Spicy Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

During the monsoon, you are sure to crave for something hot, something spicy and something that is filling as well. This sandwich recipe is very handy and is sure to please your appetite. Its super simple, super tasty, super colorful and super healthy.

Onions and tomatoes, some bell peppers and a touch of garlic and other spices - coupled with slices of sandwich bread is all you need to make delicious spicy vegetable sandwich. I used a grill sandwich maker to prepare the sandwiches. Its a great comfort food that is super tasty as well as healthy. 

Enjoy the sandwiches with dum chai, and what else you need on a cold winter day. 

There are two ways you can make these sandwiches. I am sharing both 'Method 1' and 'Method 2' recipes here. Method 2 is easier than Method 1.

Method 1:

Ingredients:

Premium white sandwich bread - 4 slices 

(can substitute wheat bread, multi grain bread etc)

Ghee (clarified butter) - 4 tablespoons (optional)

Onion - 2 - big

Red ripe tomatoes - 4

Green bell peppers - 1

(can substitute yellow, orange, red bell peppers of your choice or use a combination)

Jeera (cumin) - 1 teaspoon

Salt as required

Turmeric powder - half teaspoon

Green chilli - 1 ( adjust heat as per taste)

Grind the following to a coarse paste:

Garlic - 6 pods

Coriander powder - 2 teaspoon

Red chilli poweder - half teaspoon

Handful of washed mint and coriander leaves (optional)

Tomato - 1

Salt - half teaspoon

Sugar  1 teaspoon

Grind to a coarse paste. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a kadai and add the ground paste and fry for a minute. Turn off heat and allow the content to cool.

Procedure:

Chop the onions, bell peppers and tomatoes.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add cumin seeds and green chilli.

Add onions and bell peppers and sprinkle very little salt. Fry for two minutes.

Add tomatoes and turmeric powder. Allow the content to heat.

Add a tablespoon of the ground paste.

Mix well and cook until most of the moisture is absorbed.

Turn off heat and allow it to cool.

Adding chopped coriander leaves to this mixture is optional.

Preparing the sandwiches:

Preheat the grill sandwich.

Drizzle ghee and place two slices of bread.

Spread a tablespoon of prepared vegetable mixture.

Top it with the bread slices and drizzle ghee on top.

Close the lid and cook for approximately 2 minutes, or until the bread is well toasted.

You can use any kind of sandwich maker. Or even a regular non stick tawa. Just flip the sandwich to toast both sides.

Cut the toasted vegetable sandwich diagonally and serve it hot with ketchup/tomato sauce.

The left over ground paste can be preserved in fridge for later use. Can also be added to any vegetable curry.

Method 2 (the easier version)

Ingredients:

Premium white sandwich bread - 4 slices 

(can substitute wheat bread, multi grain bread etc)

Ghee (clarified butter) - 4 tablespoons (optional)

Onion - 2 - big

Red ripe tomatoes - 5

Green bell peppers - 1

(can substitute yellow, orange, red bell peppers of your choice or use a combination)

Jeera (cumin) - 1 teaspoon

Salt as required

Turmeric powder - half teaspoon

Green chilli - 1 ( adjust heat as per taste)

Garlic - 5 pods

Coriander powder - 2 teaspoon

Red chilli poweder - half teaspoon

Handful of washed mint and coriander leaves (optional)

Salt - half teaspoon

Sugar  1 teaspoon

Procedure:

Chop onions and bell peppers length wise. Chop the tomatoes and mince the garlic.

Heat oil in a kadai, add cumin seeds.

Add onions, bell peppers and green chilli and minced garlic pods and saute until onions are cooked well.

Add tomatoes and allow the content to boil.

Now add red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and sugar. Mix well and cook until most of the moisture is absorbed. Turn off heat.

Mix in the greens if you prefer.

Preparing the sandwiches.

Its the same as Method 1.

Preheat the grill sandwich.

Drizzle ghee and place two slices of bread.

Spread a tablespoon of prepared vegetable mixture.

