feel very happy when I am able to put up a nice breakfast together and see the smile on the face of my daughter. My daughter loves to eat and wants a new thing every day. So when I give her the fruit loops every morning, she is

very hesitant to eat it. In order, to make her enjoy her breakfast, I decided to cook up something interesting so that she gets some variety everyday.

My husband simply loves eating eggs and he likes scrambled eggs very much. Although, I am not a great fan of scrambled eggs, I came out with this interesting twist to scrambled eggs which makes me eat them every now and then.

So, here goes the recipe for the scrambled egg lovers...

Scrambled Eggs

A soft and creamy combination of eggs and spring onions which blend perfectly to make the right scrambled eggs.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time : 5 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Eggs - 2

Egg whites - 2

Milk - 2 tbsp

Spring Onions finely chopped - 2

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1 tbsp of oil

Method:

• Take a bowl and put the eggs and egg whites in it and give it a nice whisk.
• Once it is beaten well, add the milk and whisk it a little more
• Then add the salt and pepper to taste and give it a good stir
• Finally add the spring onions to it
• Then take a non-stick pan and add some oil t it.
• Then add the egg mixture. Do not stir at this point.
• After a minute start folding the sides to together and do it quickly so that the eggs get scrambled nicely without burning
• Do not keep it on the gas for more than 2 minutes.
• Once you see them nice and soft, take it out.
• Garnish with spring onions and serve them with nice buttered toast.