Got the season’s fresh, plump tomatoes from the market? Here is one recipe with which you can make the most of it. Tomato Sandwich is easy, quick, requires minimal ingredients and one of those dishes that you can make super quickly. Within 15 minutes, precisely! This is a grilled sandwich version made with tomatoes and cheddar cheese. You can take this as your base recipe, and then go on experimenting too.  

About Cheese and Tomato Sandwich

Bread, tomatoes, cheese, some seasonings and butter – you’re sorted with a scrumptious Tomato Sandwich. I like to grill my sandwich, so I do it. But if you don’t wish to grill, you can enjoy the sandwich as it is. It tastes fab like that too.  

Since tomatoes and cheese is a great combination, pretty much in any recipe, this sandwich recipe too is one of my go-to ones when I’m literally not wanting to put much efforts in creating a quick snack or a tasty dish for brunch. I’ll reiterate this again, making this Tomato Cheese Sandwich is literally a piece of cake!

For the bread, you have a list that you can choose from. And by the way, you can make these too at home – Wheat Bread, White Bread, Brown Bread, multigrain bread, sandwich bread, etc. I would really suggest you give making your own bread at home also a shot. It’s really therapeutic to see a freshly baked bread coming out of the oven!

Usually, I toast or grill these sandwiches in an electric toaster or griller. However, in this post, I have shown how to grill the sandwich on a skillet. So, if you do not have a toaster or griller, then also you can easily make these sandwiches on a skillet or frying pan.

Serve the Tomato Cheese Sandwich with any dip, tomato ketchup or chutney. You can also accompany some potato chips, banana wafers or potato wedges by the side.

Step-by-Step Guide
How to make Tomato Sandwich

Preparation

1. Rinse 1 medium to large tomato in water first. Wipe dry with a clean kitchen towel. Slice the top part of the tomato and discard it.

Then thinly slice the tomato. But make sure not to cut into transparent slices. Set the thin tomato slices aside.

Next take 8 to 10 bread slices and spread some butter on them. You can use wheat bread, brown bread, white bread or multigrain bread.

2. Then, place 3 to 4 thin tomato slices.

3. Add some grated cheddar cheese. You can add less or more as per your requirements.

But do not add too much or over stuff with cheese, as then the cheese melts on the skillet and makes a mess.

You could also place a cheese slice on top of the tomatoes instead of shredded cheddar cheese.

4. Sprinkle some dried herbs like oregano and basil, crushed black pepper and red chili flakes (or cayenne pepper if you like).

You could also use your preferred dried mix herbs and sprinkle some salt if you prefer.

5. Cover with the second buttered slice.

Make Cheese and Tomato Sandwich

6. Heat a frying pan or skillet or tawa and brush some softened butter on it.

7. Place the prepared sandwich on the skillet and gently move it around so that it soaks up the butter.

8. Place a plate or lid on it. On top of the plate place a heavy weight like mortar or a heavy bowl. Or you could just use a heavy plate or tray.

9. When the bottom of the bread is grilled well, remove the lid and heavy weight. Brush some softened butter on top side.

With this method the sandwiches get grilled fast. Do check with a spatula if the bottom bread is grilled well or not.

10. With a spatula turn over the sandwich. You will see the crisp and grilled side facing you. I like to make my sandwiches more toasty and crispy.

11. Place the lid and heavy weight again and grill till the bottom of the bread is golden.

12. Remove the grilled Tomato Cheese Sandwich from the pan.

13. You can serve the Tomato Cheese Sandwich hot or warm with any dip, sauce or chutney. You can also accompany some veg nuggets or French fries by the side.

Birth of Tomato Sandwich

Although, the Tomato Cheese Sandwich is a delicious pair, we can’t forget our good ol’ tomato sandwich that brought in the use of this common fruit veggie to make sandwiches. Traditionally, it is just mayonnaise slathered bread slices topped with juicy tomato slices and seasoned with pepper, salt and/or some herbs.

This basic combination of a Tomato Sandwich is believed to have taken birth in Southern United States. Since this region had long hot summers, this sandwich was the easiest way one could also make use of the ripest southern tomatoes, and create a light dish in a matter of minutes. Till today, this sandwich is a favorite summer dish in this part of the world.

There’s barely any recipe for the perfect tomato sandwich, because whichever way you choose to make it, it’s going to turn delicious. Like, there’s hardly any room for error in a tomato sandwich. But then there’s this Tomato Cheese Sandwich and other recipes like a Tomato Cucumber Sandwich, etc. with which you can definitely keep trying new variations.

