While eggs are a commonly-eaten breakfast item in many parts of the country, meaty treats are found in only certain cultures. Take the nihari for instance. It is a slow-cooked meaty stew originating from the royal kitchens of Awadh, present-day Lucknow, in Uttar Pradesh. The nihari was considered a high-energy breakfast dish served to working class living in colder climates and later, became a royal dish of the Nawabs in the Mughal empire.
In the Western world too, you’d find cold cuts and several other kinds of meats being served on the breakfast table. From chicken to turkey and ham, there are a variety of meatilicious bites that one can devour for their morning meals. Here are some of the meats that are commonly eaten for breakfast across the globe.
1. Ham
Obtained from the leg cut of pork, this meat is wet or dry cured and processed before being served. With ham, you can make a variety of breakfast dishes including a ham salad sandwich. For this, all you need is some cooked ham, celery, onion, mayonnaise, mustard, black pepper and salt. Mix the veggies with the sauces and seasoning. Slather on a slice of bread and place thin layers of ham on it. Pack it into a sandwich and enjoy.
2. Turkey
If you thought that turkey is only eaten during Thanksgiving and Christmas, you’re mistaken. The lean meat is often consumed for breakfast too, in the form of a turkey hash at times. For the unversed, hash is a delicious way to spruce up leftover meat for breakfast the next day. Take some chopped potatoes, onions and other veggies of your choice, add the chopped leftover turkey. Toss it on a pan and season with salt, pepper, garlic and Worcestershire sauce.
3. Bacon
This meat is obtained from pork and cured with salt before being ready for consumption. Often found as a side dish in American breakfast plates, bacon can also be your entire breakfast meal. How, you ask? Well, you always opt for a bacon omelette instead of a regular one. Whip the eggs, add in peas, onions, tomatoes, coriander leaves, potatoes and all that you can think of. Pour it in a pan and cook from both sides. Wrap in the streaks of bacon in between and fold it into a half-moon shape.
4. Chicken Breast
Another lean meat apart from turkey that can be suitable for breakfast is chicken breast. You can marinate the chicken in sauces and spices of your choice and grill it on a pan. You can even dip it in panko and make a crunchy chicken sheet. Layer lettuce, onions, tomatoes and other veggies on your toasted bread and top with the chicken breakfast slices. Your open chicken sandwich is ready to devour.
5. Sausages
Made with ground meat, sausages are often flavoured with spices and seasonings. Easy to cook and eat, sausages can be dunked into your sandwiches, made into mini rolls or a breakfast quiche. The crusty base of the savoury pie, filled with pieces of juicy sausage, tomato sauce, red peppers and more can be added to your breakfast spread.