Mumbai Street Sandwich

Since I am yet to taste the same from Mumbai, thought I shall try and make it myself. It is a very healthy sandwich and one can make it even more healthier by substituting brown bread for white. Since ours is an "egg loving" family, I could not avoid it! But what is a healthy breakfast without an egg? Wink! Actually eggs were not a daily affair while growing up. It only became an everyday affair after I got married to an egg crazy individual. Initially I tried to cut down on it but then I realized that it is not an easy job. But those having cholesterol might as well restrict the intake of eggs. For the time being both me and hubby have kept this fiend at the border. 

Eggs can also satiate your hunger. Recently I cut down on eggs to reduce my weight and realized that I was hungrier and always managed to find something to quell it. The result was that I gained weight. Now I am back to eating eggs. Hubby always cites the example of his grandfather who lived (in Kuttanadu) to a ripe age and for whom one or more duck's egg was a must. Guess the duck's egg is healthier than the hen's since it is able to find a whole range of healthy food either in the rice fields or in the backwaters of Kerala. Unlike earlier, the eggs that we get now is that of the broiler chicken fed in captivity.

I adapted the recipe from Spicy Cookery. 

Mumbai Street Sandwich

Ingredients:

• Bread slices – 4nos
• Tomato – 1no (cut into rings)
• Onion – 1no (cut into rings)
• Potato – 1no (cooked & cut into rings)
• Coriander chutney – 4tbsp
• Eggs - 2 cut into rounds (optional)

Coriander Chutney

Ingredients:

• Coriander/ Dhaniya leaves – 1/4 cup

• Grated coconut – 1/2 cup

• Green Chilies – 1 nos

• Ginger – small piece 

• Small onion/ shallots/ cheruulli – 2 nos

• Curd - 1 Tbs  (optional, I used this instead of water to grind)

• Salt – as per taste.

Method:

• Wash the coriander leaves thoroughly. Don’t remove the stems.

• In a mixer, grind all the above ingredients except coriander leaves to fine paste.

• Then add coriander leaves to it & grind properly. 

• Coriander chutney is ready to serve. Preserve the chutney in refrigerator in an air tight container.

 Method:

• Cut sides of the bread slices (4slices). Spread coriander chutney 1tbsp on inner side of 1 bread slice.
• Place 2pieces of onion rings, 2pieces of tomato rings and 2pieces of cooked potato rings and egg pieces over spread coriander chutney.
• Take the 2nd bread slice. Spread coriander chutney 1tbsp on one side of bread slice.
• Place the spread coriander chutney part of bread slice over the vegetables.
• Place it in a toaster & toast bread till both sides of the bread slice turns slightly brown in color or on a pan until both sides are slightly browned.

Braided Bread

I ventured into bread making only recently since I thought it was time consuming, but soon I realized that it was easier than making chapatis! Braided bread lets you have some great fillings and you can get away with some salads to accompany it. The shapes are yet evolve but the taste was fine :)

Braided Bread

Ingredients

1. Flour - 3 cups ( I used 2 cups of all purpose flour and 1 cup wheat flour)
2. Yeast - 2 tspns
3. Milk - 1/2 cup
4- Butter - 2 Tbspn
5. Egg - 2 nos. (optional for vegetarians)
6. Brown sugar - 1 Tbspn
7. Salt - 1/2 tspn


For the filling

1- Onion - 1 sliced finely
2. Garlic - 5 cloves, sliced finely
3. Cheese - any kind ( I used Cream cheese)
4. Mix of herbs - 1/4 tspn each ( I used Oregon, Dill, Methi, Rosemary etc)
5. Tomato paste - 2 tbsn

Method

Warm the milk with butter and dissolve the yeast and sugar in it Leave it until yeast froths. Whisk the eggs into the milk mixture and pour the milk and eggs into the flour and stir with a large spoon, dough whisk, or spatula. If you are using a stand mixer, knead on low for a few minutes, adding flour as needed.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl and make sure to coat the dough with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled in size, about 60 minutes.

Meanwhile stir the onion and garlic in butter or olive oil until brown. Add the herbs and the tomato paste. Leave it aside.

Punch down dough and divide into 4 parts. On a lightly floured mat roll each part as thin as you can and spread the mix. You can either spread the cheese before spreading the filling or mix the cheese with the filling.Now roll each third into a 15-inch rope. Optionally one can cut each rope through the centre but not right through.  Line a baking sheet with parchment and lay 3 ropes on parchment. Braid loosely, pinch ends and tucker under to seal. Cover and let rise in a warm place until very puffy, about 30-45 minutes. Mix 1 tsp water with the tablespoon of reserved egg and brush over braid. Bake at 400F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting.

The fourth roll can be made thus:

Roll the dough to half inch thickness and cut the sides. After spreading the filling, you can braid it. It is very easy!