Guyanese Brunch

Photo: Allan Ramsarran, Lymin Vybz

This is not so much a blog post as sharing a video.

Wherever I live in the world, I love to make my own twist on my favorite foods using locally available items. A friend of mine here has a show that does just that. Limin Vybz with Allan Ramsarran showcases local foods by not-always-local chefs.

This was my episode and I did my take on brunch in Guyana.

French toast with flambed bananas and poached eggs with mango chutney.

You can watch the episode and then refer to the recipe below.

Enjoy!!

RECIPES

Eggs Caribbean

Toasted bread rounds are topped with mango curry and a poached egg with a garnish of turmeric. Or course eggs are a near perfect food high in protein, good cholesterol and packed with vitamins and nutrients. Although they do have fat and cholesterol, eaten in moderation, they are very healthy especially for vegetarians.

(pre-made toasted bread cut in rounds)

Mango curry ingredients (these are not with measurements because it is really all down to taste. Watch the video and then you can judge better what will work.)

Oil
Just ripe or slightly under ripe mangos peeled and sliced
Onions minced
Hot pepper minced
Pineapple juice
Apple cider vinegar
Salt
Sugar
Masala seasoning

First carmelise the onions to sweeten. Add the hot pepper and mango with the pineapple juice and a splash of water. Add the remain ingredients and simmer until soft. About 15 minutes.

Poached eggs

1-2 inches of water in a shallow pan with vinegar and salt. Bring to a simmer. Do not allow it to boil and put one egg at a time in a cup and then gently in the water to poach. Be careful it doesn’t stick to the bottom. Cook about three minutes. Gently scoop up with a slotted spoon. This takes practice!

Place the bread rounds on the plate, top with a scoop of chutney, place the poached egg on top and garnish with turmeric, which is also an excellent super spice with anti-inflammatory, immunity boosting, antihistamine, antibacterial properties!

Guyanese French Toast

A breakfast classic with a Guyanese twist! Not much healthy about this one, but it is delicious! French toast topped with bananas flamed in a rum caramel syrup.

Ingredients

Oil and butter for cooking
4 slices of bread Bread
2 Eggs
1/2 cup of Milk or soy milk (can substitute apple juice)
1/2 t Cinnamon
1/2 t Vanilla
1/4 c Butter
1/4 c Sugar
2T Rum Rum
2 small bananas sliced (1 large)

Slice the bread into thick slices. Slightly stale bread is best. Crack the eggs and beat with the milk, cinnamon and vanilla.

Dip the bread and soak in the mixture. Allow to sit.

Heat equal parts oil and butter in a pan on low to medium heat. Once it is sizzling, add the bread. Cook 2 minutes aside or until golden brown. Turn and cook the other side.

Place on a plate and cover to keep warm.

Add sugar, water and butter to the pan. Once the sugar has melted, add the sliced bananas and toss to coat. Do not allow the sugar to brown. Once it is bubbly, but before turning, add a splash of 5-year old rum. Carefully, tilt the pan to catch the flame and ignite the rum. Toss the bananas. Once the flame has gone out, top the French toast with the bananas and syrup and serve.