Top it with the bread slices and drizzle ghee on top.

Close the lid and cook for approximately 2 minutes, or until the bread is well toasted.

You can use any kind of sandwich maker. Or even a regular non stick tawa. Just flip the sandwich to toast both sides.

Cut the toasted vegetable sandwich diagonally and serve it hot with ketchup/tomato sauce.

Vegetable Burger with Potato Patty Indian style

Who doesn't love potatoes?? In this recipe, aloo/potato has taken a shape of a patty. Just one full burger with this patty is good enough to fill your stomach. We had tomato soup to go with this burger for lunch and it became a wholesome meal and for at least the next 3 full hours, we din't feel a bit hungry. 

There are many versions of vegetable burger depending upon the fresh vegetables used and the type of patty used which can be either a mixed vegetable patty, aloo tikki, simple potato hash browns or a even a simple aloo patty that is lightly spiced. 

Coming to the recipe, for this vegetarian burger, I have prepared a potato patty that is mildly spiced with Indian flavours. Its quite simple and tasty too. These patties are a great party starters that can be served hot with ketcup. 

If you have the boiled potatoes ready, the total time to make the patty and assemble the burger ingredients and build the burger tower just takes around 20 to maximum 30 minutes. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients for potato patty:

Boiled and peeled Potatoes - 4 medium sized

Red onions - 2 medium sized - finely chopped

Fresh ginger - finely cut - 2 tablespoons

Cooked peas - 1 handful (optional)

Oil to fry onions - 1 tablespoon

Oil for shallow frying the patties

Salt as required

Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon

Green chilli - 1 finely minced

Coriander leaves - handful - finely cut

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Chaat masala powder - 1 teaspoon

Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - one pinch

Bread crumbs - 4 to 5 tablespoons

Ingredients for Burger:

Burger buns - 4

Butter to toast the burger buns (optional)

Mayonnaise

(I used store bought eggless mayonnaise)

Tomato ketchup

Sliced Tomatoes

Sliced Cucumbers

Onion cut into rings (optional)

Green lettuce or Red lettuce

(I used red lettuce)

Cheese slice (optional)

Method:

Prepare the aloo patties:

Grate the boiled potatoes and transfer to a mixing bowl. 

Add salt, pepper powder, finely minced green chillies and finely cut coriander leaves.

Mix well using a fork. Keep it aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Temper cumin seeds. Add the finely cut onions and ginger.

Fry for a minute and add turmeric powder, salt, chaat masala powder, and garam masala powder.

Note: If onions are not used, then, all of the ingredients that are added to the onions (except oil) can be directly added to the potato mixture.

Turn off heat and add it to the potato mixture.

Add a tablespoon of bread crumbs and mix well.

Take a handful of this potato mixture and make a ball. Press on top to shape it like a patty.

Dip in a plate of bread crumbs generously both sides and arrange them in a plate.

Heat at least 4 tablespoons of oil in a wide bottomed non stick fry pan.

Place the patty and cook on both sides until its browned. 

Make sure the patties are handled carefully as it can break apart.

Carefully arrange the cooked patties in a plate and cool them.

Build the burger tower:

Toasting the burger bun is optional.

Place the bottom side of the burger.

Apply mayonnaise. Place the lettuce.

Place one big aloo patty. 

Top it with cheese slice (if using), sliced tomatoes and cucumbers and onions too.

squeeze some tomato ketchup and close the burger tower with the top side of the burger bun.

Serve it with french fries and/or soup and/or salad. 

Tri color Bell Pepper and Paneer Burji Grilled Sandwich

When it comes to comfort food, sandwiches are the best. Few slices of bread, a couple of vegetables that can be roasted and some seasoning will do. In just few minutes, you can cook up a sandwich that is healthy, tasty, colorful and wholesome. 

There are days when I don't feel like having regular rice for lunch. Those days, I would keep my lunch simple. Just a one pot meal like vegetable pulao, a sandwich or a soup will do. I pair my sandwich with soup when I use raw vegetables for my sandwich. This tri color capsicum/bell pepper and paneer burji that I used as a stuffing for my sandwich  is well cooked and can be paired with raw vegetables like sliced onions, chopped cucumber and sliced tomatoes. 

