well well.. the heat is on and my friends are really getting into the grove and sending me the rec's....I received an email with this classic sandwich rec... and a wonderfully written blog post.. Komal is a dear friend, a super mom and a lady in her own way!!!! Truly a Mumbaiitte to the Core of being a Mumbaikar.. her rec is an evidence of how much of Mumbai she has got with her to NJ!!!!!!!! Thanks Komal for being a sport and sending me the rec.. inspite of your hectic routine and long hours of work.........
Love You all.
Ash.
While writing this I was constantly thinking of a way to shorten the title. Ash may not be able to fit the title in, I thought amused. But then thinking a little more, I came to the conclusion that the whole name is a necessity.
Growing up in Bombay, near the famous Girgaon Chowpatty, we enjoyed a lot of street food, albeit the strict warnings of our elders. Forget calories, even basic hygiene was given a backseat when one bit into a tempting, tantalizingly hot samosa or wada pav, or gulped down a pani puri made by a bhaiyya, whose hands had never seen a Wet Wipe. It was here that the line between the rich and the ‘other classes’ was forgotten for a moment. Be it piping hot dosa plates on a stall handed out by ‘Anna’ to the rolled down windows of the cars, or the bicycle rider leaning precariously over the curb and quickly grabbing a bite before going about his daily chores delivering courier, the masses gave in to the dire temptation of this delicious so-called ‘evil’. It was here that I was introduced to this healthy dish, which can be fattened up by adding sliced boiled potato or even made ‘carb friendly’ by adding a slice or two of beetroot. I always chided my best friend M, that she used to take it apart, because she had braces and could not eat it whole. I used to say ‘Ur doing a post-mortem of it’. But the best part is (for all you calorie counting, picky eaters) its downright ‘yummy for the tummy’. And the icing on the cake is, it can be made with whole wheat bread and would taste just as delicious.
Here’s the ultra uber simple recipe:
`1 thinly sliced cucumber (round slices)
1 thinly sliced tomato (round slices)
1 boiled beetroot (slice the round part into two if its too big)
1 boiled potato (you can omit this, I love it)
Round slices of onion (onion rings style)
Chaat masala(for the real tapri taste)
Pepper powder (for those who don’t like chaat masala, or coupled with chaat masala)
Slices of bread (preferably white, I use whole grain white or wheat)
Coriander chutney (recipe given below)
Butter (Amul or any low fat butter does the trick)
Take 2 bread slices and slice off the edges if you don’t like them on. Then slather the butter and chutney (in that order) generously on both sides.
On one slice, spread a layer of each vegetable with a sprinkling of chaat masala and pepper powder, salt (optional as chaat masala is salty) and cover with the other slice.
Careful during this part:
Slice the sandwich while holding the sandwich together (clamping your hand on top of it, and the knife under your hand),four ways. 2 sharp cuts should do the trick. It gives you 4 neat tiny sandwiches, just enough to fit into your mouth.(I have always marveled at the skill of the tapriwala to slide the stuffed sandwich off his table, onto the plate, without spilling the veggies, and am close to perfecting it.)
You can serve it with chutney and ketchup on the side or on top, according to each person’s preferences.
Chutney recipe: Grind a handful of cleanly washed coriander leaves(with stalks, as I never let the stalks go to waste), along with 2 cloves of garlic(optional, gives an extra kick though),a slice of ginger ,2 green chilies, according to your spiciness tolerance level, and a sprig or 2 of mint (pudina). Be careful not to add too much water though, as it should be spreadable on the bread and not run or it will make the bread soggy. Enjoy this little piece of healthy streetside snack with a hot cup of tea and it will certainly brighten up your day.
Komal N.
Love You all.
Ash.
Tapri Style Indian Veggie Sandwich.
While writing this I was constantly thinking of a way to shorten the title. Ash may not be able to fit the title in, I thought amused. But then thinking a little more, I came to the conclusion that the whole name is a necessity.
Growing up in Bombay, near the famous Girgaon Chowpatty, we enjoyed a lot of street food, albeit the strict warnings of our elders. Forget calories, even basic hygiene was given a backseat when one bit into a tempting, tantalizingly hot samosa or wada pav, or gulped down a pani puri made by a bhaiyya, whose hands had never seen a Wet Wipe. It was here that the line between the rich and the ‘other classes’ was forgotten for a moment. Be it piping hot dosa plates on a stall handed out by ‘Anna’ to the rolled down windows of the cars, or the bicycle rider leaning precariously over the curb and quickly grabbing a bite before going about his daily chores delivering courier, the masses gave in to the dire temptation of this delicious so-called ‘evil’. It was here that I was introduced to this healthy dish, which can be fattened up by adding sliced boiled potato or even made ‘carb friendly’ by adding a slice or two of beetroot. I always chided my best friend M, that she used to take it apart, because she had braces and could not eat it whole. I used to say ‘Ur doing a post-mortem of it’. But the best part is (for all you calorie counting, picky eaters) its downright ‘yummy for the tummy’. And the icing on the cake is, it can be made with whole wheat bread and would taste just as delicious.
Here’s the ultra uber simple recipe:
`1 thinly sliced cucumber (round slices)
1 thinly sliced tomato (round slices)
1 boiled beetroot (slice the round part into two if its too big)
1 boiled potato (you can omit this, I love it)
Round slices of onion (onion rings style)
Chaat masala(for the real tapri taste)
Pepper powder (for those who don’t like chaat masala, or coupled with chaat masala)
Slices of bread (preferably white, I use whole grain white or wheat)
Coriander chutney (recipe given below)
Butter (Amul or any low fat butter does the trick)
Take 2 bread slices and slice off the edges if you don’t like them on. Then slather the butter and chutney (in that order) generously on both sides.
On one slice, spread a layer of each vegetable with a sprinkling of chaat masala and pepper powder, salt (optional as chaat masala is salty) and cover with the other slice.
Careful during this part:
Slice the sandwich while holding the sandwich together (clamping your hand on top of it, and the knife under your hand),four ways. 2 sharp cuts should do the trick. It gives you 4 neat tiny sandwiches, just enough to fit into your mouth.(I have always marveled at the skill of the tapriwala to slide the stuffed sandwich off his table, onto the plate, without spilling the veggies, and am close to perfecting it.)
You can serve it with chutney and ketchup on the side or on top, according to each person’s preferences.
Chutney recipe: Grind a handful of cleanly washed coriander leaves(with stalks, as I never let the stalks go to waste), along with 2 cloves of garlic(optional, gives an extra kick though),a slice of ginger ,2 green chilies, according to your spiciness tolerance level, and a sprig or 2 of mint (pudina). Be careful not to add too much water though, as it should be spreadable on the bread and not run or it will make the bread soggy. Enjoy this little piece of healthy streetside snack with a hot cup of tea and it will certainly brighten up your day.
Komal N.
