Vegetable Cutlets

Since last six months I have been looking at the lonely arbor in the backyard. It is surrounded by lovely vines and an inviting table with four comfortable chairs. Chilly weather keeps me away from it six months in a year. But now, summer is here! Finally! Vegetable cutlets and chai seemed like a perfect way to welcome something as important as this.

I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t like cutlets. Spicy vegetable filling surrounded by a super-crunchy crust makes it just irresistible. This time I also added shredded beetroot in the mix. In India I used to love cutlets with chikoo shake. No chikoos here in California, but Mango shake or plain lassi goes well too.

1/2 cup shredded cabbage
3 medium size potatoes, boiled and peeled and grated
1/2 cup green peas
1/4 cup each carrot and green beans, finely chopped
1/4 cup shredded beetroot (totally optional)
1 small bunch cilantro/hara dhaniya, chopped
2 slices white bread broken into small pieces
2 small green chilies, finely chopped
1/4 tea spoon grated ginger
1/4 tea spoon red chili powder
1/2 tea spoon coriander powder
1/4 tea spoon garam masala
1/4 tea spoon amchur
2 table spoon cashews chopped into small pieces
1/2 tea spoon cumin seeds
2 table spoon oil to fry cashews and cumin seeds
1 tea spoon salt
3 cups oil to fry

For coating:
2 table spoon maida/all purpose flour
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup bread crumbs

1. Cook/steam carrot, green beans, and cabbage with just about 1/4 cup of water or less.
2. Drain all the water out from vegetables and keep aside. This step is very important.
3. Heat 2 table spoon oil and fry green chilies, ginger and cashew pieces for 2-3 minutes. Add cooked vegetables.
4. In a big bowl, add mashed potatoes, cooked vegetables, chopped cilantro, shredded beetroot, bread pieces, and all the spices, including salt.
5. Mix everything well by hand. This is the cutlet mix.
6. In a separate bowl add maida/all purpose flour and mix it with 1/3 cup water. Mix well so there are no lumps.
7. Pour bread crumbs on to a plate.
8. Make 4×2 inch ovals from the cutlet mix (see picture)
9. Dip each cutlet in the flour batter. Shake off excess batter and roll the cutlet in bread crumbs so both sides are properly coated with the crumbs.
10. Repeat the above step for all cutlets and arrange them on a big plate.
11. Deep fry in hot oil for about 5 minutes in batches of 4 to 6 depending on the pan size. Make sure the oil is hot when you first put the cutlets, but then reduce the heat to medium. This will make the cutlets nice and crispy.