Challenge Accepted: Better Homes & Gardens India Challenged me to contribute a “Breadless Sandwich” Recipe for their July 2016 Issue.
A few weeks ago, Better Homes & Gardens India got in touch with me to participate in a Blogger Challenge. As some of you may know, commercially produced bread in India has recently come under the scanner and everyone seems to be worried about the carcinogenic hullaballoo. The loss of faith in bread seems to be a real thing and I can’t even imagine not having a sandwich a few times a week as part of my regular diet.
So BHG challenged me and 2 other talented Indian bloggers to come up with “breadless sandwich” recipes – they wanted them to be flour/maida/atta-free and yet be filling, nutritious and not leave the readers feeling cheated.
For my part of the challenge, I chose to make Ham & Cheese Cucumber Subs. Cucumber Subs are a great way to up your “breadless sandwich” game. Fresh, crunchy cucumber halves form the base of this sub, making it a cool, light and refreshing meal in the sultry Delhi summer. Add on some soft goat cheese and ham for a filling and protein-rich spread topped with crunchy salad like carrots and onions to make this a satisfying and nutritious meal. Easy and quick to make, these subs work beautifully as a meal for 2 or even as appetizers for 4. Or, alternatively, make them in smaller portion sizes for pretty party snacks!
BHG published the story in their July 2016 issue, and I’m so excited to be featured alongside the very talented Neha Mathur and Kirthana Dorairaj.
If you haven’t grabbed your copy of the issue, please do so today! For everyone else, you can check out the detailed recipe below!
Like this recipe? You may also like these other snacks and small eats:
Kulle ki Chaat, Glass Noodle Rolls with Asparagus & Avocado, Home-made Vada Pav, Noodle Cutlets
Same time, last year:
One Year Ago: Khatta Meetha Petha
Two Years Ago: Amrood Chaat Cocktail
Three Years Ago: Phirni
Four Years Ago: Home Made Iced Tea
Five Years Ago: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe for Ham & Cheese Cucumber Subs
- 4 medium sized cucumbers
- 4 tbsp soft goat cheese, or cream cheese
- 2 young spring onions, including the green parts, chopped finely
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ⅛ tsp paprika powder
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- ½ cup loosely packed ham strips (approx 50 gms)
- 1 medium carrot, julienned
- ½ medium red onion, sliced thinly into half-moons
- Chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish
- Chop off the ends of the cucumbers and slice in half lengthwise. Using a peeler or a small spoon, remove the seeds and hollow out the centres making place for a filling.
- Place these upside down on paper towels to drain off excess water.
- In a small bowl, mash the goat cheese, garlic, paprika powder, salt & pepper, spring onions together. Reserve some of the spring onion greens for garnish
- To assemble the subs, divide the cream cheese mixture amidst the 8 cucumber halves. Set 4 of the halves aside to be the top of the subs.
- In the remaining 4 halves, top the cheese mixture with the ham strips, carrot juliennes and onion slices.
- Garnish with the spring onion greens, cilantro leaves and close off the subs using the 4 reserved top halves. Use cocktail sticks to hold them together.
- Serve right away while they are fresh and crunchy.
- Variation: In case you want to serve these as appetizers, you can cut them into smaller bite sized servings with a cocktail stick holding each together. Or you can cut the cucumber into smaller pieces & hollow out the centre like kulliya.