Few people have a flair for Ketchup. They have the habit of squeezing a dollop of ketchup on any bread based food like pizza, sandwich etc. This sandwich can also be served with ketchup. I have tossed in some crumbled paneer to the roasted vegetables for an extra protein kick, so that will keep me full for a long time.

There is no onion and garlic in the recipe. Adding them is optional. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

Green capsicum/bell pepper - 1

Yellow capsicum/bell pepper - 1

Red capsicum/bell pepper - 1

Roma tomatoes/ B'lore variety Tomatoes - 2

Crumbled paneer - half cup - (preferably homemade, I just squeezed 1 lemon in boiling half liter milk to make paneer)

for seasoning,

Jeera / cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Finely chopped green chilles  - half tablespoon

Red chilli powder - half teaspoon

Granulated white sugar - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - half teaspoon

Salt to taste

Oil for seasoning

Chopped coriander leaves - handful (optional)

for sandwich,

Ghee / clarified butter - 2 tablespoons

White bread slices - 4

Sandwich maker

Method:

Dice the tomatoes and the bell peppers/capsicum and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add Jeera and finely minced green chillies. 

Add tomatoes and fry until it becomes mushy and water is almost absorbed.

Add the capsicum/bell pepper and fry for a minute.

Add turmeric powder, salt, sugar, red chilli powder and saute the capsicum for a couple of minutes. Do not overcook the capsicum.

Turn off heat and mix in the crumbled paneer and coriander leaves.

This burji can be used as a side for rotis and also as a stuffing for parathas. I have used it as a stuffing for my sandwiches.

For making sandwich, 

allow the content to cool. Heat up a sandwich maker. Preferably a grill sandwich maker.

Alternatively, you can use a grill tawa or even ordinary tawa to toast the bread.

When the sandwich maker is preheated, place a slice of bread.

Spoon in some burji and spread it across evenly.

Lay another bread slice on top and drizzle a spoon of ghee.

Close the lid and toast for a couple of minutes, until the bread slices are toasted golden.

Turn off heat and transfer it to a plate.

Using scissors/kitchen shears half the sandwich.

Serve it hot with ketchup and some chopped onions, cucumber etc.

Sandwich ideas:

1. Use your favorite vegetables. Thinly sliced capsicum, onion and even eggplant will be fantastic.

2. Place a cheese slice and let it melt with the vegetables when pressing the sandwich.

3. Use masala powder like paav bhaaji masala or kitchen king masala or any masala powder of your choice for seasoning instead of red chillie powder and green chillis.

4. Use brown bread if you are diet conscious, but white bread tastes best.

Grilled Apple Cheese Sandwich

Here is a wonderful kids friendly sandwich that hardly takes a couple of minutes to prepare. I have grilled plain bagel with mozzarella cheese. You can substitute your favorite bread or bagel instead of plain bagel and your favorite cheese in the place of mozzarella. It's a healthy breakfast choice for busy moms.

Ingredients:

plain begal (mini or regular) - 1
Apple slices - 2 flat slices
Mozzarella cheese - 1 tablespoon
Cinnamon powder - 2 pinches

Method:

Cut the bagel into 2 parts.

Place one apple slice.

Sprinkle a pinch cinnamon powder around the apple slice.

Place the mozzarella cheese.

Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon powder over the cheese.

Place the other slice of apple.

Top it with the other bagel part.

You can either toast or grill the sandwich.

Grill the sandwich using an electric grill for one minute.

If you have a regular flat griddle, place the sandwich and press on top to toast it. Toast the other side too.

Poke a toothpick so that the apple slices stays in place.

Enjoy the sandwich. You can drizzle honey on top of the sandwich to satisfy your sweet tooth.

This is my entry to Sandwich festival 2008 hosted by Anupama of Food n more.

Thank you Anupama for hosting this mega event.