indian philly cheeseteak with masala fries

recreating a hometown cult classic sandwich

One of my earliest and most cherished food-related memories is of a small, unassuming deli in a gas station parking lot off the side of I-95 in South Philadelphia. Little Sicily Pizza II, as it was named, offered all the classic Italian-American goodness that you expect - pizza, calzones, cheesesteaks, you name it. However, what truly made this place special for me was the small laminated poster on the right-hand side of the restaurant, titled “Spicy Food Menu,” which was the gateway to a world of Indian-inspired versions of traditional deli offerings. Their spicy chicken cheesesteak, stuffed with flavorful keema, was my go-to every time. I’d eagerly beg my parents to make a stop anytime I accompanied them to work or if we were in the surrounding area - it was simply that good!

As I began experimenting in the kitchen, recreating this delectable creation became one of my earliest goals. Keema was one of the earliest things I learned to make from my mom, leading me to attempt and iterate through multiple versions of this beloved cheesesteak. The current version is layered with keema, a spicy green chutney mayo, fried onions, and served with masala fries, another staple item from Little Sicily. I usually enjoy this as a late-night, fridge-cleanout treat to myself after my mom or I make keema earlier in the week. However, it’s perfect for any occasion - especially if you're feeling creative and want to make something unique for your guests or friends.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Keema (makes 4 servings):

• 1 lb ground chicken

  • Lamb is also traditional for keema but requires a little more time and effort to make. I often use ground turkey if you want something a little leaner without compromising taste.

• 1 1/2 red onion, diced finely

• 3 small tomatoes, diced finely

• 2 Desi green chilis, slit in half

  • You can use Thai bird’s eye chilis or something milder like jalapenos or serranos if you prefer

• 1 cup peas (frozen or fresh, doesn’t matter)

• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

• 2 tsp chili powder (I use Kashmiri but a lot of different ones work for this)

• 1/2 tsp Garam masala

• 1/2 tsp Cumin powder

• 1 tsp Coriander powder

• 2 green elaichi

• 4 cloves

• 1/2 cinnamon stick

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• Pinch of turmeric

• Salt and pepper

• Handful of cilantro, chopped finely

• 2 tbsp olive oil

Sandwich (makes 1 serving):

• 1 hoagie roll (I like Amoroso’s, which is a local commercial baking company, but use whatever you like)

• 2 slices pepper jack cheese

• 1 tsp ghee (butter also works for this purpose)

• 1/2 red onion, sliced into thin half-moons

• 1 tbsp cornstarch

• 2 tbsp light mayo

• 2 tbsp greek yogurt (I used Oikos Pro for extra protein)

• 1 Desi green chili

• Handful of cilantro

• Handful of mint

• Juice of 1/2 lime

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tbsp Nirav Rajwadi sandwich chutney (Totally optional, but such a hack to boost the flavor of your sauce)

Masala Fries (makes 2-3 servings):

• 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes

  • Honestly you can use whatever you want, but yellow potatoes are starchier → gets more crispy when roasted or fried → tastier

• 1/2 tbsp olive oil or cooking spray

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 1/2 tsp garam masala

• 1/2 tsp coriander powder

• Pinch of turmeric

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• Handful of cilantro, chopped finely

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Macros (for 1 serving of everything):

Calories: 900

Protein: 50g

Carbs: 78g

Fat: 44g

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Instructions:

1. Let’s start off by making the keema. Heat up your oil on medium heat in a large pot and toast off the elachi, cinnamon stick, clove, and cumin seeds until fragrant. Then add your diced onions and chilis and saute until translucent before stirring in ginger garlic paste.

2. Once the raw smell from the paste is cooked off, and the mixture has become a jammy consistency, add in your tomatoes and cover with a lid to let stew. Remove after 2 minutes and mix well, combining with the dry seasonings and salt and pepper to taste.

