VEGETABLE CUTLETS/TIKKIS

These vegetable cutlets are so healthy and very kid friendly! Have I got your attention already?GREAT!:)

They are so crispy on the outside and soft and delicious on the inside. These patties make great veggie burger patties too! PLUS they freeze so well! My daughter loves these ……so whenever I have the time………………..and patience to sit and roll these out, I make a biggish batch to freeze.
They come in so handy when we are stuck on lunch box ideas. Also so handy for after school snacks or teatime snacks…………just pull them outta the freezer and shallow fry them on low flame. No need to defrost.

Makes about 18 cutlets

INGREDIENTS:

oil to saute

onions, chopped – 2

tomatoes, chopped – 2

beetroot, roughly chopped – 2

carrots , roughly chopped – 2

potatoes, roughly chopped – 2

ginger garlic paste – 2 tbsps

red chili powder – 1 and 1/2 tsps

garam masala – 1 tsp

turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

coriander powder – 2 tsps

cumin powder – 1 tsp

fresh coriander leaves – 2 tbsps

salt to taste

for shaping and rolling:
cooking oats – 1 cup approx (can also use breadcrumbs)

eggs, whisked – 2

breadcrumbs

PROCESS:

In a pressure cooker, heat the oil and saute the onions until lightly browned.
Add in the ginger garlic paste and saute for about 30 seconds.
Add in the tomatoes and salt and cover and cook for a minute or so until the tomatoes are mushy.
Add in all the vegetables. Saute for a minute.
Add in the red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, cumin powder and coriander powder and let it cook for a minute.
Lastly add in the fresh coriander leaves.
Add in the required water (just enough) and pressure cook for a few whistles till the vegetables are cooked through.
When done, carefully release the steam, and put the pot back on the flame and cook till all the water has evaporated.
Keep stirring continuously since it is very easy to burn the bottom.
Once the water has completely evaporated, roughly mash the veggie with the back of your spatula/spoon. Remove from the flame and let it cool.

Now to shape the cutlets– In a shallow plate keep the breadcrumbs ready.
In another bowl, keep the eggs ready.
Now, the veggie mixture will be too soft to shape. So we add just enough oats to help maintain the shape when moulded.
After you add in the oats to the veggies, mix well and you can start shaping.
Take some mixture and shape into a cutlet. Then drop it into the eggs and coat well. Next place it on the breadcrumbs and let it cover the whole cutlet.
Do the same for the entire vegetable mixture. At this point you can freeze them by placing them in neat layers in a box with sheets of baking paper in between so they don’t stick to each other.

Heat oil in a wide pan/skillet for shallow frying.
Shallow fry them on low flame till nicely browned on each side. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Enjoy them hot with ketchup/ chili sauce on the side.