Golden Bombay Sandwich With Cilantro-Mint Chutney Recipe

If you have walked the busy streets of Mumbai, India, then no doubt you are familiar with a Bombay sandwich. And if you haven't, this is your golden opportunity to experience this extremely popular marriage of bright fresh vegetables and flavor-packed chutney for lunch or dinner without leaving your home. This nutritious and savory sandwich features tender potatoes, crunchy raw vegetables, a tangy homemade chutney, and crispy, buttery, golden toasted bread. With each bite, you get a tasty combination of textures and a touch of pungent flavor from the popular Indian spice blend, chat masala.

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "I love to expose my family to foods from all cultures. My favorite part about this sandwich is the bold flavor of the chutney. The fresh herbs, spicy jalapeño, and strong aromatics elevate this vegetarian sandwich to anything but ordinary." Pull out your cast iron skillet and get ready to sear up a taste of India that will leave you nourished and satisfied.

To make this recipe, start in the produce aisle and pick up a russet potato, cilantro, mint, a green chile, garlic, ginger root, lemon, cucumber, red onion, green pepper, and tomato. "Feel free to substitute a Yukon gold potato for the russet potato and if you like extra spicy food, go for a serrano chile pepper.

Along with your bread of choice, you'll need butter, avocado oil, salt, pepper, and chat masala. If you don't have chat masala on hand and want to make it with individual spices, use a mix of cumin, coriander, ginger powder, ground fennel seeds, salt, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. For serving, make sure you have ketchup on hand as an optional condiment.

Put the potato in a medium-sized pot, cover it with water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 15-20 minutes.

While that is cooking, make the chutney by combining the cilantro, mint, green chile, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and 3 tablespoons of water in a food processor. Blend until smooth.

Test the potato to see if it is tender by inserting a fork. It should insert and release easily.

Slice the potato into ⅛-inch slices.

Butter one side of the bread slices.

On the unbuttered side, spread some of the chutney on one slice of bread per sandwich.

Now add sliced potato, cucumber, red onion, green pepper, and tomato, and top with a pinch of chat masala. Place the other bread slice on top with the buttered side on the outside.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large skillet and bring heat to medium.

Add one sandwich to the oil and cook for 5 minutes on each side till golden. Repeat with the second sandwich.

Serve the Bombay sandwich with more chutney and ketchup if desired.

In 1995, the city of Bombay, which had evolved into a commercial business hub, was renamed Mumbai. Street vendors capitalized on the fast-paced lifestyle in the newly-named city and created meals that were easy to eat on the go, delicious, and affordable. A large portion of the population lives a vegetarian lifestyle, and the Bombay sandwich reflects this veggie-forward way of life, which highlights local produce.

The sandwich is known for its use of a green chutney made with cilantro, mint, green chiles, and lemon, which together deliver a dose of freshness with a tangy taste. Two other characteristics of the Bombay sandwich add to the uniqueness of this popular street food: sliced boiled potatoes along with a sprinkling of chat masala.

Over the years new variations have emerged straying from the original version. You will see varieties made with cheese, non-vegetarian versions with meats, or grilled versions like we are bringing you today. The people of Mumbai enjoy the social aspect of casually eating on the busy streets to build community, and the Bombay sandwich has become a big part of that lifestyle.

The traditional method of cooking the potato for the Bombay sandwich is to boil it whole as we do in this recipe. However, this can pose a couple of issues. It's hard to know when the potato is done all the way through, you can't season it while it's cooking, and boiled potatoes tend to be on the soft side. In today's modern kitchens, there are many alternative ways to cook this key ingredient that you may find easier.

If you slice the potato before you cook it, and bake it in the oven rather than boiling it, you can add more flavor while it cooks. "I like to brush it with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to really bake in the seasoning. At that point you can roast it in the oven at 400 F for about 30 minutes, or broil it for about 15 minutes, keeping a close eye so they don't burn," Hahn shares.

Additionally, if you have an air fryer, you can lay the sliced and seasoned potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 400 F for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway. Cooking them on the stovetop also works. Just add some oil to a large cast iron skillet and cook them on medium-high heat for about 20 minutes. These alternative methods also let you crisp up the potatoes and add a crunchy element to the sandwich.