Omelet Chutney Sandwich

The fun part about eating in Bombay is the profusion of fast food. I'm not referring to American institutions, just emphasizing a mind boggling array of easily available snack foods like vada pav, bhelpuri, samosas and Indianized sandwiches to name a few. The list is exhaustive so I will stop at sandwiches. One of my favorites is the chutney tomato cucumber. I could eat it on a daily basis. This was and still is a mid-morning, midday, mid-afternoon, midnight .. really an anytime snack.

This omelet version takes me down memory lane at Contemporary Arts & Crafts. It arrived with the mid-morning tea, the vanquisher of hunger pangs, a light snack hours before my late lunch. The chaiwallah, announced by the rattle of glass cups in a sectioned steel carrier, brought with him warm, brown paper covered sandwiches, the wrapping spotted with melted butter. Quickly opened, the package revealed panfried Britannia bread, slathered with Amul butter, layered with spicy green chutney, thin slices of tomato and a cilantro green chile flecked omelet. Pressed together and diagonally sliced, the sandwich was a promise of gratification, a hunger pacifier, a suitable accompaniment to the cup of tea, boiled with milk and sugar, familiarly known as kadak chai.

 American bread, butter and eggs don't quite taste the same as their Indian counterparts.  I improvise with Pepperidge Farm bread. Real butter, not a substitute. And home made green chutney when I can. The quality of eggs are your preference. Add a tomato or not. You could panfry assembled  sandwiches. I've toasted bread slices for a healthier outcome. Do what you think is best for you.

OMELET CHUTNEY SANDWICH
Makes 4 sandwiches


4 Eggs
2-3 green Chiles
3 tablespoons Cilantro
a large pinch of Salt 
Ground Pepper
1 tablespoon Canola Oil
8 Bread slices
Butter
Green Chutney- homemade (Recipe below) or store bought 
OPTIONAL- Tomato slices

GREEN CHUTNEY
4 green Chiles
2 tablespoons grated Coconut
1 cup Cilantro 
1 teaspoon Sugar
4 tablespoons Lime juice
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt


Grind or blend all ingredients for the chutney till smooth. Do not use water. 

Scrape chutney out into a bowl. Keep covered till you use it.

Break eggs in a bowl and whisk well. 

Mince green chiles and cilantro finely. Add to eggs.

Season eggs with salt and as much ground pepper as you like. 

Heat oil in a nonstick 6 inch saucepan.

Whisk eggs well. 

Add half the eggs to the saucepan and cook till eggs are set, 3-5 minutes. Shake pan as the omelet cooks. Use a spatula to loosen the eggs. Slide cooked omelet on to a plate.

Finish cooking the rest of the eggs in the same pan. Keep omelets warm.

Assemble sandwiches by toasting bread slices lightly.

Butter slices generously.

Spread a thin layer of chutney on 4 slices.

Cut omelets in half.

Fold one half and place on buttered slice. You might have to adjust omelet to fit the bread slice.

Top with chutney slice. Press down gently. 

Cut sandwich in half and eat!

My brain and palate is hardwired to remember olfactory memories. This one is special. It carries joyful reflections from days of yore into the future. 

Pin It