Bombay Sandwich

If you have been to Mumbai aka Bombay, then you have most likely not missed this Indian street delicacy. Indian street food is a classic experience on its own, cheap, delicious and quick, the three factors that make street food so popular in India. Not to mention every state and every city boasts of its own delicacies…Chole kulche and the chaats of Delhi, Jhaal muri, Puchkas and Kolkata Egg rolls of Kolkata, Pohe, Jalebi and Kachoris of MP and Rajasthan, Kotthu Parota and Idlis of Chennai, Masala Dosas, Masala Puri and Akki Rotti of Bangalore and the list goes on and on. The list is endless actually 🙂

Mumbai, I would say started out as the capital of street food. There are the chaat varieties such as bhel puri, dahi puri, kachori, dahi puri and sev puri, the vada pav and pav bhaji, the kebabs and chicken tikka rolls, the sandwiches and endless list of milk shakes.

A long time back when I had visited Mumbai for a small medical procedure at Nanavati hospital I stayed with a family friend of ours. It was a longer stay than a typical vacation. On a cool breezy evening I remember going out shopping and stopping to grab a bite somewhere near the VT train station. That was my first experience of this amazingly delicious fresh veggie sandwich. What’s more, the sandwich wallah bhaiyya (brother who made sandwiches) was kind enough to customize my sandwich for me. Ever since I have eaten this sandwich multiple times, but somehow that first experience still stays fresh in my mind.

Recreating this magic today in my kitchen, far away from Mumbai 🙂

Delicious Bombay Veggie Sandwich

You will need:
2 Slices of Bread (Here I have used wheat bread, you can use a bread of your choice, white sandwich bread works best)
Butter for toasting
Green Chutney
Tomato Slices
Bell Pepper or Capsicum Slices
Potato Slices (Boil the potato, peel and slice into thick slices)
Cucumber slices
Onion slices
Chopped cilantro or coriander leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Sev for garnishing

Method:
The pictures are self descriptive. Once you have the green chutney ready and the veggies sliced, all it takes is 5 minutes to put it together.

For the green chutney:
Green Chutney – Combine 1 bunch of Mint leaves, a handful of Spinach leaves, 1 bunch Cilantro, 1 medium tomato, 1 small onion, 1 small Garlic(optional), 15 to 20 green chillies, ginger and salt to taste. Blend into a smooth paste and keep aside. This green chutney stores in the refrigerator for atleast 1 week.

1. Butter the insides of 2 slices of bread and spread the green chutney evenly on the insides. Layer tomatoes and cucumbers.

2. Then layer with, sliced bell pepper, boiled potato slices, onions and chopped cilantro.

3. Close with the other slice, spread some butter or ghee on the top of the sandwich and toast in a panini press or a sandwich maker. If you don’t have either gadget you can toast on a griddle or tava. Toast both sides until golden brown.

4. Serve hot topped with sev and ketchup (optional).

Simple and delicious Bombay sandwich, great for an evening snack or dinner is ready!!

Happy cooking all!!

Found this interesting article called “A day in the life of a Mumbai Sandwichwallah“. It’s amazing how hard people work. You will never see this kind of customer service and business precision in any large corporation!! Hope you enjoy reading this article!

Also, you might like other sandwich recipes on my blog:
Grilled Veggie Sandwich
Iyengars Bakery Style Sandwich
Paneer and Potato Paninis

Thank you for visiting.