Vegetable Cutlet

   I heard a funny program on the radio on the day after New Year's day "The fastest resolution breaker" and I could relate so much to it :)It's been a week since New Year's day and this time I made it a point to make no resolutions.The resolutions have remained almost the same for the past few years,be more organised,stop eating sweets,be more patient.But the speed at which I break the resolutions is usually more than the speed at which I make them.So this year I made a resolution to not make a resolution, and I did manage to keep this resolution :P

  Coming to today's recipe,this is one fried food that I simply love.love. I've tasted cutlets at many places,but believe me nothing beats the taste of  the cutlets ,that I've tasted as a kid when we used to travel by trains,chair cars to be more specific.The tomato soup and cutlets that could be bought on trains those days used to be simply yummy.A long train journey was the most exciting adventure for us as kids.It used to be a rare occasion and much awaited.Sleeping on a train berth with the gentle (or not so genlte)rocking of the train was such a wonderful feeling.And not to forget the loud announcements with the standard ting,ting,ting sound as the train stopped at every possible station,and getting up in the mornings to the sound of 'tea,kaappi,kaappi'.The trains are faster today and the journeys shorter .I miss those days when we used to eat everything without wondering about whether it was hygienic,healthy and so many other factors.Simpler days ,simpler thoughts and lots of fun which the current generation will never experience ! 

You'll need :
Potatoes - 2 -3 (big)
Carrots - 2
Beans - 15 - 20
Boiled Peas - 2 handfuls
Green Chilli - 1(finely chopped)
Coriander leaves - 2 - 3 sprigs(chopped finely)
Ginger & Garlic (grated) - 1 tsp
Onions - 1 (small)(chopped finely)
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Red Chilli Powder - 3/4 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp(optional)
salt as needed
oil - 1 tbsp
Lemon Juice - 1 -2 tsp

Egg white - from 1 egg or a tbsp of Flour mixed with water to a thin lump free batter.
Bread Crumbs - as needed
oil - for deep frying

Method:
-Boil,peel and mash the potatoes.
-Grate the carrots and chop the beans finely.
-Beat the egg whites with a fork a little.
-In a pan on medium heat,add 1 tbsp oil.When it heats up add the Ginger,Garlic,Green chilli,coriander leaves and turmeric powder .Sauté for a minute until the Ginger and garlic are slightly browned.Add all the powders and mix well for a few seconds.Add the onions and a pinch of salt and sauté for a minute or two until the onions turn soft.
-Add the carrots,beans and peas and mix well.Add salt as needed.Sprinkle a little water and cover and cook on low heat until it's 3/4th cooked.When it's 3/4th done remove the lid and sauté on high heat till the mixture becomes dry.The mixture should be very dry ,be careful to not brown it.
-If the mixture has a lot of mixture then the cutlets might break on frying.You could also let the mixture cool and squeeze it to remain any extra moisture if present.
-Mix the mashed potatoes and the vegetable mixture well.Add the lemon juice and mix well.Check for salt and add some if needed.Let it stay in the Fridge for an hour or two.You can also make it a day ahead and let it stay in the Fridge overnight.
-Shape the mixture into any shape of your choice.Dip the cutlets in the egg whites and roll them on the bread crumbs,so that they are fully coated with the bread crumbs.
-Heat the oil and when they are hot,add the cutlets and fry them on medium heat until they are well cooked. Done !

Note:
-If you feel that the mixture is not firm enough and tends to break,add 1 - 2 tbsp of Cornflour and mix again.
-If you want to make them ahead for a party:Fry each of the cutlets just for a few seconds and let them cool.Arrange them in an airtight container with each layer separated by a plastic sheets or baking paper and freeze them.When needed,take them out and fry them.You don't have to defrost them.
-You could add other vegetables like Cauliflowers too.

