Thecha Cheese Sandwich

 

         Calling all Thecha lovers, you will simply love this Thecha Cheese sandwich, where the bread slices are stuffed with the very popular Maharashtrian chutney along with cheese and pan grilled to perfection. 

          So simple and at the same time very yummy too. They are quite wholesome and a quick snack on the go. However, adjust the spiciness if preparing for little ones. Serve with tomato sauce or green chutney. So do give it a try by following an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

          Sandwich is typically a wholesome meal-on-the-go as it is super easy to prepare. You can mix and match with various ingredients that are easily available in your kitchen. 

          They can be enjoyed for breakfast, snacks, brunch or as a lunch box meal. In this recipe, I have made use of white bread. However, it can also be made with brown or multi grain bread as per your  preference. It is a great picnic or kitty party recipe too.

• 1 tsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 6-7 green chilies, roughly chopped
• 8-10 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves 
• 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 6 slices bread
• 3 cheese slice
• 2-3 pinches of pepper powder
• butter as required

          Thecha - Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, garlic, green chilies and peanuts. Sauté till it turns slightly brown in color.

          Now add the coriander leaves and salt to taste. Give it a stir and switch off the flame. 

          Allow it to cool down. Then pound them in a mortar and pestle into a coarse consistency. Add lime juice and mix well. Keep aside. 

            Sandwich - Take two bread slices and spread a generous amount of butter on them. 

           Then spread some of the thecha on one slice and place a cheese slice over it. 

           Sprinkle some pepper powder and cover with another sliced bread. 

            Add some butter on a grilled pan and toast the stuffed bread on both sides, by pressing it lightly, till light golden in color. 

            Transfer to a serving plate and slice into half. Make similar sandwiches with the remaining bread slices and thecha mix. 

          Serve along with tomato sauce or green chutney for breakfast / tea-time snack.

Heat oil in a pan & add the cumin seeds, garlic, green chilies & peanuts. Sauté till it turns slightly brown in color.

Now add the coriander leaves & salt to taste. Give it a stir & switch off the flame. 

Allow it to cool down. Then pound them in a mortar & pestle into a coarse consistency. Add lime juice and mix well. Keep aside. 

           Take two bread slices & spread a generous amount of butter on them. 

Then spread some of the thecha on one slice.

                    Place a cheese slice & sprinkle some pepper powder. 

                     Cover with another sliced bread. 

                    Add some butter on a grill pan. 

                  Gently place the stuffed bread on the greased grill pan. 

Toast the stuffed bread on both sides by pressing it lightly till light golden in color. 

Transfer to a serving plate & slice into half. Serve along with tomato sauce or green chutney for breakfast / tea-time snack.

Ice Cream Sandwich

          This easy and simple dessert is an out of the box recipe. All you need is ice cream of any flavor, few crackers and some coloured sugar / candy sprinklers / chopped nuts to make these yummy ice cream sandwiches. This a great party recipe and kids, especially will love them and will be a sure hit during such occasions. 

          These Ice Cream Sandwiches are a great summer treat. I have used some Arabic Pistachio Ice Cream to make this sandwich, but you may play around with any flavours that you prefer. 

          If you are making in a large batch, just increase the quantity of the ingredients as per your preference. And voila, you have these cute looking frozen treats for your loved ones. 

          

• 4 cracker biscuits 
• 1/2 cup ice cream, slightly softened
• 2-3 tbsp. coloured sugar / candy sprinklers / chopped nuts

          Place half of the ice cream on one cracker and top it up with a second to make a sandwich.

          Dip the edges of the sandwich in the sprinklers / sugar / chopped nuts. Make the other sandwich the same way.  

          Relish them right away or you may wrap them in a cling film and freeze until you are ready to enjoy.

Double Egg Sandwich

          Sandwich is a wholesome meal-on-the-go as it is super easy to prepare. You can mix and match with various ingredients that are easily available in your kitchen. They can be enjoyed for breakfast, snacks or as a lunch box meal. 

          So calling all egg lovers, you will simply love this double egg sandwich, where the bread slices are first dipped in beaten eggs and shallow fried. They are then stuffed with a mix of grated boiled egg, hung yoghurt and few basic seasonings. So simple and at the same time healthy and very yummy. So do give it a try by following an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 4 bread slices (I used brown bread)
• 1/2 cup hung yoghurt
• 1 boiled egg, grated / mashed
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp. butter
• 2 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped (opt)
• salt to taste
• 2 pinches of pepper powder
• 2 pinches red chili flakes
• 2 pinches of roasted cumin powder
• 1-2 tbsp. oil

          To the beaten eggs add half of the coriander leaves, green chilies, salt, pepper powder, chili flakes and cumin powder. Mix well and keep aside.

          In a bowl, mix together grated boiled egg, hung yoghurt and remaining coriander leaves, green chilies and dry spices. Keep aside.

          Heat oil in a grill pan. Dip a slice of bread in the egg mix and fry on both sides till light brown in color. Drain and keep aside. Similarly fry rest of the slices.

          Spread some butter on one side of the fried bread slices. Then spread the egg-yoghurt mix. Cover with another sliced bread. 

          Similarly make another sandwich with the remaining slices of bread. Serve just as it is for breakfast or snacks.

