Bread is as versatile as can be, especially in Mumbai, where it is found in many forms. From the kitchens of city restaurants, chefs tell us why and how they are using it to reinvent classic dishes such as the bread pudding, French toast and even Shahi Tukda while also making pull aparts
At Smoke House Deli, city chef Rollin Lasrado takes the famous bread pudding and makes it his own. Photo Courtesy: Smoke House Deli
The city of Mumbai loves its bread. After all, it is home to bread-y treats such as the spicy vada pav and the classic Bombay sandwich. While these are savoury, bread is also a hot favourite with pastry chefs here. “Bread is extremely versatile since it adds texture in different formats from soft to crunchy. It also absorbs liquids well like in a classic French toast,” says chef Rachel Goenka, founder of The Chocolate Spoon Company. For her cookbook Adventures with Mithai (2019), Goenka reimagined the Mughlai dessert ‘shahi tukda’ as cinnamon rolls in a dish called ‘Shahi Tukda Cinnamon Rolls with Rabri Cream’.