Bread sauce

Ingredients

• 1 whole Bellary onion (Bellary is a variety of onion from South India. Substitute with a medium-sized white or brown onion if unavailable. Peel it but leave it whole.)
• 1 cupful (approximately 240 ml / 1 cup) milk (Use full-fat whole milk for the best flavour and texture.)
• 12 whole peppercorns whole black peppercorns (Use whole peppercorns, not ground. They will be strained out after cooking.)
• 1 pinch (approximately 1/8 teaspoon ground) nutmeg (Use freshly grated nutmeg if possible for the best aroma, or a small pinch of pre-ground nutmeg.)
• 4 whole cloves whole cloves (Use whole cloves. They will be strained out after cooking. You can press them into the onion to make them easier to retrieve.)
• 1 generous handful (approximately 4–6 tablespoons) grated breadcrumbs (Use fine, dry white breadcrumbs. You can make these by grating a stale white bread roll on a box grater. Add enough to reach your desired sauce thickness.)
• 1 spoonful (approximately 1 tablespoon) cream (Use single (pouring) cream or double cream. Stir in just before serving for richness.)

Instructions

1. 1Peel the Bellary onion and leave it whole. Place it in a small saucepan. Pour in the cupful of milk (approximately 240 ml). Add the 12 whole black peppercorns, the pinch of nutmeg, and the 4 whole cloves. Place the pan over low to medium-low heat and bring the milk gently to a low simmer — do not let it boil hard or the milk may scorch. Cook gently, uncovered, for around 20–25 minutes, until the onion is completely soft and pulpy when pressed with a spoon. Keep the heat low throughout and stir occasionally to prevent the milk from catching on the bottom of the pan.
2. 2Once the onion is fully soft and pulpy, remove the saucepan from the heat. Place a fine-mesh sieve or strainer over a bowl or jug. Pour the milk and onion mixture through the sieve, pressing down on the soft onion with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much flavoured milk as possible. Discard the strained solids — the onion pulp, peppercorns, and cloves. You should be left with a fragrant, lightly spiced milk in the bowl or jug.
3. 3Place your grated breadcrumbs into a clean small saucepan or return the cleaned original saucepan to the stove. Pour the strained spiced milk over the breadcrumbs. Stir well to combine. The breadcrumbs will begin to absorb the milk and swell. Add the breadcrumbs a little at a time, stirring as you go, until the sauce reaches a thick, spoonable consistency similar to a light porridge. You may not need all the breadcrumbs, or you may want a little more — adjust to your preference.
4. 4Place the saucepan with the breadcrumb and milk mixture over low heat. Stir gently and heat until the sauce is hot all the way through, about 2–3 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the spoonful of cream (approximately 1 tablespoon). This will loosen the sauce slightly and give it a smooth, rich finish. Serve immediately while hot.