Chilli Bread
If you're looking for a quick, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying snack or starter, look no further than Chilli Bread. This popular Indo-Chinese dish transforms humble bread slices into a fiery, textured delight. It’s a perfect example of how simple ingredients, combined with a burst of Asian-inspired flavors, can create a street food sensation that's loved across India.
Basically Chilli Bread is a stir-fried dish where pieces of bread are tossed in a vibrant, tangy, and spicy sauce with crunchy vegetables. It’s often compared to other Indo-Chinese favourites like Chilli Paneer or Chilli Gobi, but the use of bread cubes gives it a unique texture—crisp edges that give way to a soft, flavorful interior.
The magic of this recipe lies in its swift preparation and easily accessible ingredients. The process typically starts by preparing the bread itself. Bread slices (usually white or brown) are cut into bite-sized cubes. These cubes are then pan-fried, toasted, or air-fried until they are perfectly crispy and golden. This crucial step prevents the bread from turning soggy when it hits the sauce, maintaining a wonderful contrast in texture.
Next comes the star: the chilli sauce base. This sauce is a symphony of contrasting tastes. Aromatics like garlic, and onions are sautéed until fragrant. Then, finely chopped vegetables are added—most commonly bell peppers (capsicum) and sometimes spring onions, which lend a fresh bite and vibrant colour. The heat is provided by green chilies, giving the dish its signature spicy kick.
The quintessential Indo-Chinese flavour profile is built with a mix of sauces. Soy sauce adds a savoury, umami depth, tomato ketchup provides sweetness and tanginess, a touch of red chilli sauce or paste is included for extra fire and colour.
Once the sauce is ready and the vegetables are cooked but still crunchy, the toasted bread pieces are added to the pan. They are quickly and gently tossed to ensure they are coated evenly with the sauce without losing their crispness. A sprinkle of fresh coriander or the green part of spring onions is the final garnish, adding freshness and colour.
The resulting dish is a wonderful blend of textures: the crisp bread, the tender-crisp vegetables, all coated in a sweet and spicy glaze. Whether served as an instant evening snack with a cup of tea or as an appetizer at a party, Chilli Bread is a culinary winner that proves great food doesn't have to be complicated. It's also an excellent way to use up leftover bread, making it a resourceful and budget-friendly recipe. Check out the recipe below.
Ingredients
Bread-6-8 slices cut to cubes
Onion-2 nos finely chopped
Tomato -1-2 nos finely chopped
Garlic-4 nos finely chopped
Green Chilies -1-2 nos finely chopped
Ginger Garlic paste-1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder-1/2 tsp
Tomato sauce-1 tbsp
Red Chilli sauce-1 & 1/2 tsp
Dark soy sauce -1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
Corn flour slurry-1-2 tsps
Coriander leaves -few
Oil-2 -3 tsps
Recipe Video
Method
✍️Take slices of bread (white or brown bread any kind works!) and cut them into small, bite-sized cubes.
✍️The most important step! Fry, toast, or air-fry the bread cubes until they are golden and crunchy. This stops them from getting soggy later.
✍️ Next start by quickly sautéing cumin seeds with chopped green chilies, garlic, and onions.
✍️Add tomatoes and saute well.
✍️Add ginger garlic paste saute for few seconds.
✍️Add Veggies (if using): Toss in crunchy vegetables like bell peppers (capsicum) and spring onions. These are cooked quickly so they stay a little crunchy.
✍️Now add in all sauces .Soy sauce for a savoury, salty taste, Tomato ketchup/ sauce for tang and sweetness, and red chilli sauce for fiery kick .You can add a bit of vinegar too if you like. Add required salt mix everything well.Saute for few seconds.
✍️Add 1/2 cup of water and bring the mixture to a boil.
✍️Add corn flour slurry mix well and allow the gravy to thicken.
✍️Finally, add the crispy bread pieces to the pan. Toss everything quickly until the bread is coated in the delicious sweet and spicy sauce and saute for just 2 minutes.
✍️Garnish with coriander leaves or spring onions. Switch off the gas.
Total Preparation Time-20 minutes
Serves-2-3