Podi Savoury French Toast: Give Breakfast Some Bite

French toast is very happy without sugar. Beat eggs with a little podi, dip in your bread and let the pan turn the coating golden. Breakfast gets a roasted kick with hardly any extra work.

This version uses Karnataka Podi for its garlic and coconut notes. The seasoning sits in the egg coating, so you get flavour on both sides of each slice.

The recipe at a glance

Serves 2. Prep: 5 minutes. Cook: about 10 minutes. The first slice is your test for the right soaking time.

What you’ll need

• 4 slices sandwich bread, about 1 to 1½ cm thick
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 tsp Rapidli Karnataka Podi
• 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander, optional
• 2 tsp oil or butter for cooking
• Salt only if needed

Podi already contains salt. Cook a small spoonful of the egg mixture to check seasoning if you’re unsure; don’t taste raw egg.

Mix the egg coating

Beat the eggs and milk in a shallow bowl until the whites and yolks are fully mixed. Stir in the podi and coriander. The powder may settle as the bowl stands, so stir again before dipping each slice.

Keep chopped extras small. Large onion pieces tend to fall into the pan and burn before the bread is ready. If you want onion, serve it in a salad alongside.

Dip and pan-cook

1. Heat a wide frying pan over medium-low heat. Add a little oil or butter and spread it around.
2. Dip one slice into the egg mixture for about 2 to 3 seconds per side. Lift it and let the extra drip back into the bowl.
3. Place it in the pan. Repeat with another slice if there’s room. Don’t stack or crowd the bread.
4. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the coating is golden and fully set. Adjust the heat if the outside colours too quickly.
5. Check the middle of the first slice. It should feel warm and set, with no wet egg. Cook longer on low heat if needed.
6. Repeat with the remaining bread, stirring the egg mixture between dips and adding a little more cooking fat as needed.

The bread decides the soak

Soft, fresh sandwich bread needs a quick dip. Leave it soaking and it can collapse before it reaches the pan. A slightly stale, sturdier slice can take a little longer.

Thick bread needs more gentle cooking so the middle warms through. Start with ordinary slices while you find the timing that works on your stove.

A soggy centre usually means too much mixture was absorbed or the heat browned the surface too fast. Shorten the dip and lower the flame for the next slice.

Let the egg set before turning

Slide a wide spatula underneath once the underside is firm. Turning early can tear the bread or pull off the coating. Butter browns faster than oil, so watch the pan between batches.

For a breakfast using eggs inside a roti, try our podi omelette roll. It has a different texture and travels well.

Serve it warm

Cut into triangles and serve with sliced tomato or plain curd. There’s already plenty of seasoning in the coating, so take a bite before sprinkling extra podi.

If you prefer breakfast without eggs, podi toast is another quick option. For this recipe, cook only the bread you need and discard leftover raw egg mixture.