Kaya toast, a slab of butter and some half boiled eggs

You would think I would know something about this popular Singaporean / Malaysian breakfast by now. But I did not till I sat at a little cafe chain called Toast Box after hours of walking through Bugis Junction Mall in Singapore and watched a young couple dip toast in half boiled eggs. They seemed like they had poured soya sauce and pepper in their eggs and the toast was thickly laden with butter and a jam. I was intrigued to the point I was unashamedly staring at them eat their snack. Seemingly breakfast food, people were ordering this late into the evening. Who says breakfast should only be eaten in the morning.

So the next morning I got my own Kaya Toast and coffee from Toast Box. I did not venture the half boiled eggs yet. And then that afternoon I stopped by another local cafe and bought the set breakfast for lunch. Yes and this time with the boiled eggs and soya sauce and pepper and all. It was quite interesting. The coffee in Singapore was outstanding. The best filter coffee I have had yet.
So what is Kaya toast. Well its a jam like spread made of coconut, eggs and sugar. Its got that warm curstardy taste to it. Its offset by a generous helping of salty butter on freshly toasted bread. Its like a bite of heaven in your mouth. It goes perfectly well with coffee.

Kaya toast became a popular breakfast in Singapore and Malaysia when local Hainanese people who worked on British ships serving jam and toast for breakfast adapted it into their own diet. So instead of serving toast with fruit preserves they made their own local version of coconut jam called Kaya.

I have to say, I loved this breakfast so much I had a Kaya toast almost every morning with my cuppa joe. At Toast Box, they several different kinds of toasts - I tried something called a Floss toast which is basically pork shavings on the Kaya served on a thick slice of bread. Yes you heard me right- pork shavings. Its an interesting combination - think bacon and syrup. They had a peanut butter too that seemed very popular but I did not try. I wish I had more time and more mornings in Singapore to lap it all up.

freshly baked bread, coffee and lots of eggs

Superb coffee

A slab of butter sandwiched between Kaya slathered toast

True to their word, the coffee was outstanding and so was the toast

the half boiled egg

Half boiled egg, soya and pepper. Not a bad combination

More Kaya toast

Delightful cup of coffee

Floss on toast and coffee and eggs

Oh yes! Half boiled goodness. Getting a hang of this breakfast

Floss toast: light shredded pork on Kaya toast- sweet and salty

Eggs once more

Peanut butter pastry

Some more cold coffee

The perfect breakfast song

Egg in a Hole

Sunday breakfast at home after a long time. A recipe post on Follow my Recipe after a long time as well. Well mostly because I have been traveling like a maniac.
I was introduced to eggs in a hole in grad school in Chicago after a drunken night of partying, my friend Chris made us eggs in a hole. I loved the idea. So after almost 8 years I replicated the recipe in my kitchen today.
Its so easy and so fun that you cant help but smile. Maybe even giggle. My mom wants to make egg in a hole with everything- parathas, dosas, pancakes. (Trust mother Purwar to get uber creative with the idea).

Ok so you need:
Slices of bread
Equal no. of eggs.
Butter or cream cheese
A round object for cutting (preferably much smaller than the bread)
Salt and pepper and any other garnish you like with your bread and eggs
A dash of oil
A non stick pan.

1. Cut a circle in your bread.
2. Spread some butter on both the holed bread and the circle piece.
3. Heat some Oil on the non stick pan.
4. Place the bread on the pan.
5. Crack an egg in the center of the hole in the bread.
6. Sprinkle some salt and pepper.
7. Cover with a bowl and let it cook.
8. Served with your favourite sides- potatoes,  grilled tomatoes, bikaneri sev (my sis will truly appreciate this), slices of bacon, Yaaa.

Also the left over circles can be used to make tres cool cucumber sandwiches.

Such simple, happy breakfasts make it all the time away from home worth it. Nothing like sharing your breakfast with your doggy.

Also this song is so perfect for today. Of course Id rather say I love Mumbai in the rain.

Breakfast Tiffin at Saravanaa Bhavan and then some.

I landed in Chennai early morning and Prats whisked me off to Saravanaa Bhavan for breakfast. It was my request. I love idli, dosa, sambhar, the chutneys, idli podi and of course good South Indian filter coffee. And I want it traditional and I want it perfectly Tamilian. Chennai's varied cuisine is always beckoning me. My friend Prats happens to be a wonderful guide into the not so well known but spectacularly delicious places in the city.

