The realisation that food was not to be taken for granted hit me when I went to a boarding school in Year 4. For that matter, I realised that NOTHING was to be taken for granted. After a lovely Sunday outing ,we had a picnic in the home of a school patron. From out of a red box came the softest, buttery and flavourful sandwiches that I had ever had. I wolfed down mine and went for seconds but to my surprise(read shock), I was turned down. There was just one sandwich meant for each of us. That was the moment I missed Amma the most. I regretted all those moments when I turned down her pleas to have another bite saying “I have had enough”. The bubble burst.. I was not the centre of the universe.
Fast forward to the future and days when I have to ration my own food intake, Amma ( my in-house – Head of Research) mentioned the scrumptious mint chutney sandwiches served by my cousin Anu chechi. She is a powerhouse of talent- cooking, art , needlecraft and meticulously tidy!! Anu chechi was very kind to share the details for her recipe with all the bits that made it extra special. I am blessed to have such lovely cousins who never made me feel that I don’t have a sister of my own.
This recipe is not for the faint hearted.The heat of of the Birdseye chillies and the goodness of butter hits just the right notes!!
It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words, like ‘ What about lunch ? ‘
A.A.Milne (Winnie the Pooh)
Ingredients
Mint Leaves – 1 cup (chopped)
Coriander Leaves – 1/2 cup (chopped)
Birdseye Chilli ( kandari) – 1 tbsp (chopped)
Coconut – 1/3 cup (grated)
lime – 1/2
Salted Butter – 2 tbsp + for spreading on bread (at room temperature)
Salt to taste
Bread
Method
- Grind the mint leaves, coriander leaves, coconut, Birdseye chillies.
- Add the juice of half a lime and grind till all the ingredients are well combined.
- Add 1-2 tbsps of unsalted butter to this mixture and give a quick pulse and you would get a smooth paste.
- Alternatively, you could combine the butter my hand.
- Check the taste and add salt if needed.
This chutney can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for used in a day or two.
Assembly
Spread a little butter on the insides of two slices of bread.
Add a spoon of the chutney and spread it evenly on one slice of spread.
Sandwich it with the second layer of buttered bread.
You could add some chopped deseeded cucumber to add a crunchy texture to the sandwich.
Maya's LAB 