   • Use a wooden spoon to scrap off any bits stuck to the bottom of a pan. You can use cooking spray if you need additional fat throughout the process, but remember to be patient as the onion and tomato will naturally release water to help deglaze the pan!

3. After another 2 minutes, add in your ground chicken, breaking it up in the pan until it’s small. Cook until the oil starts to separate at the top, then pour enough water to cover the chicken, put the lid back on, and let cook on medium-low for 10 minutes.

4. Take the lid off, add in your peas, and cook until you reach your desired consistency. Garnish with cilantro and you’re done!

   • I like my keema to be slightly saucy but not too much gravy. It should still be solid enough to eat on a sandwich without being too messy.

5. When your keema is in the final stages of cooking (when you throw the lid on), start prepping the potatoes for the masala fries. Wash your potatoes before boiling them in a salty pot of water until slightly fork-tender. Remove and cool in an ice bath, pat dry, and cut into wedges.

   • Using an ice bath is used to “shock” or stop the cooking process - especially useful for veggies when you need to roast or saute them after boiling.

6. Mix together the seasonings in a bowl with oil or cooking fat. Massage the seasoned oil onto the potato wedges and air fry at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Pull them out onto a paper towel-lined plate, let cool, and garnish with chopped cilantro.

7. Create your sauce by first toasting all the spices and the chili in a little ghee before blending together with the herbs, mayo, yogurt, chutney, and lime juice. Taste and adjust to your liking!

   • Toasting the spices and other aromatics in oil or ghee is referred to as “tadka” or “oggarane,” both translating to “tempering.” This process enhances the sauce nicely as the natural oils from the spices get released when toasted, amplifying their individual flavors.

8. In a separate pan, toast your hoagie roll using butter or mayo and set aside.

   • Using mayo to toast your rolls or bread is an underrated move - I personally think you get a nicer golden brown toast compared to using butter.

9. Toss your sliced onions in cornstarch, shake off the excess, and shallow fry them with the remaining butter in the pan. Set aside once cooked.

10. Heat up one portion of keema in the pan on low heat and place two cheese slices on top. Sprinkle a little water around the edges of the pan and cover with a lid until the keema is nice and cheesy.

    • Sprinkling water helps create extra moisture in the pan, which helps the cheese get really melty when you cover with a lid.

11. Build your sandwich by spreading your green chutney mayo, layering the keema mixture on top, and then topping with the crispy onions and extra sauce. Feel free to add whatever other toppings you like - you’re the master of your own cheesesteak. Serve alongside the masala fries, and enjoy!

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This recipe is easily customizable, leaving you with the option of making it more macro-focused or flavor-focused if you so choose.

If you want better macros:

• Use cooking spray rather than ghee and butter. I think you still need the 2 tbsp of olive oil in the keema to maintain flavor, but using a spray for the rest of your cooking fat needs works perfectly well.

• Opting for ground turkey or a leaner cut of ground chicken.

• Skipping the bread and just enjoying this as a keema-style loaded fries cuts a lot of carbs and fat.

If you want better flavor:

• Add pickled jalapenos or peppers to add some tang and sourness.

• Making a masala cheese sauce rather than using sliced cheese. This is what my favorite cheesesteak joint in Philly does and is something I’m working on implementing in my next iteration of this sandwich.

• Don’t skimp on the bread! Go to a local bakery and get a nice baguette, french bread, or any other crusty, buttery roll that could hold all of this cheesy, meaty goodness.

As I mentioned at the start, this is just my current version of this recipe. Looking ahead, testing out the masala cheese sauce, using thinly sliced cuts of lamb to mimic the slices of beef typically used in a traditional cheesesteak, and even baking fresh bread are all ideas I want to try out to make this sandwich better.

Regardless of whatever changes I may make to this down the road, this sandwich never fails to satisfy my cravings - it hits just as hard as the staple sandwich from Little Sicily. Hope you guys get a chance to try this out for yourselves and get your own little taste of Philadelphia fusion food right at home!