Of course, Saravanaa Bhavan's reputation precedes itself. With over a 100 outlets world over it is probably the best known restaurant for good, fast cheap South Indian food. What I did not know was that my fondly called Idli- Dosa is actually called a tiffin. Hence we had tiffin for breakfast. Prats ordered an appam with sweetened coconut milk. My exposure to appam has been limited and mostly accompanied with a chicken or fish curry. She poured the coconut milk in the center of these bowl shaped pancakes made of fermented rice flour. The center is slightly thick like an idli. The coconut milk fills up all the pores and moistens the pancake. And with our hands we mixed and turned and tore and scooped at this absolutely delicious and simple tasting breakfast snack. I ordered a rawa masala dosa. It was good, crisp, hot with perfect filling of spicy potatoes called masala. The variety of chutneys- white coconut (not so spicy), green coconut (spicy), tomato (spicy and tangy and of course sambhar. My favourite always is the tomato chutney. The sambhar accompanying hit the spot. We got ourselves some good South Indian filter coffee that Prats poured back and forth in the little metal bowl accompanying the glass. She 'stretched' her coffee as it cooled down in the pouring. I followed suit and really enjoyed the experience. It seems like I always had my filter coffee the wrong way.  It was a rewarding breakfast after an early morning flight from Mumbai to Chennai. My favourite sort of breakfast.

Prats took me next door to the oldest Nalli's in Chennai. Housed in a quaint old bungalow this Nalli's has serviced women purchasing sarees for various occasions for almost 80 years. This place is historic and best known for its south Indian silks especially from Kanchipuram. Later I told my mom about going to Nalli's and she told me she had been to the exact same Nalli's several years ago when I was a little 3 year old girl. I bought my first Nalli's silk to make into a typical Tamil Nadu skirt. Ms. Prats is going to design that for me. Can't wait!

"I am fulfilling" The Yoga House

Quinoa, tofu, wheatgrass, 10 grain breads, oatmeal, fresh juices, porridge, berries, nuts, paneer, sprouts, alfalafa & organic. One word- Powerfoods. I am always skeptical about such foods since I really love my meats and can't fathom most of the time eating out on purely vegetarian and really such healthy sounding food. 

My lovely friend Mark invited me to brunch at the Yoga House. He said its his new favourite place in Bandra. I arrived at this old house with a lovely verandah painted white with a row of tables and benches on either side with pillows. An old door that lead to an all blue azure room with a green chandelier. There were grey mattresses on the floor with orange pillows. Light streaming in from the windows. All the trimmings, doors, windows were white. It was a cheery space, relaxed the kinds you would imagine on a seaside in Greece but we were almost on the seaside in Bandra. Mark sat there relaxed totally fitting in with the space. The smile on his face showed pure satisfaction for finding this beautiful space. I was there with Sangeeta, Anand and Natasha. We ordered everything off the lunch menu- Quinoa burgers, Miknaos toast, Paneer burger, the Yogi's lunch, coffee, juices, and the healthy chocolate mousse. The food was amazing- the raw, colorful salads with sprouts, tomatoes, olives, lettuce, the fulfilling quinoa grain. I had seen quinoa around- but this was the first time I was eating it. The servings were not huge and I was skeptical if I would be full. But I was- not stuffed that I was uncomfortable, just perfectly happy with my meal. In fact I was energetic enough to walk back home with Mark (2 kms) something that does not happen usually after lunch. It was so good that evening I went back to the Yoga house to get some tea and laddoos. This masala tea had lemongrass and ginger. It was subtle and wonderful.

In fact I loved it so much that I went back there a week later with my friend Gopal for breakfast after a photo shoot. This breakfast was stellar as well. Slices of peanut butter on 10 grain bread, scrambled tofu sandwich, and a large healthy looking hash brown with cheese pancake. We ordered this with Caffe Frappe, Cappuccino, and a lovely banana milkshake (the best I have had). This time we sat on the outside patio in a window seat. The sun was still rising, the main blue room had a yoga class in progress. Bandra was slowly stirring and here we were with wonderful breakfast right in the shadow of St. Andrew's cross. White bougainvilleas crawling over the balcony. Gopal took some lovely pictures of me enjoying the morning sun and this delicious breakfast.

