Sometimes all I want for lunch is a tasty sandwich, bag of chips and a cold drink. There is just something so satisfying about this simple meal; no fuss, no mess, a perfect traveling companion!
In India, there are so many different street vendors serving up various types of amazing, portable street foods. You want a dosa? Done! You want a masala egg sandwich? It’s there! Are you craving a kati roll, curry & rice, veggie burger or kabob? You got it!
Whatever you’re hearts desire – Indian street food or “Chowpatty” vendors will have something for everyone – vegetarian or non-vegetarian. And the best part? You can spend your entire day just walking up and down the street trying all types of foods from different regions of India and/or other Indian-fusion type of foods. (Maybe I need to work on setting up an international foodie crawl through Spice Culture Cooking one day – what do you think?)
There is one particular type of street food that has become my new favorite. It’s called the “Bombay Frankie.” It’s very similar to the “kati roll” and some people make it with wheat paratha (thick flatbread) or roti, but I prefer it on a simple bread roll or plain white bread. In a nutshell, its a vegetarian sandwich filled with different types of vegetables, sweet chutneys, spicy chutneys, cheese and masala powder. It is then grilled on a pan or put in a panini machine to warm up and slightly melt the cheese – not entirely melt it so it still hold ups in the bread.
All the flavors mesh together in each bite; you get the creamy texture of the semi-melted cheese, the crunch of the veggies and the sweet & spicy flavors of the chutney/sauces in it. It is absolutely the perfect combination in a sandwich. Trust me!
And do you want to know what the best part of the sandwich is? The thinly sliced POTATO! Yes – this little ingredient is what makes the Bombay Frankie even better! In fact, completely perfect!
It’s a very easy sandwich to put together, so I hope you will take some time to try it out for yourself! Like I said earlier; a sandwich + a bag of chips + cold drink = a happy foodie!
BOMBAY FRANKIE
Serves: 1 sandwich
Ingredients:
- 2 slices of bread (white, wheat, or your favorite bread roll)
- 2 thin slices of butter
- Dabeli Sandwich Masala Powder
- 4 thin slices of onions
- 4 thin slices of tomato
- 4 thinlslices of cucumbers
- 4 thin slices of beet roots (cooked)
- 4 thin slices of boiled potato
- few slices of good-quality sharp cheddar OR 2 slices of **AMUL-Brand Indian Cheese
- Chaat masala powder – just a few pinches
- Mint chutney
- Garlic chutney
- Tamarind chutney OR **NIRAV-Brand Hot/Sweet Chutney
- Nylon Sev (Very Thin sticks of Fried Gram Flour)
Instructions:
- Heat a frying pan on stove medium-high heat.
- Take the thin slices of butter and smear on 1 side of each slice of bread, and then take the Dabeli Sandwich Masala Powder and sprinkle a little bit on top of buttered side of each bread slice till it is lightly covered.
- Place seasoned butter side down onto frying pan and then your cheese slices on top of the unbuttered side of the bread. Allow bread to brown slightly and cheese to soften up a bit. (*don’t let the cheese fully melt – may need to lower heat to prevent any bread burning or fast cheese melt)
- Once bread is very light golden brown, turn off stove and remove bread from heat. Place bread on plate for rest of ingredients.
- On each side of bread (cheese side), smear a little bit of mint chutney, and a pinch of chaat masala.
- After you add the chutney, place the the onions, potatoes, and a few smears of garlic chutney, and another pinch of chaat masala.
- Next add the cucumber, tomatoes, beet root, and a few smears of the tamarind or hot/sweet chutney, and another pinch of chaat masala.
- Next sprinkle about 1 Tbsp worth of the Nylon Sev on top and cover with the 2nd slice of bread.
- Cut in Half or Fourths and serve immediately.
I just want you to know that this sandwich will change your life! You will really enjoy the multiple layers of veggies with the cheese, chutneys and masala powders in it. It literally hits all food notes with the sweet, salty, bitter, spicy, sour flavors all in 1 sandwich. This is essentially the coolest, “indian” sandwich out there – haha!
Also – if you don’t want to use regular bread, this recipe can be made with roti or paratha instead. Just layer all the ingredients all around and gently roll it up together so nothing squeezes out. It will taste just as good as the regular bread. It’s a more traditional way of making it – if that’s your preference.
Here are the pics of the masala powders I use for this sandwich…
Here is the Indian Cheese I recommend using, if you have the opportunity to get..
Let me know what you think by tagging me on IG @cmspiceculture or leave a comment below! And if you’ve had the “Bombay Frankie” a different way, let me know! I’d love to try new variations from your suggestions.
Enjoy! :O)
