Recipes: Four of Mumbai’s Best Sandwiches

Photo: Sheena Dabholkar.

Brie and Caramelised Onion Sandwich at Cafe Zoe
INGREDIENTS
• 1 croissant
• 30 grams caramelised onions
• 60 grams Brie
• 3-4 leaves of arugula

INGREDIENTS FOR CARAMELISED ONIONS
• 1 kilogram white onions (peeled and finely sliced, with the cores removed)
• 20 ml refined oil
• 20 grams butter
• 30 ml red wine
• Salt to taste

METHOD FOR CARAMELISED ONIONS
• In a large sauce pan, heat the oil, then add in the butter and the onions. Cook the onions until they start to caramelise, this will take about 45 minutes to an hour. Stir the onions constantly so that they are evenly caramelised and none are burnt.
• Once they have caramelised, add the wine to the saucepan and allow it to reduce.
• When the entire mass of onions is dark brown, add the salt, then remove the pan from the flame and put it to cool on a tray.
• After the onions have cooled, you can refrigerate them until required.

METHOD FOR THE SANDWICH
• Heat the croissant in an oven for a few minutes until hot and flaky.
• Cut through the centre of the croissant to get two halves. Smear the caramelised onions on the flat side of the croissant and place the sliced brie on top of the onions followed by the arugula.
• Close and serve warm.

Photo: Roshni Bajaj Sanghvi.

Alpha Plus Sandwich at Hotel New Sardar
INGREDIENTS
• 100 grams butter, at room temperature
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon coriander leaves, finely chopped
• ½ green chilli, finely chopped
• ¼ cup golden corn kernels, boiled
• 2 slices of bread
• 1 slice cheese

METHOD
• Put the butter, garlic, coriander leaves, chillies and corn in a bowl and mix well.
• Spread this filling on a slice of bread.
• Place a slice of cheese over the filling, and stack the other slice of bread over the cheese.
• Grease a toast press with some butter, place the sandwich in it and close the press firmly.
• Toast over a medium flame until both sides are evenly golden brown.
• Cut into diagonal halves and serve with mayonnaise and spicy ketchup.

Rasta Sandwich at Kala Ghoda Cafe
INGREDIENTS
• 2 slices of whole grain flat bread
• tomato sauce
• mayonnaise
• 1 egg
• mixed herbs (oregano, thyme, parsley and rosemary)
• a mix of chopped tomato, onion, green chilli and coriander with lemon juice (quantity as per personal requirement)

METHOD
• Spread each slice of the bread with a thin layer of tomato sauce and mayonnaise.
• Make an omelette with the egg and mixed herbs.
• Place the omelette, and a generous amount of the tomato-onion-chilli-coriander mix on one slice of the bread and close the sandwich with the other.

Tuna Sesame Sandwich at Smoke House Deli
INGREDIENTS
• 2 slices of pumpernickel bread
• 40 grams butter
• 3 leaves of iceberg lettuce
• 3 leaves of lollo rosso lettuce

INGREDIENTS FOR THE TUNA FILLING
• 85 grams canned tuna
• 10 ml sesame oil
• 2 pods of garlic, chopped and fried
• 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 stalk of spring onion (scallions), chopped
• 1 celery stick, chopped
• 4 grams salt
• 4 grams black pepper

METHOD
• For the filling, place all the ingredients in a bowl, mix them and refrigerate until required.
• Slice the pumpernickel bread in half, spread butter on both the slices and then place the iceberg and lollo rosso lettuce leaves on each of them.
• Pack the tuna filling between the slices. Serve cold.

SEE ALSO
• Mumbai’s 21 Best Sandwiches
• A Day In The Life Of A Mumbai Sandwichwallah