Masala Toast – Mumbai Street Food

Truth be told, I am not a big fan of sandwiches. I find them bland, cold (I am a  fan of warm/hot food) or then just too unwieldy to eat in polite company. The only form of sandwich that I can remotely consider eating is the Masala Toast; it is hot and sealed by the virtue of being toasted and spicy because of the potato filling. Very Indian in taste. 🙂

The way I see it, the Masala Toast is a deconstructed, gentrified version of Mumbai’s favourite food, the Vada Pav.

Makes:  4 Masala Toasts

Time for Making Masala: 45 Minutes

Time for Making Toast: 10 Minutes

Equipment: Sandwich Maker

Ingredients for Potato Masala

1. Potatoes – 2 Large
2. Onion – 1 Medium
3. Ginger – 1/2″ piece
4. Green Chillies – 3 or to Taste
5. Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
6. Finely Fresh Chopped Coriander – 2 tbsp
7. Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
8. Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
9. Oil – 1 tsp
10. Salt to Taste

Ingredients for the Toast

1. Bread Slices – 8
2. Sandwich Chutney – 2 to 3 tsp + More for Serving
3. Butter – As Required

Method to Make the Potato Masala for the Sandwich

1. Boil the potatoes.
2. Cool, peel, and mash the boiled potatoes.
3. Peel and chop the onion into fine pieces.
4. Chop the ginger into fine pieces.
5. Chop the green chillies into fine pieces.
6. Crush the green chilly and ginger pieces into a coarse paste.
7. In a wok, heat the oil.
8. Add mustard seeds and wait till they splutter.
9. Add cumin seeds and stir fry for 1 minute.
10. Add the chopped onion and fry till transparent.
11. Add the green chilly-ginger paste and turmeric.
12. Stir fry for 1 minute.
13. Add salt and mashed potato.
14. Mix well.
15. Turn off the heat.
16. Add the finely chopped coriander and mix well.
17. Set aside.

Method to Make the Mumbai Masala Toast  

1. Very lightly butter one side of a bread slice.
2. Flip the slice over.
3. Spread some green chutney onto the other side.
4. Spoon a generous helping of potato masala.
5. Very lightly butter one side of a second bread slice.
6. Place the unbuttered side onto the potato masala.
7. Place the sandwich into a sandwich maker.
8. Toast/grill till the sandwich is golden brown.
9. Serve hot with some green chutney and ketchup.

I am taking this spicy, filling Masala Toast to: