Category: Sandwiches

• 

Memories of evenings spent going for long walks with friends are still fresh in my mind. It was a daily ritual wherein we caught up with each other’s day and more important the freshest nuggets of gossip doing the rounds. One part of our ritual was the important decision as to which streetside vendor we would be eating at that day. In cities that have vibrant sidewalks and citizens being able to walk or take public transportation, one always finds these street vendors selling local versions of the fast food, indigenous to that area. Usually Ma and Pa ventures, they are quick, cheap and delicious. In Mumbai, I remember them being great meeting points where people from all walks of life gathered for a quick, tasty bite or sometimes even lingered, striking up conversations with complete strangers. Such equalizers, they were woven into the social fabric, bringing a sense of community to the area and performing an important task for society as a whole.

When I look back now, I am amazed at how the vendor remembered how you liked your food done; more /less spicy, to go/eat in, more/less chutney etc etc. He never had any notes, hundreds of people visiting his stall daily but still managed to make it just the way you wanted it. The business model itself was one larger ones could learn from. Every transaction flowed seamlessly with food and money being exchanged without much being said and no paper trail, whatsoever.

One of the street vendors we went to a couple times a week was the “Sandwich wala”. He sold his food on a cart he wheeled around. Soft white bread, slathered with butter and chutney, piled high with thinly sliced cucumbers, beets, boiled potatoes, onions and tomatoes served with a dollop of ketchup. Ahhh heaven! This later evolved into a Panini style sandwich with boiled potatoes, onions and fresh spices topped with grated cheese, made in this triangular contraption that he held over a coal burning stove. Delicious!!

Today I share with you my version of the Bombay sandwich that can easily be made in a Panini Maker or even on a frying pan, unless some of you like me, own this contraption.

Ingredients

8 slices of any soft sandwich bread

Butter

1 cup Grated cheese

Filling:

2 potatoes, boiled, peeled and diced small

1 onion finely chopped

1 tablespoon Coriander powder

1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika powder or red chili powder

1 teaspoon Dry mango (amchur) powder or juice of 1/2 lemon

1 Serrano pepper, de seeded and finely chopped

2 tablespoons Cilantro finely chopped

*3/4 teaspoon Chaat Masala

Salt as needed

Chutney:

**4-5 Frozen or Fresh Gooseberries, seeded.

1 cup Cilantro

5-6 Mint Leaves

2 Serrano chillies

1 inch piece Ginger

2 pods Garlic

Salt as needed

Mix all the ingredients for the filling well and keep aside.

Blend all the ingredients for the chutney.

Start with applying butter to all the slices of bread first, then a little chutney on only half of them. Next pile on enough of the potato mix onto the slice with the chutney, top with cheese and close with a buttered slice. Now spread a little butter on the top of the bread too before placing it in the panini maker as per instructions.

If using a frying pan,on a medium flame, butter the pan, lay the sandwich in it, place a small flat metal dish on it with a weight to press it down. Flip once so that both sides are nicely browned and the cheese has melted.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with a simple side salad in a vinaigrette dressing and some more of the chutney and ketchup as a condiment.

Wine Suggestion

I served it with Alesmith Brewing Company India Pale Ale with bold citrus and pine flavors and a nice bitter finish which complemented the spiciness of the potatoes and the chutney, beautifully.

As always there is no right or wrong way to cook or serve, just your way!

Happy Cooking!!

*Chaat masala is a special dry powder mix made with a variety of spices, tangy and spicy at the same time. available in all Indian stores.

**Gooseberries are easily available frozen in all Indian stores.