Name: Bombay Masala Cheese Toasties
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Yield: Makes 4
Ingredients: 1 Granny Smith apple, cored, cut into large pieces; Juice of 1 lime; 1 (1") piece ginger, peeled; 2 garlic cloves, peeled; 1 cup cilantro leaves with tender stems; ¼ cup mint leaves; ⅛ tsp. (or more) sugar; Kosher salt; 1–2 green Indian, Thai, or serrano chiles; 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil or ghee; 1 tsp. black mustard seeds; 4 fresh curry leaves; 1 tsp. cumin seeds; ¼ tsp. ground coriander; ¼ tsp. ground turmeric; A pinch of asafetida (optional); 1–2 green Indian, Thai, or serrano chiles, thinly sliced; 1 large cooked russet potato, peeled; ¼ tsp. kosher salt; ½ cup chopped cilantro; 1 tsp. chaat or sandwich masala (such as Spicewalla Chaat Masala or MDH Chunky Chat Masala); 8 (½"-thick) slices Pullman or other soft sandwich bread; 1 small red onion, finely chopped; ½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper or seeded plum tomatoes; 8 oz. Monterey Jack or Emmenthal cheese, sliced, or 8 slices white American cheese; Room-temperature ghee or unsalted butter (for sandwiches); Ketchup (for serving)

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton

Melty, cheesy, crunchy, spicy—these sandwiches, a street food favorite in India, check all the boxes. There's a tender potato filling, crisp vegetables, and oozing cheese tucked between golden bread that's spread with an invigorating green chutney. To take this lunch really over the top (and way outside of tradition), wedge a few potato chips into the sandwich as you eat.

While green mango, coconut, and nuts are common chutney inclusions, I follow my mother and her friends by adding a tart green apple instead for sweetness and to help achieve a smooth-textured sauce. Use any leftover chutney for serving with samosas, in a plain grilled cheese, alongside pakoras, on an egg sandwich, swirled into a scramble, or with tamarind chutney for all manner of chaats.