Cabbage Vada

It's been more than a week since I posted,I seriously didn't find time to sit at my comp.Well If u're wondering why,I've been attending kindergarten for the past 10 days :) This is a very hectic month for me,little girl turned 3 and she's started kindergarten.And here in Germany till when the kid settles in ,one of the parents (mostly the mother) accompanies the child to kindergarten.If  your kid doesn't have any separation anxiety this lasts for just a few days but for others it could last up to 2 -3 months.My daughter is one of those kids whose totally attached to her mommy,so I guess I'll be going there for quite some time.In India I still remember the first day of school.It's a very exciting experience for the parents and the passers by watching the kids.Some of the the kids kick and scream while the other go in smiling and the teachers some how manage to calm down a class of 50 or more howling children with ease :) Guess that's more difficult for the kids ,while going to kindergarten for 3 months can be difficult for a grown up :)I do feel out of place sitting there for 3 hours every day but it's a humbling experience too.Yesterday to keep myself occupied I picked up a 40 piece jigsaw puzzle and started doing it.I wasn't even half way through the puzzle when I was stuck.There I was sitting with a serious expression on my face as if I was thinking about the world economy,when a 5 year old asked me if I needed some help and finished the puzzle off in no time :) Blame it on aging or lack of interest,but I was humbled .Reminded me of something that my Dad always tells us 'The learning never ends' :)

So off to the recipe...This makes a wonderful tea time snack,I love adding  vegetables to snacks and this is one such attempt.

Makes 15 -18 Vadas
You'll Need:
Channa Dal /Gram Dal -  150 g
Green Chilli - 1 -2
Cabbage - 1 cup - 150 g (finely chopped)
Onion - 1 small( finely chopped)
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves - 2 -3 tbsp
Ginger- a small piece
Oil - for deep frying

Method:
-Soak the Channa Dal in about two cups of water for 6 hours or overnight.
-Setting about handful of the drained channa dal aside,Grind the rest without water along with green chillies and ginger to a slightly coarse mixture.

-Add the cabbage,onion,coriander leaves,the handful of channa dal and salt to the ground mixture and mix well.

-Heat the oil in a wok,test if its ready by adding a pinch of the dal,if it immediately rises to the top then the oil is well heated.Make small flat patties of the dal mixture.

-Add the patties few at a time and fry until they are golden brown.

Note:
-If you find that the batter is a little runny and you feel that the vadas might break on frying,try keeping the mixture in the freezer for 10 minutes before frying.
-Alternatively you can add one tbsp of besan/gram flour or corn flour to the mixture to absorb the extra moisture.

Thanks for stopping by. Happy Cooking !

Sending this to Gujaratizaika’s winner’s choice giveaway

Mixed Nuts Cookies - Eggless Baking

Makes 10-12
Every weekend I break my head on what evening snack to prepare,which involves no frying and not much of sugar.This weekend I settled on these beautiful cookies:) These are very easy to bake cookies,apart from the initial preparation it takes less than 10 minutes to make.Nuts form a major part of these cookies and the recipe uses very little sugar. I've used Hazelnuts,Almonds and Walnuts ,you could replace this with any nuts of your choice.It does call for some butter which makes it very soft.The gentle flavors of the toasted nuts and brown sugar makes this a great tea time snack !

You'll need:

Almonds - 40 g(skinless & chopped)
Hazelnuts - 40 g(skinless & chopped)
Walnuts - 40 g
Salt - a pinch
Brown sugar - 3 tbsp
All purpose Flour - 120 g
Water - 1 tbsp
Butter - 100 g
Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp

 Method:
-In a small bowl,mix the Flour and the salt.
-Pre-heat an oven to 350°F/175°C. Place the nuts in three heaps separately on a baking tray lined with a baking paper and let the nuts toast for 10 minutes.After 10 minutes remove the tray from the oven and  let the nuts cool slightly.
-To a blender with metal blades,add the nuts and the sugar and grind until the nuts are powdered finely.
-Cut the cold butter into pieces.Add the butter and pulse just until the whole mixture is creamy,with the butter well incorporated.Add the water and vanilla essence and pulse for 3-4 seconds.
-Open the lid of the blender and scrape the sides.Then add the flour and just pulse until the flour is well incorporated into the mixture.Don't over mix.
-Remove the contents to a small bowl and make 10 - 12 small patties out of it.Arrange them on a baking paper lined baking tray such that they are evenly spaced.

-Pre-heat the oven to 350°F/175°C.Bake the biscuits from 30 - 40 minutes,until they are golden brown.The baking time may vary from oven to oven.I have an OTG and it takes almost 35 minutes for the centers of the cookie to get well baked.
-After the baking time,remove them from the oven and let them cool.They harden on cooling.They taste great when they are completely cooled.They can be stored in an airtight container for a month.

                                               Thanks for stopping by.Happy Cooking !

