Green Chutney Sandwich : Bombay Sandwich

If you are ever in Churchgate, Mumbai, and you travel in the local train, when you step outside  the station, in one corner, you will find people flocking, young college going students, working men and women , around a small stall,which at first you may not even notice because of the flock. At a glance you will also notice, the flock is engaged in similar actions and you think, smiling to yourself, birds of a feather.... , and then you see what action it is, plate in one hand (left, mostly- unless that person is a left handed person, then right) and the other hand carrying a small square 'something' to the mouth and enjoying every bite. You are drawn to the flock and then you see what the fuss is all about. It's the sandwichwalla!

This sandwichwalla ( The sandwich stall owner) I am talking about used to ( and maybe he still is there) operate outside Churchgate station and my news is at least 8 -9 years old.

Rapidly preparing sandwiches, he works at a fast and smooth, unfaltering pace, slathering butter on the slices of bread creating a mound in one corner and then quickly laying these slices in a grid and smearing chutney on top. adding the vegetables ( as per customers preference) and slapping the second slice of bread on top and then using a thin but razor sharp knife, deftly cuts it into 8 little squares and slides the whole thing, neatly onto a plate. Using squeeze bottles, squirts ketchup on top and hands it to the hungry and waiting customer.

Walking thru Mumbai, you will find such small stall owners in practically every lane, catering to the hunger pangs of one and all for a small price.

                                  

I have no idea what a simple sandwich costs these days, but I remember, in my college days, it was Rs.5/- and on a student pocket money, it was affordable nutrition.

What made this sandwich so addictive was the spicy chutney, slathered onto a slice of soft buttered bread.

I have a similar version for you today. 

Cilantro chutney:

1 Large bunch, Fresh Cilantro ( leaves and tender stems)

4 Green Chilies ( reduce quantity to suit your preference)

1/2 tsp. Cumin  Seeds

1/2 tsp. Coriander seed powder

Pinch Asafetida

1/2 inch Fresh ginger knob

Salt to Taste

2 Tbsp Lemon juice

Wash the cilantro. Add all the ingredients to the blender/ mixie jar, except lemon juice and blend to a smooth paste, with minimum water.

Remove to a container, add lemon juice and mix it in.

This chutney is versatile and can be used in bhel or sev puri or ragda patties when coupled with meethi (date and tamarind) chutney. 

To assemble the sandwich:

For one sandwich

2 Slices of Bread ( the original uses white sliced bread)

A pat of Butter

Green

 Cilantro Chutney

Fixin's :

Thinly Sliced Cucumber

Thinly sliced Tomato

Thinly Sliced, Boiled Potato

Thinly Sliced Red Onion

Thinly sliced Boiled Beetroot

Dash of Salt and Pepper ( if required)

Tomato Ketchup

Butter both slices of bread.

On one slice, apply the Cilantro chutney ( on both, if you want, but make sure that it does not overwhelm the over all taste it is a dominating taste and the vegetables are plain / raw)

Pile on the fixin's. Choose what you want, but the most common are Cucumber, Tomato and Boiled Potato ( and the ones we almost always have on hand). Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if using.

Place the second slice, buttered side down on top and carefully slice the sandwich into squares or triangles

Serve immediately with ketchup

NOTES: 

Use water carefully when blending the chutney ingredients, you do not want a runny chutney, it makes soggy sandwiches

Mint can be added to the chutney to enhance the flavor ( about 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves)

Cream cheese can be used instead of butter, it alters the taste, but is a nice change

Substitute Whole Wheat sliced bread or a multi grain bread or Ciabatta roll ( as I have used here), instead of white bread

In most Indian stores, you will find a sandwich masala, this can be sprinkled instead of salt and pepper, it is purely optional. 

For a Gluten allergies here is a recipe for Coconut flour bread 

For a Vegan Version, substitute with vegan butter 

These sandwiches make great picnic food.

Just don't assemble and pack them to eat later on! Soggy mess- unappealing! 

We walked this path on Saturday, there was a slight breeze and the sun, mercifully behind a few clouds, in short, nothing to mar my happiness. Bombay Sandwiches for a picnic lunch and this view, priceless! 

P.S: call it Mumbai Sandwich , if you want, either way, it tastes the same! 

Pin It

Finding comfort in a bowl of Rajma Curry

Over a decade ago, one very homesick Delhiite frowned and curled her lip in disdain and declared that Mumbai did not have good food. Pshaw!
And one very surprised Mumbai girl shook here head, vigorously, as if to stop the words from ringing in her ears. Forgive her Lord, she knows not.....
Thus began a quest for 'good food' in Mumbai.


To a Mumbaiite, it seems impossible that someone can make such a bold statement, but I guess one has to make allowances for homesickness and especially, when that person is your best friend.
We began on a quest, we had to find 'good food ' for this home-sick Delhi Girl. We went to various restaurants and experimented with different Choley Bhature, Chana Masala and the like, nothing seemed to get a thumbs up from her. There wasn't even a whiff of a Rajma Chawal or Kala Chana-Chawal on the menu, then, and the poor Girl longed for the comfort food she grew up on. I was at a loss, I had never eaten Rajma- Chawal, my comfort food varied so much from hers. And then, one day, we found this small cafe, tucked away in Vashi ( New Bombay or Navi Mumbai as it is now called) Chaat Cafe. It was bright colorful and inviting. The menu to our delight, had ALL the items a home-sick Delhiite wanted needed. That day, was the first time I tasted Rajma- Chawal. Okay, so I will admit it here, I was not too excited about it, I had ordered me a good ol' chaat platter , the chaat addict that I was (and still am). But we girls loved to share and  a forkful of the  Rajma- Chawal was good enough to convince me why the room suddenly lit up as if,with a 1000 watt bulb! It was my friend's happy face. She had found her comfort food, at last. Needless to say, that was the joint we haunted in sickness and in health.
I haven't been to Chaat Cafe in years, even when I was in India. The magic was when 2 BFF's  went there and made memories.


