I can remember waking up to this delicious Indian breakfast when I was a child. It beats typical egg on toast and the herbs and spices bring some plant-based ingredients to this vegetarian meal. The more diverse your intake of plant foods, the better fuel for your beneficial gut bacteria. Traditionally, Indian fried bread in my household was flavoured with fresh green chillies and a touch of salt. I decided to spice things up a bit so I could include a few more nutritious leaves, turmeric and seeds. These all add to your plant points.
The result? A flavoursome herby bread with crunchy topping. Perfect for brunch or a light lunch.
What makes my recipe healthier
- Typically, my mum would use white bread, but I chose granary so I’d get some fibre and B vitamins, which help to convert food into energy.
- Some people believe eggs are bad for you, however, there’s nothing wrong with eggs. They’re a natural source of B vitamins (such as B2, B12 and folate), immune-supporting nutrients like vitamin D and selenium, as well as iodine which is needed for a healthy metabolic rate. I think eggs get bad press because they contain cholesterol, but it’s saturated fat that has the greatest effect on your blood cholesterol; a medium egg has only 1.3g of saturated fat. Women should aim for no more than 20g and men no more than 30g of saturated fat a day.
- You could get crispy fried bread if you used lots of oil. But this recipe uses a small amount of rapeseed oil and the crispiness comes from the crunchy seeds. What’s more, rapeseed oil has 10 times more heart-protective omega-3 fats than olive oil.
- Then the fresh herbs like parsley, the spring onions and the different types of seeds and spices add plant diversity to your meal. The greater the number of different plant foods you eat the happier your gut microbes will be! I advise people to regularly experiment with new veggie foods primarily because around 70% of your immune system is in your gut. Check out my mushroom omelette creation.
Recipe for one serving
2 slices whole grain bread, cut into quarters
For the egg mix:
2 eggs, beaten
Pinch of turmeric
Pinch of salt
Coarse black pepper
Red chilli powder, as desired
2 spring onions, sliced
Few sprigs flat leaf parsley and/or coriander leaves, chopped
For the seeded topping:
Sesame seeds
Kalonji (onion or Nigella seeds)
What you do:
1️⃣ Heat a little rapeseed oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium to high heat.
2️⃣ Dip the bread quarters into the flavoured egg.
3️⃣ Put the seeds into a flat plate and lightly coat the eggy bread in the seeds.
4️⃣ Cook on both sides till brown and crispy and serve with fresh lime.
Let me know how you get on and tag me in your pics so I can also enjoy your creations! 🍈