Sending this to Bake Fest # 19 & Vardhini's Bake Fest

Bombay Toast - Quick Fix

Serves 1
A simple yet delightful bread toast.Some people call it French Toast,but i somehow like the name Bombay toast.I would call this my favorite childhood snack.This was my father's specialty,he was an expert at making this.He would make it so moist and sugary that my sister & I would never feel that we've had enough.It makes a great breakfast and my daughter loves it. I learnt it from my Dad and he in turn from my Grand mom,well guess recipes are like heirlooms that are passed down from generation to generation ;)

Ingredients:
White Bread - 2 slices
Egg - 1
Milk - 4 tbsp
Butter or ghee - 1- 2  tbsp
White sugar or Brown sugar - 3-4 tsp

Method:
-Cut the edges from the Bread.
-Break the egg into a bowl & beat well with a fork.Add the milk & sugar and beat well.
-Heat a pan , when it heats up toast the bread slices for a minute on both the sides.
-Now add the bread slice to the egg mixture and with a fork make small piercings in it so that it gets soaked well in the egg mixture.Remove it & add the next slice and repeat the same thing.
-Add the ghee to a broad pan and when it heats up add the well soaked bread slices.Cook on a low to medium heat until they are well cooked and slightly browned on both the sides,turning them in between.

Broccoli tikki.

Makes 8.
 Tikkis, they taste great and make great snacks and side dishes.They are healthy and the shallow frying makes them definitely better than deeply fried snacks like vadas .I somehow feel that making a tikki is more like playing with 'play dough'.I simply enjoy the process of making them,the mixing ,shaping and all that ,hubby sometimes tells me that I look like a child playing in a sand pit. These tikkis are a beautiful combination of broccoli,paneer and potatoes and taste yum !


Ingredients :
Broccoli - 10 -15 florets(chopped very finely)
Paneer - 3 tbsp (grated)
Potatoes - 2 - 3 medium ( boiled & grated)
Corn flour - 2 tbsp
Onion - 1 medium (chopped)
Green chilli - 2 (chopped finely)
Garlic - 4 - 5 pods(minced)
olive oil - 1 tbsp & for shallow frying
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
salt - as needed

Method :

- To a pan add the 1 tbsp of oil and when it heats up add the garlic and  green chillies and saute for a minute or two.Then add the onion and little salt and saute until the onion turns translucent.
-Add the broccoli ,sprinkle some salt and garam masala powder. Saute on medium flame for 5- 8 minutes until they are cooked.


-
Remove from the stove.
-Add the boiled & grated potatoes,the corn flour and the paneer/cottage cheese. Mix everything well adding salt as needed.Shape them into medium sized tikkis/dumplings.
-Heat some more oil in a pan for shallow frying .Cook the tikkis on each side for 8- 10 minutes on a low or medium flame .

Sending this to What's with my Cuppa and Nupur's page,Foodabulous Food hosted by Pramitha's Space

Egg Kothu Idli

Serves 3
Kothu Idli ??Tamilians would probably laugh on reading this. Kothu parottas are more like every tamilian's household name.They are more famous in the southern part of TamilNadu. Flour breads(Parottas) are minced or shredded along with eggs or a meat gravy on the stove with the help of a metal turner.The turners make a distinctive metallic clang when the dish is prepared and most people would associate the sound with Bus Depots and road side eateries. Kothu Idlis are famous in  small eateries in the town of Madurai in  Southern Tamil Nadu.This dish would make a good snack and its definitely more healthier than Parottas,which are made of all purpose flour.It works great with leftover idlis too.Definitely a very healthy and easy way of perking up regular Idlis !

Ingredients:

Idlis - 8
For Soft Idlis:
Parboiled Rice - 1 cup
Urad dal - 1/4 cup
Poha/Aval - 1/4 cup
Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp
For Masala:
Tomato - 1 medium(chopped)
Potato - 1 medium(chopped)
Carrot - 1 (chopped)
Peas - a handful
Coriander powder - 1.5 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp(can be more or less)
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt -as needed
Assembly:
oil - 1 tbsp & 1 tsp
Green chilli - 1 slit
Ginger & Garlic - minced  1-2 tsp
Urad dal flour - 3 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 medium (chopped finely)
Eggs -2
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

