20 Min

NF

Cheese Toast

India’s version of grilled cheese, a popular sandwich worldwide, is filled with masala and spices and is referred to commonly as cheese toast. There is only one melting cow’s milk cheese produced commercially in India (and available worldwide at Indian grocers)- amul, a distinctly delicious cross between American cheddar and the Swiss Gruyere. One of my favorite breakfasts growing up and best served with sweet mango chutney, this cheese toast is great with a cup of masala chai.

Share this recipe

Cook Time

20 Minutes

Serves

4

Directions

Step 1

Lay four slices of bread flat on a surface. Spread the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, serrano, cumin and cheese on top equally. Top each with another piece of bread and cook the sandwiches on both sides in a warm skillet using ghee until the cheese has melted and the sandwich is golden brown on both sides.

Step 2

Serve immediately.

Notes & Variations

Cook the sandwiches open faced in an oven.
Add crumbled bacon to the sandwiches.

Ingredients

8 slices sandwich bread

2 roma tomatoes, minced

1/2 cup onion, minced

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1 serrano pepper, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin, toasted

1 1/2 cups grated melting cheese

Ghee, to cook

Step 1

Step 2

Serve immediately.

8 slices sandwich bread

2 roma tomatoes, minced

1/2 cup onion, minced

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1 serrano pepper, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin, toasted

1 1/2 cups grated melting cheese

Ghee, to cook

Notes & Variations

Cook the sandwiches open faced in an oven.
Add crumbled bacon to the sandwiches.

Tags:

20 Min

Tags:

20 Min

Feeling cheesy?

Here are some recipes where cheese is the star of the show!

DAIRY, WE LOVE YOU SO

Masala Grilled Cheese

Roasted Peach and Pepper Cheesecake

20 Min

NF

Masala Grilled Cheese

I love adding chili crips to simple foods such as a grilled cheese, a universal crowd pleaser. The mango chutney on the other side adds a sweet tangy balance.

30 Min

Asparagus Goat Cheese Cakes with Mango

We are always looking for ways to incorporate vegetables into our food and in this recipe, the goat cheese works like a binder and adds flavor to the asparagus.

30 Min

Kale Sandwich

Seeing the bounty of kale among almost all the farms around Houston and knowing that kale is much more nutrient and fiber dense than other greens, especially local kale, I decided to go on a journey to find new ways to eat kale. It’s a wonderful sandwich to take on a picnic or a park so do give it a try!

25 Min

DF

NF

V

Mango Avocado Sandwich

Chutneys are to India what salsa is to Mexico and then some. India’s love affair with mangoes goes back millennia. One of the main tenets of Ayurveda is to always eat fruits alone; however, they make an inexplicable exception with mango. You can line a sandwich with mango chutney, eat it on the side with eggs and toast or top grilled fish or chicken with it. My favorite way to eat it is for breakfast with a slice of avocado and toast. Here is a sandwich version.

NF

Roasted Peach and Pepper Cheesecake

Gather your neighbors for this showstopper dessert and do give it a try. It will keep for four to five days in the refrigerator and is best eaten the day after it is made.

20 Min

DF

NF

V

Masala Grilled Avocado Toast

A few years ago, I discovered the Chinese condiment Chili crisp or fried chili in oil in jars at my favorite oriental market and instantly fell in love with the piquant bright hot flavors.

75 Min

Rosemary Cauliflower Toast

Oven roasting a head of cauliflower is the easiest and the best way to cook it given that braising it often causes it to steam and/or break into smaller pieces. Rosemary adds an aromatic touch and a side of luxurious creamy cream cheese with a shot of blueberries to smear on a toast can make for a surprisingly simple and delicious bite.

30 Min

Masala Egg Toast

Almost like grilled cheese colliding with a French toast but leaving the sugar in its wake. It’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser and is quick to make from ingredients easy to find in your refrigerator.

30 Min

NF

Wild Mushroom Toast

Cooking the stems and roasting the tops bring out a wonderful textural contrast with the toast.

35 Min

NF

Shrimp Toast

This is a no-brainer crowd pleaser recipe.

120 Min

NF

Tomato Focaccia

Many years ago, a friend and an expert German baker in Houston gave me a lesson in breadmaking. Within a matter of a few hours, while trading food secrets and stories, I watched him transform flour, water, yeast and a few other ingredients into crispy, delicious focaccia.

30 min

NF

Tomato Ricotta Toast

Eating cooling foods such as yogurt and watermelon in the summer and warming foods — think peppers and squashes — in the winter is one of the most fundamental tenets of Ayurveda. It’s what keeps our digestive fire under control. However, when warming foods such as gorgeous heirloom tomatoes appear in the summer, the best way to eat them is to combine them with cooling foods including yogurt, ricotta or fennel seeds. The season for tasty, sweet heirloom tomatoes is short — enjoy them while you can. Once summer gets hotter, and we know it will, local tomatoes will be gone. This tomato ricotta masala packs a bit of heat with the Calabrian chiles but will keep in your refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Smear it on a piece of toast or waffle for breakfast or place small dollops on cucumber slices for an appetizer.

90 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Cauliflower Bread

This bread is inspired by one of the savory baked breads of Gujarat called the handvo.

30 Min

GF

NF

Pepper Paneer Roast

Roast the peppers with paneer and mango to make for a light but satisfying dish.

45 Min

NF

Zucchini Semolina Bread

Another snack inspired by the Indian state of Gujarat, this semolina bread bears close resemblance to the “handvo,” a savory hearty vegetable bar usually eaten with a cup of chai.

120 Min

V

Naan

Naan, the fluffy bread usually made in a tandoor at most Indian restaurants, can also be made at home.

20 Min

NF

Masala Grilled Cheese

I love adding chili crips to simple foods such as a grilled cheese, a universal crowd pleaser. The mango chutney on the other side adds a sweet tangy balance.

30 Min

Asparagus Goat Cheese Cakes with Mango

We are always looking for ways to incorporate vegetables into our food and in this recipe, the goat cheese works like a binder and adds flavor to the asparagus.

30 Min

Kale Sandwich

25 Min

DF

NF

V

Mango Avocado Sandwich

NF

Roasted Peach and Pepper Cheesecake

Gather your neighbors for this showstopper dessert and do give it a try. It will keep for four to five days in the refrigerator and is best eaten the day after it is made.

Drinks

Drinks

Hot Drinks

Cold Drinks

Cocktails

Condiments

Condiments

Raita

Chutneys

Pickles

Masala

Grains

Grains

Buckwheat

Khichri

Millet

Noodles

Quinoa

Rice

Whole Grains

Dough

Dough

Roti

Paratha

Naan

Bread

Crackers

Pizza

Batter

Batter

Dosas

Pancakes

Crepes

Savory Baked

Savory Baked

Biscuits

Bread Pudding

Soups

Soups

Light Soup

Creamy Soup

Dal Soup

Stews

Cold Soup

Snacks

Snacks

Chaat

Spreads

Fried Snacks

Nosh

Legumes

Legumes

Dal

Beans

Salads

Salads

Veg Salads

Non-Veg Salads

Land & Sea

Land & Sea

Eggs

Birds

Meat

Fish

Shellfish

Paneer

Paneer

Paneer

Vegetables

Vegetables

Sabzi

Potatoes

Mushrooms

Eggplants

Cauliflower

Squashes

Root Vegetables

Vegetable Curries

Green Vegetables

Okra