Bread Reincarnations

Simran Dhanju presents the mundane bread in two scrumptious avatars to delight your guests at the next party

Shahi Tukra

Ingredients:

• 6-7 slices white bread, large
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 6-8 green cardamom pods
• 10-12 saffron threads
• 3tbsp ghee
• ½ cup vegetable/sunflower oil
• 2 cups milk powder
• 1 ½ cup full cream milk
• ¼ cup sugar
• Dried rose petals for garnishing
• 1tbsp slivered and sliced pistachios
• 1tbsp slivered and sliced almonds
• Silver leaf for garnishing

Method:

1. In a saucepan, pour sugar and water, bruise 4 cardamom pods and add to water; bring it to boil and reduce flame to simmer for a couple of minutes, until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from fire.
2. In another heavy based pan, pour milk and milk powder, combine well with whisk to remove all lumps of milk powder and place it on the stove. Once milk heats up a little, add the remaining bruised cardamom pods and saffron, bring it to boil and add sugar; cook until milk thickens a little like the consistency of custard. Cool it completely over a bowl of iced water.
3. Cut each bread slice into triangular quarters, heat oil and ghee together and deep fry triangles in batches until golden brown; remove on absorbent paper. Let cool a little.
4. Now, dip each triangle in sugar syrup for few seconds, remove and drip off excess syrup, arrange on a serving platter; repeat the above with all triangles.
5. Follow that by pouring the cooled milk custard over the triangles, garnish with pistachios, almonds, rose petals, saffron strands and silver leaf. Leave it in refrigerator for an hour to chill. Serve.

Corn Toast Recipe

Ingredients:

• 8-10 slices white bread
• 3 medium potatoes, boiled and grated
• 1 fresh corn, boiled/steamed and corn kernels removed
• 1 capsicum medium, chopped finely
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1” piece ginger, grated
• 2 fat cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2tbsps fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• 2-3 green chillies, chopped finely
• ½ cup corn flour
• Salt to taste
• 1tbsp soya sauce
• ½ tsp white pepper powder
• 1/3 cup sesame seeds, mixed (white & black)
• Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Remove corn kernels from corn; coarsely blend them and place in bowl.
2. Add potatoes, capsicum, coriander, chillies, onion, garlic, ginger, soya sauce, 2 tbsp corn flour, salt and white pepper powder. Mix them all well.
3. Mix the remaining corn flour in 3/4 cup water.
4. Cut bread slices into triangles, brush the corn flour mixture on one side of the slice and spread the corn mixture on it and press lightly to even out.
5. Spread sesame seeds in a plate, press the bread triangles on seeds and pat gently with fingers. Place them in fridge for half an hour.
6. Heat the oil in deep pan and fry till golden brown. Remove on absorbent paper and serve with sweet chilli sauce.

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