My usual go-to breakfast on any day comprises of bread and butter. A crispy toast slathered with a good amount of butter that melts into it and seeps through the porous holes of the slice is my favourite food. Now bread has a lot of uses, you can make a sandwich with it, dice it and make a delicious snack along with veggies, use it for desserts and much more. The versatile bread is also a great way of coating something. Crushed into breadcrumbs, several of our crispy snacks and quick bites are coated with breadcrumbs and fried to perfection.
Breadcrumbs, for the unversed, are pieces of bread that have been ground and crushed so that they don’t leave large pieces of bread. These are usually made from dried bread that is further broken into minute granules. These are then used for making other dishes. You might confuse them with croutons but they are different because the latter are larger in size than breadcrumbs.
If you think making breadcrumbs at home is a tough job, here are some tips and tricks which will make it easy for you.
1. The Bread Of The Breadcrumb
The best kind of bread to be used for breadcrumbs is the stale bread. Lack of moisture allows the bread to become breadcrumbs quiet easily. The bread should be preferably non-flavoured. Highly-flavoured breads would ruin the taste of the actual dish. You can use sourdough or rye bread for making breadcrumbs. Depending on the kind of recipe you are planning to make, choose the bread ideal for it. Meatball dishes can be paired with Italian bread and more.
2. The Season Of The Breadcrumb
While the most basic way to spruce up your breadcrumbs is to toss them in some salt and pepper, there are other ways to do it too. From Italian seasoning to spicy flavours, breadcrumbs can be spiked with all kind of ingredients like garlic powder, red chilli powder, paprika and more.
3. The Storage Of The Breadcrumb
Not only is it easy to make breadcrumbs at home, it is also super easy to store them for future use. You can freeze them for up to six months in an airtight container and then simply defrost before next use. In case of simple refrigeration, they work well for two-three days.
Now that you have your breadcrumbs ready, why not give these easy recipes a try.
1. Bread Crumbs Cake
This is an eggless cake recipe which is made with breadcrumbs. The cake is filled with the goodness of coconut powder, tutti frutti and nuts, dunked into the cake batter with a few drops of vanilla essence.
2. Fried Prawns In Breadcrumbs
The chunky seafood is coated with a thick layer of breadcrumbs and deep-fried until golden brown. These are then served with a side of tomato ketchup and a creamy dip.
3. Spicy Mutton Chops With Bread Crumbs
Ginger, garlic and green chillies go into the marination of these mutton chops which receive a crispy texture with the help of bread crumbs. These are then fried or baked for a delicious Indian starter.