Bombay Club Sandwich
By Vinny • Apr 24th, 2009 • Category: Recipes
St Xaviers’ College – More than a college a way of life. So says the logo on the T-Shirt presented to me by my niece. I belonged to the Class of 1974. Four unforgettable years spent in one of the finest colleges in India. I could write a book on those years alone but let me not digress right now.
With careful precision he trimmed the edges of two large slices of bread. A little margarine was then smeared on both of them. Out came a steel container of Dhaniya Chutney (cilantro chutney) which was liberally applied on both slices of bread. He then quickly peeled and sliced a boiled potato and placed the slivers on the chutney. Then came the thin slices of cucumber and tomato, A little tomato ketchup was smeared on this before the other slice was placed on top. A sharp knife cut the sandwich into nine squares. He then deftly slid the whole onto a piece of paper and handed it to me with a flourish. Seeing that we did not intend to eat it there and then he gave me another piece of paper to cover it.
As soon as we sat in the train, we picked up the delicious smelling squares and began to eat them. The chilli hot chutney, sweet tomato ketchup and the other ingredients all combined to make a delicious meal which became a staple for us then on.
I have altered and regrouped the ingredients to suit the modern palate. Using three slices instead of two, some lettuce or cabbage, a slice of cheese and of course the dhaniy chutney is very very mild compared to its original. I have added some fries and salad to make it a filling,wholesome meal. Margarine has been substituted with butter. (white bread is substituted with brown bread on request). I have named it the “Bombay Club Sandwich” in memory of the Sandwich Man at Marine Lines.
- Vinny
Vinny is a trained singer and an excellent cook. She has been cooking at home and for the last 32 years and is now a restauranteur. An Army officers wife, she has travelled the length and breadth of India and has been exposed to many of the numerous variations of Indian cuisine. She likes to experiment and is particularly fond of breakfast food and meats.
Email this author | All posts by Vinny
Looks delious and refreshing. Do you have a receipe for the chutney or is it purchased?
The chutney is very easy to make at home and this one is homemade too. All you need is coriander leaves and stems, green chillies if you like it hot, salt, garlic, ginger, salt and sugar to taste and lemon juice for the sourness as well as to preserve the greenness of the chutney. Put all these ingredients into a grinder and grind to a paste. You could add some mint leaves too to offset the coriander.
That sounds delicious Vinny. Isn’t it amazing the memories that food can evoke
I’m a sandwich addict and make a mean one – 40 years of practice! In fact for years only ate sandwiches and a little meat or fish at weekends.
Your sandwich sounds amazing. Thank you.
[...] is the original: Bombay Club Sandwich | Chef at Large – Indian Food Blog Tags: country-inn, face, hanif-laljee, his-food, italy, must-vaquish, niece, [...]
Hey Vinny….looks good and yummy……
can u please let me know how they make the ketchup…..because the store bought ketchup taste different then what the sandwich Man use at their little stall…..
@Jolly: In all probability, that was the cheapest possible tomato ketchup available… which would probably taste different.
Jolly, the fact of the matter is that the tomato ketchup used by the wayside sandwich man is hardly ever made with tomatoes. Pumpkins and “lauki’s” pureed with spices and vinegar along with red food color does the trick. No wonder the end product tastes so different from your regular tomato ketchup
Completely agree with Vinny…remember, a time when the selling point of a leading ketchup brand was “isme kaddu nahin zara”