Give Fried Green Tomato Sandwiches 10X The Flavor By Making Them Indian Style

Tart-yet-sweet green tomatoes are a southern delicacy. Coated in crunchy breadcrumbs or coarse cornmeal and fried to perfection, lovers of the tomatoes look forward to their harvest every summer. The verdant veggies may seem like quintessential soul food, but there are southern regions outside of America that enjoy them. In South India, green tomatoes are a fixture in chutneys and curries, and our curried fried green tomato sandwich – shared by recipe developer Michelle McGlinn — blends the best of both worlds.

Cornmeal is commonly used in the fried green tomato batter to add a nice crunch while adding a touch of sweetness as a contrast to the highly acidic ingredient. In her Indian-style take on the dish, McGlinn uses curry powder to add even more depth to the tomatoes. "The warm, earthy, savory-sweet Indian-inspired flavor perfectly complements the juicy tartness of the end-of-summer bounty," she writes.

Indian curry powder is made up of various different ingredients, including turmeric, cumin, dried chilis, fennel, coriander. The seasoning is the perfect blend of sweet and earthy, enveloping the tomatoes in a subtly fiery, inviting warmth. McGlinn uses a ¼ cup of curry powder for 1 ½ cups of flour, ensuring the curry is prominent without being overpowering. Once the tomatoes are sliced and patted dry, dip them in a bowl of beaten eggs, then dredge them in the flour and spice mix before frying.

When compiling the sandwiches, McGlinn whips up an Indian-inspired coleslaw using cumin, another staple South Asian spice. She makes it with shredded cabbage, red onions, Greek yogurt, and mini cucumbers, adding a creamy contrast to the crunchy fried green tomatoes. If you want to dress the sandwich up even more, add some cheese. Kalari, one of the best cheeses in the world, has a salty, milky, mozzarella-like flavor that tempers the tomatoes' tanginess.

For a heftier sandwich, add in some protein with bacon — veggie or turkey also works fine — or spiced, shredded chicken. Seafood also pairs wonderfully with both American and Indian flavors. Tilapia has taken off in India in recent years, and the fish is also a Southern staple in the states. Create a fusion dish to complement the curried fried green tomatoes and use Indian spices to make New Orleans-style blackened tilapia.

Take a note from our south Indian tilapia masala recipe and season the fish with cilantro, coriander, ginger, garlic, and chilis. For the coleslaw, swap the coconut milk from the tilapia masala for grated coconut instead. The sweet fruit is the perfect match for sour green tomatoes, and they both share a bold, summery flavor.