Vegetable Cutlet (Kerala Bakery-Style)

This is how I ended up preparing Kerala bakery-style vegetable cutlets at home.

We, my friends and I, threw a baby shower for two of our 'latest' mums-to-be two weeks back and decided on a potluck. I chose to make vegetable cutlet for entree` and roughly estimated that 5 cups of mixed vegetables and 1 1/2 cup of mashed potato should make me at least 25 vegetable cutlets. But it was only when I made the cutlet mix that I realised my estimates on mashed potato had gone terribly wrong and I didn't have any extra potatoes in the pantry. Battling with going ahead of making cutlets with the mixture I had at hand against running to the supermarket for potatoes and being late for the party, the vegetable cutlets that is so common in bakeries in Kerala came to my mind. Well, why not use their most important ingredient?...... Bread Crumbs...... It may not be perfect but that was the best choice I had.



Of course, it was still loaded with veggies and tasted good to my palate. But I really wasn't sure. With all the confidence I could muster I took my vegetable cutlets to the party. I was really tensed when the time came to serve cutlets. But everyone loved it and asked for the recipe, putting a rest to all my worries.

 

Makes: 14 - 16
Preparation Time: 1 1/2 hours
Cooking Time: 30 minutes + time for frying

Ingredients

• 1 cup green beans, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup carrot, finely chopped, tightly packed
• 1 cup green cabbage, finely chopped, tightly packed
• 1 cup brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 - 3 green chilly , minced (adjust to your taste)
• 3/4 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1/2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1/2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped
• 1/2 tbsp curry leaves, finely chopped
• 1/4 tbsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp kashmiri chilly powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• dash of turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp white vinegar
• 3/4 cup mashed potato
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp dry bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 5-6 tbsp water
• 75g dry bread crumbs, to coat cutlets (approx.)
• 2 tbsp oil  + oil to fry

Method
1. Cook beans with salt and water. Drain water. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a shallow pan and saute` ginger and garlic until it softens. Add onion and green chilly and salt to taste and saute till onion starts to change colour. Add curry leaves, coriander powder, chilly powder, garam masala, turmeric powder and pepper powder. Mix well and saute till the spices are fried but not burnt. Add carrot and cabbage, mix well, season to taste and cook until done. Add cooked beans, mix well and then add vinegar and coriander and mix well. Close pan and cook for a few more minutes taking care not to burn. The mixture should not have any water in it. Add mashed potato and dry bread crumbs and mix well. Leave mixture to cool.
2. Divide vegetable mixture into 16 to 18 balls and shape them into circular patties or any shape you like using your hands. Make sure the patties are sealed well without any cracks inside.
3. Mix 3 tbsp plain flour with 5 - 6 tbsp of water to make a batter (not too thin or thick) in a bowl. Take bread crumbs in a separate bowl. Dip each vegetable patty into flour batter and then gently roll them in bread crumbs. Using your hands gently press crumbs to stick to the vegetable patty. Deep fry patties in hot oil over medium flame till they turn brown, taking care not to burn them.

Serve hot with tomato ketchup or hot chilly sauce.