Ive been to the Yoga House now several times. Each time it has been a delightful experience. The owners Maud and Ajit are extremely welcoming. Maud teaches yoga there as well. I hope to take a class with her one of these days. There is also a little shop attached where they sell some lovely cotton clothing, pottery from Benares, and some other knick knacks.

Can I say it enough- I love The all vegetarian, very organic, completely fulfilling Yoga House. 

Many of the pictures that follow including some of the lovely portrait shots of me have been taken by MS Gopal the wonderful photographer of Mumbai Paused. He is a self claimed non- foodie but was a complete trooper to try out food outside his comfort zone. He did mention that he felt fulfilled for the rest of the day.

In love with Crepes

I fell in love over crepes many lifetimes ago. I had a poulet au curry (chicken curry) served with a mango chutney and he had a bouef bourguignon followed by dessert crepe of nutella and bananas cooked in rum. It was at one of my favourite restaurants in Chicago called Le Creperie. It was really my first experience with this delightful dosa-like French everyday wholesome goodness. That was many years ago.

I did not think I would find a crepe place so good in Mumbai. My friend Ashraf raved about its hot chocolate and is almost at Suzette everyday (lucky bum lives practically next door). A site visit to Nariman Point led me to finally try the crepes at Suzette.  Its located right behind the NCPA. The tiny space was elegant, raw, minimal and earthy. The table mats were brown papers with a stylized line drawing of the Paris skyline (of course with the Eiffel Tower). Simple tall glasses and glass bottles to serve water added to the quaintness of this lovely little cafe. A bookshelf, a row with benches, a few tables with chairs and bar seating at the counter all gave the space the look of a typical Parisian cafe, warm and welcoming and a place you could spend hours at. A blackboard menu with all the daily specials handwritten. 

I chatted with the owners Antonia and Jereme about their restaurant. They told me about the hurdles of opening a French restaurant in Mumbai, learning Hindi to get their supplies from their vendors & most of all introducing the traditional Brittany crepes to Mumbaikars. Their menu though mostly crepes- sweet and savory, also has salads and an array of fresh fruit juices and smoothies (spelt as smoozies - as one would say in the French accent), teas, coffee and of course the hot chocolates. 

I ordered a salad of the day which was by far one of the best fresh salads I have ever had in Mumbai. Lettuce, beans, bacon and a balsamic vinaigrette which was in the perfect amount coating the salad making the lettuce leaves flavorful and not soggy (hate soggy salad).

Antonia recommended a lovely combination for the crepe- goat cheese, chicken, caramelized onions (OMG I love) and a drizzle of honey. Too sweet- nope it was just right. The saltiness of the chicken and goat cheese was the perfect balance with the onions and honey. The crepe itself was crispy and not stretchy like other crepes I have had. I really enjoyed its texture with the creamy goat cheese. 

And finally the hot chocolate- you would think thicker the better. Well take a sip and then think again. It was not thick, it was just right, flavorful from the depths of the dark chocolate ocean. One sip and I knew I will crave this every time I need a chocolate miracle.

On my second viist (oui I went back again), I met the third owner another French gentleman by the name of Pierre. He told me they use buckwheat flour which is traditional to the Brittany crepes. 

I could not quite get the recipe of the crepe batter out of him but I did find one here in case you are interested.

Crepe filling is like playing with flavours and textures- spinach, tomatoes and feta; goat cheese and apples; ham and egg; chicken and mushrooms in a white sauce. The possibilities are endless. Or check out Suzette's menu for more inspiration

Prep Time: 2 hours, 05 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes 

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon buckwheat flour
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 2/3 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Preparation: 

Whisk all the ingredients vigorously until the crepe batter is completely smooth; allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 2 hours before making into crepes. Melt a little butter in a crepe pan or large skillet over low-medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of batter to the pan and swirl until the bottom of the pan is covered with batter. 

Cook the crepe for 1 minute, or until the crepe is slightly moist on top and golden underneath. Loosen the edges of the crepe, slide the spatula under it, and then gently flip it upside down into the pan. Cook for 1 minute and transfer the cooked crepe to a plate to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter.

 

My friend Mona sent me this video from when she lived in Germany. This crepe maker is making a banana, nutella cream crepe. It looks absolutely delicious. Danke Mona.