Vegetable Masala Bread

A TREAT FOR DENIS

Theme: ReDo Old Posts BM#85

Week 4 Day 3

26/02/2018
   Sandwiches in any form make a great snack for a peckish tummy, as a light meal at night or a great brunch treat. Can't imagine what the world would do without the humble bread. Eat it on its own with tea, layer it butter or fill it with vegetables, leftovers, meat, practically anything. This particular recipe I dedicate to Denis, Namrata's first friend in Bangalore when she started her textile design course at NIFT. We had just moved into a rented apartment near the college and the kitchen was not fully functional. Denis was coming home to help us settle in and the only thing I could make at that time were masala sandwiches and of course we were dying to try out our new sandwich toaster. The number of triangles he went through with the famous maggi sauce left me baffled.Whenever I make these sandwiches I remember him. So Denis this one is for you.

   Masala sandwiches are ever so popular in most Indian homes. When I was young, back then there were no electric sandwich makers. The popular 'sandwich chamo' as my mum called it was used. We were a huge family so luckily my mum had 2 of these chamos. I would help her to butter the slices and fill the masala. My mum would then grill the sandwiches over the gas burners. My brother and sister in charge of taking the sandwiches to the table and bringing back the empty plate. 

   When the electric sandwich makers came out, I bought one as with 3 growing kids it was the easiest. Add any filling and a snack would be ready in no time. Nowadays though I have the sandwich maker I still love making them in the sandwich chamo or sandwich maker or toasties as they are called. In India we can get square ones, round ones and also ones with ridges to give that authentic grilled lines on the sandwiches. I usually make these vegetable sandwiches for dinner and serve it with a good helping of salad. One of my all time favorite snacks. 

image copied from Google

VEGETABLE MASALA SANDWICH
Makes 6 sandwiches or 12 triangles


½ cup boiled peas
½ cup peeled and diced carrots
½ cup peeled and diced potatoes
¼ cup cooked corn kernels
¼ cup chopped fresh coriander
½ cup finely chopped onions
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
¼  tsp clove powder
1 tsp coriander powder
¼  tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp ginger paste
½ - 1 tsp chilli paste
12 slices of  white or brown bread
butter to spread on the slices

1. Heat oil in a medium size pan over medium heat. 
2. Add mustard  and cumin seeds. When it begins to splutter, add the chopped onions.
3. Stir fry the onions till they are light pink.
4. Add the carrots, potatoes,salt and turmeric powder. Reduce the heat to a low setting.
5. Cover the pan and let the vegetables cook till done.
6. Add the peas, corn, sugar, ginger and chilli paste and mix well. Remove from the heat.
7. After it cools down a bit, add the fresh coriander,lemon juice, cinnamon, clove and  coriander powder. Mix well. Adjust the taste of the masala according to your taste.
8. Butter the slices of bread on one side.
9. Place a slice of bread on each side of the toaster. Put the filling on it. Cover with another slice of bread. Close the toaster. Toast the bread till it becomes light brown. 
10. Serve the masala sandwich with tomato ketchup, chilli sauce or green chutney.

Tips:

• Can use leftover vegetables e.g. dried potato sabji to make these sandwiches. 
• Using the traditional sandwich maker makes the sandwiches more crunchier.
• If you add cinnamon and clove powder to vegetables when they are hot, it makes it appear brown. Best to add it when the vegetables are a bit cool.
• Scraps of bread will be leftover if you're using the traditional toaster. Make breadcrumbs or stir fry them to make masala bread.

You may want to check out other snacks:

masala bread

Iyengar Bakery Style Khara Buns

Vegetable Masala Buns

watermelon bruschetta

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