If you asked  me what my TOP recipes are, the ones that get the most audible “mmmmmm’s”  from my family & friends, my Chutney Grilled Cheese would definitely make the cut. It’s not filled with any gourmet cheeses, but it packs some serious FLAVOR and I  promise you, you cannot go back to eating a basic grilled cheese after this.

How To Make Chutney Grilled Cheese:

  • Prep by making the chutneys a day ahead of time if you want to make things go a little faster. The Cilantro Chutney can be made a few days ahead and I  love freezing a double batch into these silicone ice cube trays and popping out a cube whenever I  need it.
  • I  smear a little Hellman’s Mayo + Thecha Chutney inside the grilled cheese but if you can’t get your hands on the Thecha Chutney you can use Sriracha, chili garlic sauce, Maggi sauce, or Calabrian chilis like Trader’ Joe’s Bomba Sauce.
  • This grilled cheese has a stuffing of bell peppers in it and I  am totally OCD about making sure they are all chopped super tiny and uniform in size which is why I  use this amazing chopper from Amazon to get the job done quick.

What Kind of Cheese Should I  Use?

I  love Amul Sliced Cheese but it’s not available in all South Asian grocery stores so feel free to use any kind of sliced American cheese, I  usually settle for some good ol Kraft Sliced Cheese (for the sake of childhood nostalgia). Of course if you want to be little fancy- you can use fontina, gruyere, or some aged white cheddar.

How Do You Make the Upgraded Tomato Soup?

I’m not about to spend hours roasting tomatoes- especially when they’re not in season and to be honest I totally love campbells tomato soup but you know the desi in me has to doctor it up. lol. We actually have a local Indian restaurant in my town that has the BEST tomato soup- its spicy, tangy and SO flavorful- totally reminds me of the tomato soup in India!! Since the restaurant has been been closed down for a few weeks, I tried my hand at recreating it and I’m happy to say the remake is SPOT ON. It’s got garlic , ginger, this chili garlic sauce and is packed with tons of flavor in each delicious spoon!

 

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Chutney Grilled Cheese

Prep

Cook

Total

Yield 4 Sandwiches

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chopped bell peppers (1 Green Bell Pepper + 1 Red Bell Pepper)
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp taco seasoning
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 6-8 Pieces of Sandwich Bread
  • 10-12 Slices of Cheese
  • 1-2 tbsp butter

Spicy Mayo:

1/3 cup Hellman's Mayo

1/2 tsp Thecha Chutney (or Sriracha/Chili Garlic Sauce)

Cilantro Chutney:

  • 1 large bunch cilantro, chopped roughly (only bottom 1 inch of stems removed)
  • 4 large cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 inch piece ginger
  • 3 Serrano Chilis or milder chilis like Jalapeño , roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • small handful of plain unsalted peanuts (or about 3 tbsp)
  • 1/4 tsp salt *or to taste*
  • water as needed

Place the above ingredients in a small blender or nutribullet until smooth. *Add 1-2 tbsp of water at a time as needed. The chutney should not be too watery so the grilled cheese doesn't become soggy.*

Upgraded Campbell's Tomato Soup:

10 3/4 oz can of Campbell's Tomato Soup

1/2 tsp minced ginger

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp chili garlic sauce

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

1 tbsp ketchup

1 tbsp oil

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and oil. Once oil is hot, add the chopped bell peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened. (You want them to be soft but not mushy or watery at all. Cook the bell peppers on a high heat so they release less liquid (too much liquid in the peppers will make the grilled cheese soggy).
  2. Once the bell peppers have cooked down a bit, add the taco seasoning & garam masala. Stir for about 2 minutes and then turn off the stove. Do not add salt (there is enough salt in the cheese, mayo, chutney etc).
  3. In a large non stick skillet over medium heat, melt a few thin slices of butter and then add two slices of bread. Add one or two slices of cheese on one slice of bread.
  4. On the other slice, spread a small amount of the spicy mayo, top with a slice of cheese (you can add more cheese, or stagger a few torn slices to make sure the entire slice of bread is covered) and then top with a spoonful of the bell peppers. Top the bell peppers with a spoon full of chutney and spread it evenly using the back of a spoon to make sure the peppers are all in an even layer.
  5. Using a spatula slowly flip the other slice of bread on top and gently press down. Cook the grilled cheese over low heat until golden on both sides and until the cheese has melted. 
  6. Remove from pan, cut in half and serve along side tomato soup!

Soup:

  1. In a large pot heat the oil over medium/low heat. Add the ginger, garlic to the sauce and saute until fragrant- do not let it get too brown or golden, cook it slowly over low heat. Once the garlic and ginger is fragrant, add the  chili garlic sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, cumin powder and cilantro to the pot and stir for 2-3 minutes.
  2. Add the canned soup +1 can water, stir well. Bring to a simmer and then turn off the stove. Serve hot.