7 of our all-time favourite sandwich recipes

This toasted sandwich is the snack of choice on the streets of Mumbai, and there's not a sniff of generic yellow curry powder in sight (sorry, coronation chicken!). The body of the sandwich is a green chutney – made with ginger, green chilli, coriander and mint – dusted with a freshly ground spice mix and combined with tomato, red onion, cucumber and cheese. It may sound simple, but the results are delicious – the chutney is sharp and spicy, cutting through the oozing melted cheese.

With the Black Sea on one side and the Sea of Marmara on the other, Istanbul is home to some incredible fish and seafood. One of the most popular snacks in the city is this sandwich, which combines fresh mackerel with a zingy, crunchy salad, pomegranate molasses and a sprinkle of chilli flakes. Helen Graves' version uses smoked mackerel for extra punch, but feel free to go with either – you won't be disappointed either way.

Jeremy Lee's smoked eel sandwich is one of London's most legendary dishes, becoming famous far beyond his Soho restaurant Quo Vadis. Deceptively simple to make, it stands out thanks to the faultless combination of oily smoked eel, hot horseradish cream and crisp flavourful sourdough. The little clump of pickled onion on the side cuts through the fat in the sandwich to create a showstopping dish boasting the very best of British cooking.

Steak sandwiches rate pretty high on our list of ideal winter comfort foods, and this chargrilled onglet number ticks all the boxes. The quick-pickled celeriac remoulade on the side is a clever touch – it cuts through the meaty steak and peppery watercress, making this so much more than your bog-standard steak sarnie.

The bánh mì is a landmark in gastronomic terms. This hybrid sandwich came about during the French occupation of Vietnam, and combines one of the great breads of the world – a glorious crusty French baguette – with a melange of Vietnamese flavours, including pickles, lemongrass, chilli, coriander and fish sauce. Helen Graves makes hers with tofu, but you can easily substitute that for something more meaty if preferred.

Ox heart sandwich might not be as famous as prawn mayonnaise or egg and cress, but it takes the humble steak sandwich to another level. Ox heart is a hugely underused cut of meat – it tastes very similar to steak but is far cheaper, simply requiring a bit of extra attention when cooking. It's best to keep things simple and let the ingredients do the talking by whipping up a piquant salsa verde. The result is a sandwich that delivers on all fronts.