Curried Fried Green Tomato Sandwich Recipe

Unripe green tomatoes are harvested at the end of the season, just as the weather chills into fall, and contrary to common perception, the use of unripe green tomatoes in recipes was born not in the South, but in the northern states where the seasons change before all of the tomatoes turn to red. While today we know fried green tomatoes as a Southern staple, the crunchy delicacy was actually first made by Jewish immigrants decades before ever appearing in the South. Coating the tomatoes in batter and frying them till crunchy became a brilliant way to use the firm, tart harvest without needing to wait for them to ripen — or worse, needing to throw them away.

Knowing the history of fried green tomatoes is also a good way to understand their unique variety of uses. They were originally eaten as a breakfast food, and the crunchy, cornmeal-coated tomatoes can be eaten at any time of day as a snack, entree, or side. Especially delicious in sandwiches like BLTs, the beefy tomatoes add a savory, crunchy element that works well between layers of soft bread. In this recipe, written with developer Michelle McGlinn, the tomatoes are coated in a curry-flavored breading and fried, then paired with a cucumber-raita coleslaw and stacked onto soft onion rolls. The warm, earthy, savory-sweet Indian-inspired flavor perfectly complements the juicy tartness of the end-of-summer bounty, making this sandwich worthy of early fall picnicking.

To first make the raita-inspired coleslaw, you'll need mini cucumbers (or regular cucumbers sliced very thin), red onion, Greek yogurt, mustard powder, cumin, salt, and shredded cabbage. For the tomatoes, choose large, firm tomatoes that are light green in color. These are available year-round in many places but are easiest to find in early fall, when farmers begin selling the unripened tomatoes before the weather turns. Green tomatoes are also different from tomatillos, which are small and sold in a papery husk. With the tomatoes picked out, you'll just need self-rising flour, curry powder, garlic powder, eggs, and oil for frying. To build the sandwich, grab onion rolls or any soft bun about the size of your hand.

To begin, first make the coleslaw topping. Combine the yogurt, cucumbers, red onion, mustard powder, cumin, and salt in a bowl.

Mix until well combined.

Add the cabbage to the bowl and toss until well combined. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet or deep pot over medium heat.

Slice the tomatoes into ¼-inch-thick slices and pat them dry with a paper towel.

In one bowl, combine the flour, curry powder, garlic powder, and salt. Add the eggs to a second bowl for an arranged dredging station.

Working one at a time, coat the tomato slices in egg, then dredge in the flour mixture until completely coated.

When the oil is hot, add the tomatoes and fry until golden brown on either side, about 4 minutes per side.

Drain tomatoes on a paper towel-lined plate.

To build the sandwiches, first add raita coleslaw to a halved onion roll. Add two slices of tomato on top and close to serve.

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Even if you have a great deal of frying experience, there are some things you should know before frying these curry-filled green tomatoes. Curry powder is notorious for its bright yellow color, which comes from the turmeric in the mix and can stain hands, countertops, and clothing easily. Adding it to hot oil can make the mess even worse, especially if your oil is too hot and splatters. To avoid this, plan to use a splatter guard, which can contain the oil in the pan and reduce the splatters landing on your counters. You can also spread paper towels around the perimeter of your stove, avoiding the burner as much as possible, to catch any drips from the spatula as you work.

If you've fried tomatoes before, you likely know that dredging the tomatoes too early can result in gummy, wet breading that slips off when it hits the oil. To avoid this (or fix it, once it's happened), dredge the tomatoes directly before adding them to the oil, working in batches to avoid any tomatoes sitting unfried. If you've already dredged each tomato, simply coat it in flour again right before frying, shaking off any excess to avoid gummy, thick breading.

This curried fried green tomato recipe is fairly simple, and because of this, it can be customized in many different ways. To make the tomatoes spicier, add a few pinches of cayenne to the flour mixture or stir Sriracha hot sauce into the egg mixture. You can also add ground ginger and onion powder for more flavor, or Kashmiri chile powder for a more orange color. Though self-rising flour is the secret to extra-crispy fried foods, you can swap it for all-purpose, adding a pinch of baking powder and salt for similar results. You can also add cornmeal to the mixture for extra crunch, which is a technique often used in Southern preparations.

You can also customize the coleslaw just like you would a traditional raita. Raita can be made in many ways, with many ingredients. You can add cilantro, green chiles, pomegranate seeds, or even sliced okra. You can also fill the raita with mint for a more refreshing flavor, or add chat masala, turmeric, and chili powder for something more savory.

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