An ode to the Brits: beans on toast, Indian style!

Across the Channel, the Brits are all up in a frenzy about Friday's royal wedding, when Prince William and the lovely Kate Middelton will say "I do". Here in France, there has been no royalty since the Revolution. Liberté, égalité, fraternité are great and all, but this also means no royal weddings and the accompanying national holiday that comes with them. Not only no national holiday, but unlike the Brits who will have a four-day weekend between Friday's wedding and Monday's Labor Day observance, we have no holidays period in May this year since both Labor Day (May 1) and Victory Day (May 8) fall on Sundays and both Ascension and Pentecost fall in June. Quel scandal...a month of May full of work!


In honor of the Brits, the fabulous English breakfast and of course the royal wedding, I decided to make my beloved but admittedly humble and commoner beans on toast...though of course with an Indian twist! Baked beans are hard to come by here in Paris (outside of British, and not surprisingly, Indian supermarkets), but I scored a couple of cans here at the UNESCO commisary, which stocks a random assortment of "foreign" foodstuffs. Sauteed with some onion, ginger and garlic and seasoned with cumin, coriander and chili powders and a bit of garam masala, these were the tastiest baked beans that I've ever had and were such a snap to make! Even Luis, who claimed that he would not eat baked beans, enjoyed them. Served with some toast and ideally eggs and the other English breakfast goodies, this is the perfect breakfast to enjoy Friday morning as you watch the wedding festivities!

Cheers to you, Will and Kate!


BEANS ON TOAST, INDIAN STYLE
Serves 2

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 can (415 grams or 14.5 ounces) baked beans
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
4 slices bread of your choice

1. Heat oil in a small saucepan over a medium flame. Once it is warm, add the cumin seeds.

2. Once the seeds start popping, add the onion, garlic and ginger. Stir well and saute.

3. As the onions become translucent, add the can of beans (undrained).

4. Add the cumin, coriander and chili powders and the garam masala. Stir, reduce heat to low and cook until warmed through (about 5 minutes).

5. Remove from heat and stir in coriander.

6. Toast your bread and serve with the beans and additional coriander as garnish, if desired.