Expert Tips

With the tomatoes and herbs, the quantities can be increased or decreased.You can even alter the quantity of the cheese as per your wish. Just make sure that you don’t over stuff the sandwiches with cheese. This way the cheese might melt on the tawa and create a mess.List of herbs that go well in this sandwich – dried herbs like oregano, basil, parsley, or mixed herbs. Along with these, you can add black pepper powder/crushed black pepper, red chili flakes and some salt as well, if needed. You could also opt to use fresh herbs. Bread varieties that can be used for this sandwich – white, brown, whole wheat, multigrain, rye, sandwich, etc.If you’re wanting to use processed cheese or mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar cheese, go for it. Cheese slices also work well. There’s absolutely no problem in there.More Sandwich Recipes To Try!Easy • 10 minsWorld RecipesCucumber SandwichModerate • 40 minsSnacks RecipesClub SandwichEasy • 20 minsWorld RecipesCheese SandwichEasy • 15 minsBread SnacksMayonnaise Sandwich

Craving for soft, creamy and melt-in-mouth Malai Paneer and don’t really want to step out of the house or order it online? Don’t worry, this Malai Paneer is here to save you. This recipe will not only give you a restaurant style dish at the comfort of your home, but is ultra-easy without using too many ingredients and gets done within 20 minutes. Don’t believe me? Well, go for it this time and know what that I’m really not kidding!

About This Malai Paneer

I have adapted this Malai Paneer from the cookbook ‘1000 Great Indian Recipes – The Ultimate Book of Indian Cuisine’ and modified it as per me and my family’s preferences.

While I was reading through the recipe in this book, it stuck with me as I felt it was too quick and easy paneer dish that came from the restaurant chefs.

The quickness and ease of this specific recipe of Malai Paneer made me try it at home, without a second thought. And I’m glad I made it and created my version of it which is actually a recipe for keeps.

I added one more signature way of making a popular dish in my kitty, which I could refer to whenever I had unexpected guests or relatives. The same goes for you too.

Whenever I am making a paneer dish at home, I usually make it with the paneer that is also made at home the night before. I avoid buying it from the market. Same goes for this Malai Paneer as well.

I suggest you refer to this How To Make Paneer post of mine and make it at your home too. Once you get used to homemade paneer, you too will never head out to purchase it.

For this Malai Paneer, I halved the recipe, reduced the ridiculous proportion of oil and increased the proportion of cream from what was mentioned in the cookbook.

Also, added the quantity of spices which suited us and did not make the dish unbearably hot. In the original recipe, dry fenugreek leaves were not added. However, I added it in my version to give the dish an added aroma and flavor.

More On The Recipe

The paneer cubes in this Malai Paneer have a similar taste like that of the Malai Paneer Tikka. However, this entire dish is made in a pan and in flat 20 minutes, if you have the paneer ready, unlike the tikka which is marinated and grilled.

Just add a couple of minutes, which you will require to chop the onions and crush the ginger-garlic. If you add this time as well, it’s going to be a total of 25 minutes. Isn’t it one of the best dishes in the quickest possible way?!

This Malai Paneer has a semi dry consistency and a nice moistness due to the cream. I have used light cream in this recipe. If you’re outside India, you can use any good quality 25% to 30% fat cream.

The rest of the ingredients are easy to get, except for the dried fenugreek leaves or kasuri methi. So, if you’re facing trouble in sourcing it, skip it.

The Malai Paneer is an apt choice for a sumptuous starter or mocktail/cocktail snack. Since, we at home, are mostly roti and rice people, I serve it with that only along with a side of onion-lemon salad or cucumber-carrot salad.

You can even garnish it with chopped coriander leaves before serving and relish it with phulka or naan as well. Make this dish for a large number of people by simply doubling the recipe.

Step-by-Step Guide
How to make Malai Paneer

Make Masala

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan or a small kadai/wok. Add ¾ cup finely chopped onions.

2. Sauté the onions on low or medium heat, till they start to turn golden.

3. Then, add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste and sauté for about 15 to 20 seconds or till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.

By this time all the onions would also have browned. Make sure you don’t burn the onions as this will give a bitter taste in the dish.

4. Lower the heat and add these spice powders:

¾ or 1 teaspoon coriander powder½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

Stir and sauté the ground spices for a couple of seconds without burning it.

Make Malai Paneer

5. Stir well and then add 250 grams paneer, cut into cubes. On low heat stir and sauté for 1 minute till the masala coats the paneer well. Do not cook the paneer for more time at this point.

6. Add ½ cup light cream (or 25% milk fat cream). Gently stir to mix and sauté till you see fat leaving the sides or the cream has coated the paneer cubes.

Just cook for about 2 to 3 minutes after you add the cream. Also, add salt after you add the cream.

7. Switch off the heat and sprinkle ⅛ or ¼ teaspoon crushed kasuri methi and ⅛ teaspoon garam masala powder. Stir to mix gently.

8. Serve Malai Paneer hot garnished with some chopped coriander leaves, as a starter or with phulka, roti or naan.

FAQs

I stay in the US. What can I use as a substitute to the malai? In US, various types of cream like light cream, whipping cream, heavy cream or other readymade low-fat cream are available. You can use any of these. But if using heavy cream or whipping cream which has a higher proportion of milk fat, add ¼ cup. In this recipe, is possible to use milk in place of cream? I won’t suggest adding milk, as it will alter the consistency. Instead, you can collect the clotted cream (malai) and refrigerate it for 2 to 3 days. Then, blend in a blender or mixie to a smooth cream and use it. Can evaporated milk be used in this recipe? Not really, as using evaporated milk might lend a sweet taste, which is not apt for this dish. What do I do if I don’t have kasuri methi? Make the dish without it or use a pinch of fenugreek seed powder instead.

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