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Curried browned butter turns plain old toast into something special.
I’m a fan of different types of toast. Avocado toast. Tuna on toast. Even just peanut butter toast makes an appearance on my lunch repertoire some days.
Sometimes toast can become more than just toast. In this case, you start with some good hearty bread and grill it in butter. You can put it in a toaster if you want, but I recommend not.
Then, you spread it with butter. But not just any butter. First, it’s browned in a skillet. Which would be good enough. But then you add curry powder, and something magical happens. In addition to being nutty and toasty, the butter becomes warm and spicy and especially fragrant. Once you make it, you’ll be adding curried browned butter to everything. Seriously, add it to a charcuterie board and watch everyone ask what the unassuming brownish yellow stuff in the corner is.
Once you’ve got your bread and your butter, it’s time to top it with extras. Those would be pan-fried paneer slices. Because nothing makes things better than cheese. But also a sprinkling of pistachio dukkah. If you’ve never heard of dukkah before, it’s nothing more than a nut and seed blend — in this case, pistachios — that is amazing sprinkled on just about everything from toast to pasta to potatoes. I made mine with sesame seeds, coriander, garlic, cumin, and some coarse sea salt, but you can add mint, za’atar, or oregano, and make it with almost any nut you want. It adds crunch and flavor to literally anything.
Now, I know this all sounds a bit complicated for toast. But you can make the butter and the dukkah in advance, and both are good on other things. And if you have them ready, then an amazing, exotic toast can be lunch every day.
Curried Browned Butter Toast with Paneer and Pistachio Dukkah
Curried browned butter adds depth and flavor to plain old toast, especially with additional exotic toppings.
Equipment
- Stainless steel skillet
Ingredients
Curried Browned Butter:
- 4 ounces butter
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
Pistachio Dukkah:
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup pistachios
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Toast:
- 2 slices hearty brown bread not rye or pumpernickel
- 4 thin slices paneer
- Butter for cooking
Instructions
- To make the butter, put butter in a stainless steel skillet over medium low heat. Melt and stir until the butter is well browned and smells very fragrant. Turn off heat, add the curry powder, and stir for about a minute. Transfer to a heat proof dish and let cool completely until butter is solidified, but still spreadable.
- To make the dukkah, put the coriander and cumin seeds in a skillet over medium heat. Toast for a few minutes, stirring, until fragrant and immediately transfer to a food processor or spice grinder. Grind the seeds until powdered and add them to a food processor with the remaining ingredients. Pulse a few times until every thing is combined and nuts are chopped, but still have some larger pieces for crunch.
- To put everything together, melt some butter in a nonstick skillet. Add the bread and toast on both sides until golden brown. Remove from pan.
- Add the paneer slices and cook until browned on both sides.
- Before assembling, everything should be room temperature or very lightly warmed.
- Spread the curried butter on the toast, top with the paneer slices, and sprinkle with the dukkah. Serve immediately.
Notes
Storing leftovers: The butter can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge, while the dukkah can also be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The toast and paneer should be made up before serving.
Pairs well with: Gluten-Free Nut and Seed Bread, A Simple Green Salad
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
