India has been a colony of various European nations such as Britain, Portuguese and France. During their stay here, they also introduced Indians to many of their foods and cooking practices, chief among which was the art of baking bread. It did not take very long for bread to become a nationwide sensation. Many kinds of bread even landed their very desi companions too. Pav found bhaji, bun found its maska and malai. We also made sandwiches our own, the Bombay Sandwich is proof of how a dash of chutney, vegetables, paneer and chaat masala layered inside two slices of bread is a formula for success. Another very desi sandwich that is worthy of your attention is the Rim Zim Sandwich of Surat. It is perhaps the only, round-shaped sandwich you would find in the country and it comes loaded with multiple layers of sauces, chutneys and cheese.
The sandwich is not very old, in fact, it grew in popularity only in the last decade. Jalaram sandwich shop, a humble eatery in Surat is known to make the most loaded RimZim Sandwich that is actually enough to feed 2-3 people at once. So what exactly goes inside this sandwich? Populer food blogger and YouTuber Amar Sirohi recently made a video capturing the making.
Big, round-shaped bread are first slathered over with bread, followed by a dash of chutney. A dollop of schezwan sauce comes in next. After this, some chopped veggies like cabbage, capsicum and onions, finely chopped and tossed in sauces and masalas are placed on the bread with the help of a hand or spoon. Soon after this, heaps of grated cheese is added on top of the bread followed by a generous amount of mayonnaise. Another slice of bread is used on top to cover the sandwich, but the sandwich is not complete as yet. Again, some melted butter is rubbed on top of this second slice of bread, followed by a good amount of chutney.
Some flavoured mayonnaise, typically Tandoori, is then added on top of the bread and another layer of mixed vegetables. Everything is spread out nicely, before cheese is grated on top. Cheese is grated until no part of the sandwich is visible. This layer of sandwich is also covered with another slice of bread covered in chutney and butter. Finally, it is covered with more, you guessed it, more grated cheese, mayonnaise and oregano. The sandwich is then baked in oven for about 10 minutes and then cut into several small pieces.
If you are wondering as to how heavy would this sandwich be? Take a guess, it is three layers of cheese, two massive layers of mixed vegetables after all. It is said that a full Rim Zim Sandwich weighs about a kilo. That’s right. And you can get the whole sandwich for INR 150-200 easily at Surat’s famous Jalaram Sandwich.