Today we are far away from each other, separated by time and distance, by a domestic routine so demanding that even a conversation is difficult. And today, I find comfort in Rajma-chawal, just like a very home-sick Delhi Girl once did.


Serves 4-6


1 Cup Rajma / dark red Kidney Beans ( soaked overnight or 8 hours)
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp. Turmeric powder
3Tbsp. Oil
2 Bay Leaves
2 Black Cardamoms
3 medium Onions grated
2 tsp. Ginger paste
1/2 Green chili paste
1/4 tsp. Garlic paste
3/4 tsp Red chili powder
4 large Tomatoes (pureed)
1/2 tsp. Garam Masala
2 Tbsp. Cilantro chopped

Pressure cook the kidney beans with 4 1/2 cups water, salt and 1/4 tsp. turmeric to one whistle. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 mins. Turn off the heat.


Heat 3 tbsp. Oil in a pan for 30 seconds, add bay leaves, black cardamom, onions, ginger, green chili and garlic paste.


Fry until light golden brown. Add 3/4 tsp turmeric and red chili powder and mix well.


Add the pureed tomato and fry until oil separates


Add the cooked kidney beans along with the water and salt to taste, bring it to a boil.


Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes


Add the chopped cilantro leaves and Garam masala. Turn off the heat.


Serve hot over a mound of fluffy Basmati rice ( pickle and papad optional) for a complete meal.

*NOTES:  
I cut the quantity in half, used a can of Kidney Beans and 2 whole peeled tomatoes (Roma) that I blended with some  water.

I used less water than asked for, the resultant curry was  thicker and chunkier, more to my taste.

Ideally this curry is enjoyed when ladeled over hot rice, but we ( M and I) enjoy it with  breads as well ( roti / fulkas and in my case even with  a slice of crusty French Bread)

This memory got me thinking, what is 'good food'? What do you look for in good food? 

Pin It

Coconut Overload ! Okra smothered in coconut. Simplicity and taste.

For the final 3 years of my graduation, we lived in Santacurz, Mumbai. We had moved there from my childhood home in Wadala. I was not very happy about that. I was strongly attached to Wadala and spent my formative years there and  had many memories and found it hard to let go.  On moving to the new place, I promptly fell ill and  in that fevered state of mind, dreamed that I was recovering in my old home. I still could not call the new place home, it just didn't feel like it. I would unfairly compare everything and everyone. I am surprised I ever made friends or the fact that people even looked at me, I looked like a grumpy bear most of the time.

And then, I liked something. To begin with.. there was ( and probably still is) a 'chaatwalla' on the corner from a  Temple ( behind Aarya Samaj, for those who know it) who sold *mind blowing chaat*, hands down the best I'd eaten. My regard for the new place went up just a notch.

Often, a friend and I would walk down a lane ( I cannot recollect the name, but the landmark was near 'Rakhi's Bunglow' and by that I mean Rakhi Gulzar- as in the yesteryear Bollywood actress not any other infamous Rakhi, thank you) and we would feast on the variety of dosas at the street corner there. She and I  were regulars and the bhaiyya  knew just 'how spicy' we needed our dosas. 

These  food haunts were told to me  by my neighbor's son, who was also fond of junk food and that is probably how I  first talked to him. Strange how food is connected to so many emotions. And how food connects people.

There  is this one trait in Indian families and I am sure it is spread across the nation, we like to share good food. 

What I liked about having neighbors (one of the things) is the 'food exchange' that happened. Your neighbor will just knock on the door and hand you a bowl of steaming hot food with a, " I just made this, see how you like it" and pop back home. And then, you make something and give her a sample in her bowl, when you return it.

My neighbor was a home maker and also ran a day care at home. She would often drop in and bring a bowl of something delicious. One day, we got talking and the topic was diverted to vegetables and I mentioned that okra was my favorite. And she came over the next day with a bowl of Okra smothered in coconut, I greedily ate it and loved it. The simplicity and the mild flavors captured my palette. Years later, I made this in my kitchen and no surprise, I still love this version.

 The easy part is you can completely eyeball the ingredients and  it still turns out great!

 

You need: (this is an approximation only)

2 cups chopped Okra

1/2 large Onion chopped

2 Green Chiles ( + / - to taste) slit in the middle  and left whole

Salt to taste

1 tsp. heaped  Cumin powder and Coriander powder- each -

1 Tsp Cumin seed

1/2 cup  Fresh shredded Coconut

2Tbsp Oil

Wash, pat dry and trim the cap and tail end of the okra and  slice into round pieces.

Heat Oil, on medium high, add the cumin seeds, they should sizzle on contact

Add the green chiles , stir fry for  about 15 seconds or so

Add the chopped onion and stir fry to coat with the oil and spices

Once the onion is  translucent, add the okra and  increase the heat to high.

Stir- fry and coat the okra with oil and monitor carefully   to ensure that the okra is not burnt, however, maintain high heat. This will ensure that the okra is not slimy ( though there is a stage when it will look like that and here the high heat will ensure that it goes away)

Sprinkle in the salt , cumin and coriander powder once the okra is cooked. Reduce the heat to med high

Coat the onion and okra in the spice 

Finally add in the shredded coconut and mix well. 

Cook for a couple of minutes till the coconut flavor mingles, but the coconut does not turn brown. 

Serve hot with roti/ fulkas.

Pin It