5 Tea Party Sandwiches for Indian Afternoon Tea
Five crustless vegetarian finger sandwiches for your next tea party — beetroot raita, carrot hung curd, spiced chickpea, cucumber-chutney cream cheese, and paneer with chilli and chutney. No egg.
Equipment
- Blender or immersion blender
- Mixing bowls
- Serrated bread knife
- Colander
- Toothpicks (optional)
Ingredients
Shared
- 20 slices soft white or milk bread sandwich loaf
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter softened, plus extra as needed
Beetroot raita sandwich
- 1 cup thick hung curd about 8 oz / 225 g
- 1 medium cooked beetroot about 7 oz / 200 g; half for blending and half thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp sugar optional
Carrot sandwich
- 3/4 cup thick hung curd
- 1 cup finely grated carrot about 4 oz / 115 g
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Spiced chickpea salad
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas about 5 oz / 150 g; drained
- 2 tbsp onion finely chopped
- 1 small tomato finely chopped
- 2 tbsp red bell pepper finely chopped
- 2 tbsp cucumber finely diced
- 2 tbsp raisins optional; soaked 10 minutes and drained
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp honey or sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- small handful baby spinach leaves
Cucumber and chutney cream cheese
- 4 oz cream cheese 110 g; softened
- 1 tbsp mint-coriander chutney plus extra to taste
- 1/2 English cucumber sliced thin
- pinch of salt for draining cucumber
Paneer with chilli and chutney
- 4 oz paneer 110 g; soaked in hot water 20 minutes if store-bought, then patted dry
- 2 tbsp mint-coriander chutney
- 2 tbsp chilli sauce optional; or extra chutney
- small handful baby spinach
- 1/2 English cucumber sliced thin
- 1 small tomato sliced thin
- 2 tbsp thinly sliced red or white onion
Instructions
Beetroot raita sandwich
- Chop half the cooked beet. Blend with hung curd, salt, pepper, and sugar (if using) until thick and spreadable.
- Spread beetroot raita thickly on two bread slices. Layer thin slices of remaining beet on one slice.
- Top with second slice, spread-side down. Trim crusts and cut into three finger sandwiches. Repeat with second pair of slices.
Carrot sandwich
- Mix hung curd, grated carrot, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Butter one side of each of four bread slices. Spread a generous layer of carrot mixture on the buttered side of two slices.
- Top with remaining bread, butter-side down. Trim crusts and cut each sandwich into three fingers.
Spiced chickpea salad
- Mash chickpeas until mostly smooth. Stir in onion, tomato, pepper, cucumber, raisins (if using), and cilantro.
- Whisk cumin, garam masala, olive oil, honey, and lemon. Pour over chickpeas, stir, and season.
- Place spinach on two buttered bread slices. Top with chickpea mixture and cilantro leaves.
- Close with remaining bread. Use toothpicks if needed. Trim crusts and cut each sandwich into three fingers.
Cucumber and chutney cream cheese
- Mix cream cheese and chutney until smooth.
- Salt cucumber slices in a colander 15 minutes, then pat completely dry.
- Butter four bread slices lightly. Spread chutney cream cheese on two slices. Top with dry cucumber in a single layer.
- Close, trim crusts, and cut into three fingers per sandwich.
Paneer with chilli and chutney
- Slice paneer, cucumber, tomato, and onion.
- Butter four bread slices. Spread chutney on two slices and chilli sauce (if using) on the other two.
- On chutney sides, layer spinach, paneer, cucumber, tomato, and onion. Close with chilli-sauce slices facing down.
- Use toothpicks if needed. Trim crusts and cut into three fingers per sandwich.
Serve
- Arrange all five varieties on a tiered stand or platter. Group by color if helpful.
- Serve with chai and optional fried snacks. Best texture within one to two hours of assembly.
Notes
Strain plain whole-milk yogurt in cheesecloth 2 to 4 hours for hung curd. Greek yogurt works if whisked smooth.
Boil or roast beet until tender, peel, and cool before blending and slicing.
Vegan swap: thick coconut or cashew yogurt for beet and carrot; vegan cream cheese and butter for cucumber and paneer versions.
Prepare fillings up to 1 day ahead, refrigerated. Assemble bread the day you serve.
Wrapped sandwiches keep up to 8 hours in the fridge; bread softens over time.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!