                        Heat oil in a grill pan. Dip a slice of bread in the egg mix.

                        Fry on both sides till light brown. Drain & keep aside.

                        Spread some butter on one side of the bread slices. 

                       Then spread the egg-yoghurt mix. 

                       Cover with another sliced bread. 

                       Serve just as it is for breakfast or snacks.

Bread Pinwheel Sandwich

          This kid friendly recipe is just irresistible for young and old alike. A very easy and a yummy preparation, it is ideal for a kids party / breakfast, any kitty party, tea time snacks or for a kid's lunch box meal. They can be served cold, baked or pan fried. This is the latter version. Enjoy just as it is or with some chutney, mayo or ketchup. Choice is yours. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

          You can prepare these bread pinwheel sandwiches in many ways. You can mix and match with any filling of your choice and dish out this amazing sandwich. Any veggies not liked by your kiddo can be camouflaged and made into these appealing sandwiches. 

          For the veg. version, paneer, cheese, mashed potato, sliced / shredded mixed veggies, etc. can be used and for the non-veg. version, salami, cold cuts, omelette, sliced sausages, etc. works just as fine to make these healthy snacks. 

• 6 bread slices (I used brown bread)
• 2 tsp. butter
• 2 tsp. green chutney
• 2 tsp. ketchup
• 4 tbsp. grated cheese
• 2 pinches of pepper
• 1 tbsp. crushed peanuts
• 1 tsp. chopped pistachios
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves
• 2 pinches of oregano
• 1-2 tbsp. butter / olive oil to pan fry

        

           Cut all the edges from the bread slices (use up these later for making breadcrumbs or upma).

          Roll them as thin as possible with a chapatti roller so that it can be rolled easily without breaking. 

          Apply butter, green chutney and ketchup over the bread slices. Take a ketchup slice and place the butter slice over it. 

          Spread half of the cheese, followed by the crushed peanuts, pepper powder, oregano, chopped pistachios and coriander leaves. 

          Now place the chutney slice over it and gently roll it tightly to make a pinwheel. Wrap around a foil / cling wrap and refrigerate for some time.

          Cut the rolls into 1" pieces and keep them aside. Heat some butter / olive oil in a tawa / pan and pan fry the cut pinwheels for 1-2 minutes on both sides.  

          Drain on a kitchen towel and serve them just as it is or with green chutney, sauce or mayo.

                       Cut all the edges from the bread slices.

                       Roll them as thin as possible with a chapati roller. 

                       Apply butter, green chutney & ketchup over the bread slices. 

                       Take a ketchup slice and place the butter slice over it. 

                      Spread half of the cheese, followed by crushed peanuts, pepper powder, 
                      oregano, chopped pistachios and coriander leaves. 

                       Now place the chutney slice over it. 

                       Gently roll it tightly to make a pinwheel. 

                        Wrap around a foil / cling wrap & refrigerate for some time.

                        Cut the rolls into 1" pieces and keep them aside.

                    Heat some butter/olive oil & pan fry cut pinwheels for a min. on both sides. 

                        Drain on a kitchen towel.

                        Serve them just as it is or with green chutney, sauce or mayo.

Shahi (Kalakand Sandwich) Tukda

          I made a fusion of the popular Hyderabadi dessert - Shahi Tukda. As I had some leftover homemade green peas kalakand, I made sandwiches out of it. I also made some instant rabdi. Then I arranged the sandwiches (cut into two / four each) on a serving plate and drizzled the rabri over it. I then served, garnished with some chopped almonds, pista and dry rose petals. My innovative fusion dessert is ready. 

1.  Kalakand - 

• 1/2 cup frozen green peas, blended
• 100 gms. paneer 
• 1 tbsp. milk powder
• 2-3 tbsp. powdered sugar or to taste 
• pinch of cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp. kewra water
• 1 tsp. chopped pistachios
• 1 tsp. chopped almonds

           In a non-stick pan, add the blended peas and saute till dry. Keep aside. 

          In the same pan add all the ingredients including the green peas. Mix and stir on a low flame till it starts to leave the sides of the pan. Switch off the flame and keep aside. 

        

2.  Sandwich - 

• 6 slices of bread
• butter as required 

          Spread some butter on the bread slices and make sandwiches in a sandwich maker with the kalakand as stuffing. Cut them into 4 slices and keep aside. 

3.  Instant rabdi -

• 1 cup evaporated milk
• powdered sugar to taste
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• pinch of saffron
• 1 tsp. rose / kewra water

          In a bowl, mix together all the above mentioned ingredients and keep aside for 15-20 minutes for the saffron to soak well. Your instant rabdi is ready.

4.  Garnish - 

• 1 tsp. chopped almonds 
• 1 tsp. chopped pistachios
• 1 tsp. dry rose petals 

          To serve - Arrange the kalakand sandwiches on a plate and pour the rabdi over it. Garnish with chopped almonds, pistachios and rose petals. Your Shahi Kalakand Sandwich Tukda is ready to enjoy. 






Note - 

1.  I used evaporated milk for instant rabdi, but equal quantities of condensed milk and full fat milk can be substituted or you can reduce a liter of full fat milk to the desired consistency.

2.  You can make sugar syrup and soak the sandwiches in it for a while. I avoided it as it turns too sweet.