Method:
For Idlis:
-Soak all the ingredients for idli in 1.5 cups of water for 5-6 hours.Then grind it to a very fine paste with very little or no water.Add a tsp of salt and beat the batter well with your hand.
-Let it ferment overnight or for 8-10 hours.Then do not beat them again,for soft Idlis after fermenting gently take spoonfuls of batter and fill the idli plates .Steam the Idlis for 10 minutes.
-After the idlis are done,let them cool and shred 8 idlis to pieces with your hand.
For Masala:
-Dry roast a handful of Ural dal on a pan and grind to a fine powder.
-To a pressure cooker add the potato,carrot,tomato,peas and the coriander and chilli powder.Add 1/4 cup of water and little salt.Let it cook for 1 whistle.Then grind all the vegetables with the water to a coarse paste.
-Add a tsp of oil in a pan and saute the paste on slow flame for 4 -5 minutes.It turns into a dry paste in 5 minutes because of the potato.Remove from the stove and let it cool a bit.
-Beat in the 2 eggs,1.5 tsp of Urad dal flour and 1 tsp of Garam masala powder into the ground paste.Add salt as needed.Beat well with a fork.
Assembly:
-To a pan add 1 tbsp of oil and when it heats up add the slit green chilli and the minced Ginger and Garlic.After a minute add the onions with a little salt ,saute until they turn translucent.
-Add the shredded Idlis and mix them so that they get coated with oil.Then add 1 tsp of Urad dhal flour and saute for 3-4 minutes.
-Add the masala to the pan and mix the Idlis such that they get coated with the masala. Keep sauteing until the eggs get cooked & the whole mixture appears a bit dry.
-Take it off the stove and garnish with coriander leaves.

Kidney Bean Kebab - Rajma Kebab

Makes 8
This is a very healthy and appetizing kebab.It's definitely a variation from the Rajma curries.I generally skip the green chilli so that my little girl would also enjoy it !



Ingredients:
Rajma - 150 g
Onion - 1/2 a medium one
Potato - 1 big (boiled and grated)
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp (chopped finely)
Ginger - small piece (minced finely)
Corn flour - 1 tsp
Salt - as needed
Ghee - 1 tsp
Green Chilli - 1 tbsp(finely chopped)
oil -for shallow frying


Method:
-Soak Rajma for 8 hours or overnight.Boil with enough water and salt in a pressure cooker on high heat for one whistle and simmering for 10 minutes.
-Mash the Rajma well.

-In a pan add the Ghee and when it heats up add the ginger,green chilli and coriander leaves.Saute for 2 minutes and add the chopped onions and turmeric powder.Saute until slightly browned.Remove from the stove.
-Add the mashed rajma,corn flour and potatoes and mix well.Add salt as needed and mix well.
-Make small patties and shallow fry.

Sending this to Kid's delight and Let's cook for Kids & Learning to Cook - Dish name starts with R

Oven Roasted Corn with Chutney

Corn on the cob is one thing that I love right from childhood.In Chennai we find this only at the beach .The smell of the corn roasted on coal and the sea breeze can be very pleasant and comforting. In Bangalore I've found roasted corn shops on the sidewalks in many areas.It's either roasted or boiled in salt water.At times it used to be our breakfast when we sleep in on weekends and miss our breakfast in our hostel :) In one particular shop on commercial street the corn is roasted with a green chutney and it simply tastes yum. I've never tasted it elsewhere and it has a very unique taste. I've tried to replicate it here,it comes close but definitely not as good as the original !

Ingredients:
Corn - 2 big ones
For the chutney :
Mint leaves - leaves from 3-4 sprigs
Coriander leaves - leaves from 10 sprigs
Green chili - 1
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Salt - as needed



Method:
-In a blender grind all the Ingredients for the chutney to a fine paste.
-Spread the chutney on the corn.
-Preheat the oven to 190 °C ,Bake for 25-30 mins.

Cheese Pennies

Makes 24

These are easy to bake savory cookies.Was looking for some sugarless baking when I came across this recipe.These Pennies are cheesy,crunchy and make a great tea time snack.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 115 g

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Paprika - 1/2 tsp

Grated cheese - 115 g

Butter - 115 g

Salt - 1/8 tsp

Method:

-Soften the butter. To a blender add the cheese and butter and pulse until they are well mixed.

-In a bowl mix the pepper powder,paprika,flour and salt.Add this to the blender and pulse along with the cheese and butter until well blended.

-Transfer the contents of the mixer to a plastic wrap and keep it wrapped in the fridge for one to two hours,until it gets firm.

-Take it from the Fridge and divided the dough into two portions.Roll each portion into a thin disc and cut small rounds from them.The dough can be a bit sticky so it's better to place it in between plastic wraps and roll.

-Preheat the oven to 225 °C /450° F .Bake for 8 -10 mins.

Sending to What is with my cuppa and Nupur's page
ä

Sending it to Vardhini's Bake Fest  and My cook book's Bake fest#16