By Emily

My kids became huge fans of this savory French toast with masala spices from the moment they first tried it. They first had a slice as an after school snack. Then they asked if they could have it again at breakfast. Then came “Can we also have this in our lunches?” Needless to say, they are happy to have this at any chance they get.

Making French toast savory allows you to skip the whole range of sweet toppings that often goes with the standard versions. Out goes the pro-inflammatory powdered sugar and syrup and in comes the anti-inflammatory turmeric and cilantro/coriander!

My kids like to eat this French toast by itself, or simply with some cucumber slices, and I’m happy with it that way too, as it’s super flavourful and not at all dry. Using the fresh green chili can make the toast quite spicy, so go easy with it (or omit it) if your kids are not yet used to spice.

When I send it with my kids in their lunches, I also often give them some salad (and sometimes also our crispy chickpea snacks).

But if you wanted to dip the French toast in something, you could pair it with with a savory chutney or plain yogurt or a yogurt-based raita.

Ready to give it a try? It’s a very simple recipe that follows the same steps as normal French toast, just with the addition of spices to the egg batter.

Masala French Toast

Makes 4 small slices

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 2 Tablespoons milk of choice
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• ½ to 1 whole fresh green chili such as birds eye, finely chopped, optional. (Caution as these can be very spicy. Be sure not to touch your eyes after handling them.)
• 1/2 teaspoon dhana jiru (or substitute half ground cumin and half ground coriander)
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 small slices of bread of choice (or two large), regular or gluten free; avoid any breads with added sugars
• 2-3 teaspoons oil of choice for cooking
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

Method:

• In a shallow baking dish, beat two eggs together with the milk, garlic, chilies, dry spices, and salt.
• Dip the bread in the egg mixture, flipping to coat each side. You will likely need to do this in 2 turns, depending on the size of your dish.
• Heat a large frying pan on medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons of oil and tilt the pan to distribute it evenly.
• Assure that the oil is hot, and then add the soaked bread to the pan (likely only 2 slices will fit at a time).
• Allow to cook for around 2 minutes or until the egg looks cooked around the bottom edges of the bread.
• Flip and cook for around 2 minutes more or until the underside is golden and dry.
• Transfer to a plate and top with chopped fresh cilantro.
• Continue cooking the other slices using the same method, adding an additional teaspoon of oil to the pan if needed.