What’s for brunch? Eggs, bread and bananas!

KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — Another weekend, another debate about what to have for brekkie or brunch. Perhaps a smoothie bowl, chockful of super fruits and chia seeds? Or a grease nightmare of buttery waffles, fried chicken, hash browns, grilled sausages and a generous squirt from the maple syrup bottle?

Honestly, some weekends I want nothing more than a simple breakfast of eggs, bread and bananas. See how it rolls off the tongue — “eggs, bread and bananas!” — as though it’s meant to be. Dr Seuss would have approved, I’m sure.

Of course, some would argue that the real breakfast trinity is eggs, bread and bacon. They might be right. Judging by the menus at most brunch cafés on weekends though, there’s more than enough bacon to go around already. Some weekends are meant to be simpler affairs.

And they don’t get any simpler than eggs, bread and bananas. (Once you start saying it, it’s hard to stop, am I right? Consider it the brekkie mantra. Oh joy.)

“EGGS, BREAD & BANANAS!”

One major difference between this recipe and the one I’ve used in the past for French toast is the addition of Greek yoghurt. I think it lends some heft and extra richness to the final toast. Fitness enthusiasts may appreciate the protein punch that comes with Greek yoghurt, being a type of strained yoghurt.

Do try different breads for the French toast. From white sandwich bread to rich brioche, choose a bread that suits you. This French toast isn’t meant to be “authentic” (for authentic means different things to different folks) but one that’s just right for you.

Whatever bread you decide to use, be it a dark rye or a crusty sourdough, make sure the slices are slightly stale where possible. These will hold their shape better after their batter soak; their texture more crisped up in the pan too.

E is for eggs, so luscious and dreamy (left). Y is for yoghurt... though here it’s G for Greek yoghurt, rich in protein (right)

How about toppings? Some folks order French toast for their weekend brunch simply for the stuff they can put on top of their plate. Whether sweet (fruits, chocolate, Nutella) or savoury (crispy bacon, smoky sausages, even deep-fried slabs of luncheon meat), the possibilities are endless.

For this dish, however, most of the above would be too much and detract from the the wonderful trinity of eggs, bread and bananas. For me, I may add some toasted nuts such as almonds or walnuts. Nothing more. Even this seems like gilding the lily. Sometimes simplicity is its own reward.

Ingredients: Caramelised bananas

80g caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons hot water

3 ripe bananas, peeled and halved

1 teaspoon butter

Ingredients: French toast

2 large eggs

120ml Greek yoghurt

60ml full cream milk

1 tablespoon of sugar

A pinch of salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 thick slices bread

Some butter to coat the pan

Ingredients: Sunny-side ups

3 large eggs

More butter to coat the pan (optional)

Ingredients: Toppings

Toasted nuts, such as almonds and walnuts (optional)

Raw honey (optional)

Method

B is for bread, crusty and fluffy at the same time

To make the caramel, first heat the sugar, vanilla extract and hot water in a non-stick pan. Stir over medium-low heat until well combined and its colour a toffee brown. Add the halved bananas (slice the halves once again if they are still too long to fit the pan easily) to the caramel, ensuring each slice is coated evenly. Finally, add the butter to create a glossy finish. Set aside.

To make the French toast batter, beat the eggs together with the Greek yoghurt, milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract in a medium sized bowl. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Melt a little butter in the pan.

Dip both sides of each slice of bread in the batter and place on the hot pan. Cook one side for a couple of minutes before flipping. Set aside all the slices of French toast when complete.

B is also for bananas, naturally sweet

Using the same pan, fry three eggs as sunny-side ups. Add more butter to the pan to coat it, as necessary. Make sure the eggs are fried only on one side and never flipped. When the whites are almost set and the yolk is still liquid, remove from the pan and set aside.

Allocate two slices of French toast per plate. Top each plate with a sunny-side up egg and a few caramelised banana slices. Drizzle with some raw honey and garnish with toasted nuts, if desired. Serve immediately.

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