Recipe: the Bombay Sandwich, India's most popular sandwich

Bombay – or as it is currently known, Mumbai – is the driving force of India. It's one of the world's most populated cities, and it's the city where I am from. I am proud to be called a Bombayite or Mumbaikar.

In a city of twenty million-plus people, food plays a significant part. Bombay is known for its street food. Multiple snacks were invented to cater to the fast-paced life of the Bombayite – and now they've become popular across the country, and some parts of the world.

Today I want to teach you the recipe for the Bombay Sandwich. It's a speciality invented in the city; you will find a Sandwichwalla (sandwich seller) at pretty much every street corner. However, we all have our favourite sellers, and there are some famous ones across the length and breadth of the city. My favourite is Jay Sandwich in Bandra (a suburb of Mumbai). Theirs is probably one of the best Bombay Sandwiches you can eat – if not the best.

Here is how you can make your Bombay Sandwich. You need three crucial things:

1) Green chutney. Without this, it is impossible to make it. Click on this link for the green chutney recipe from Jay Sandwich.

2) Sandwich masala. now this can get tricky, but I have a hack for that. Replace sandwich masala with chaat masala. It is quite similar and does the job.

3) Amul butter. Amul is India's largest dairy company. Amul butter has a unique taste, and it differs from the butter you usually eat like Flora or Lurpak. Also, Amul butter is salted from the get-go. So the closest you can get to the taste is to use salted butter.

Bombay Sandwich (or Mumbai Sandwich)

India's most popular sandwich, originating form the city of Mumbai

CuisineIndian

MealAnytime

Ingredients

• Boiled potatoes
• Tomatoes (I like mine without them)
• Cucumber
• Onions
• Capsicum/green peppers/bell peppers (only the green ones)
• Cheese (optional. either go with cheddar or regular sandwich/American cheese)
• White bread
• Green chutney
• Sandwich masala or chaat masala
• Salted butter

Instructions

1. Spread butter on both slices of bread.
2. Spread green chutney on both slices of bread.
3. Start layering with your choice of veggies. Potatoes first, then cucumber, then onions, then capsicum. Sprinkle on some chaat masala after every layer of veggies.
4. Add cheese (if you like).
5. Toast or grill the sandwich. To cook, it you can use a toaster, a panini griller or a table top oven. You could even toast the bread separately and then assemble the sandwich post cooking (but I prefer to do it the first way).
6. Spread a layer of butter on top of the sandwich once cooked.
7. Sprinkle chaat masala on top.
8. Serve with green chutney and ketchup on the side.

Recipe Notes

You can have this sandwich uncooked as well. Just make sure to cut off the crusts from the bread if you eat it uncooked. The vendors serve it on plates made from recycled magazines, as you can see in the photos. For the same experience, rip out some pages from a glossy magazine and serve your sandwich in that.

Recipe by

Shivaum Punjabi