Vegetable cutlet or most popularly known as vegetable chop is an
instant hit among all bongs especially during the winters. Vegetable cutlets
usually contain all type of boiled vegetables however; this version contains
Beetroot as the mail ingredient along with potato, carrot & green peas. The
veggies are grated and mixed with local spices and then deep fried.
My memory of Vegetable chops goes back to mid-90s. Those years, the
winters used to be really cold in Kolkata. I remember, each time we used to go
for a picnic or a long drive, these Chops (cutlets) were always prepared by my
Dad. He was an ace in preparing them. Thinking of those crispy yet fresh
cutlets still makes me salivate. The juicy cutlets are not only enjoyed in
winters but are now a popular snack in Kolkata round the year.
In Mumbai, one would either not get these Cutlets at all or will have
to shell out good amount of money to buy a plate of these and still not get the
original flavor. In turn I decided to make them at home and believe me, they
were an instant hit in the family. So here I share the recipe with you.
Ingredients
1 medium sized Potato
2 small carrots
1 medium Beetroot
Fresh Green peas
3 Green chilies, fine chopped
Dry roasted spices (Bhaja Moshla): 1tsp each of Coriander seeds, cumin
seeds, 3-4 cloves, 1-2 cinnamon sticks and 2 red chilies.
Finely chopped coconut
Peanuts
Bread crumbs
Cracker biscuits - Powdered
Salt
Sugar
Oil for deep frying
Method
- Peel the skins of Potato, carrots and Beetroot. Now grate each of them and keep aside.
- In a pan, dry roast the following: Coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon and dry red chillies. Coarsely grind them and keep aside.
- Add 1 tsp of oil in a pan and fry the peanuts. Now add the finely chopped coconut and fry well. Keep this aside.
- To the same pan, add 2 tsp of oil and then add the grated potato, carrots, beetroot, green peas and fine chopped green chillies. Mix well. Add salt and sugar (as per taste) and stir well till the veggies are half done. Now add the dry roasted spices and mix well. Simultaneously add the fried coconut and peanuts. Cook till the veggies are done.
- Allow the mixture to cool down. Now take small portions from this mixture and give them an oval shape or a shape of your choice. You can also add some Maida (all-purpose flour) or corn flour as a binding agent.
- In a plate, mix the breadcrumbs and powdered biscuits together.
- Take each of the oval shaped cutlets, coat them well with the breadcrumb mixture and refrigerate them for an hour.
- In a wok, heat oil for deep frying. Once the oil is hot, deep fry the cutlets till the outer coat is crispy and golden.
Server the cutlets with onion rings and tomato sauce.
