Vegetable cutlet

Vegetable cutlet is the first dish me and my sister made ( after our mom said if you don’t want to eat what I made , make your own food )  and we followed the recipe from the classic tamil cookbook ‘ Samaithu par ( cook and see)’. Since then I have simplified the recipe so it doesn’t take much time to make 

Ingredients;

Cutlet:

3 potatoes - cooked and peeled- mashed 

Mixed vegetables with peas/ carrots/ corn -1.5 cup steamed ( I took out the beans/ Lima beans but you can leave in you like)- mashed in a separate bowl

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp ( if you don’t have the paste just grate equal parts fresh ginger and fresh garlic and put in 2 tbsp worth)

Homemade masala powder - 2 tbsp ( recipe below- store extra )

Fennel - 1 part ( I used about 1/8cup) 

White poppy seeds- 1 part ( 1/8 cup)

Cloves - 3 

Grind well into a fine powder and store in an airtight container 

Kashmiri chili powder ( or just chili powder)- 1/4 tsp

Garam masala ( store bought) - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste 

Panko bread crumbs ( for gluten allergic people use crushed rice cereal or corn cereal / corn meal) - 1/2 cup 

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Batter : mix together until batter consistency ( like pancake batter- can adjust water to get to correct consistency ) 

Corn flour - 3 tbsp 

Water - 1/4 cup 

Salt and pepper to taste 

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Panko bread crumbs- 1 cup ( for dipping- see substitution above for gluten allergic people )

Instructions:

1. Mix the potato and the mixed vegetable mash together in a large mixing bowl 

2. Add the spices including ginger garlic paste, homemade masala , garam masala , chili powder, salt to the mash and mix in well. Taste and adjust salt.

3. Add the breadcrumbs to the mixture and mix in well

4. Now set up a dipping station.Put the mashed potato mixture bowl first , then the batter , then the bread crumbs in a bowl 

5. Take a golf ball sized mixture and pat it flat. Dip in the corn batter to coat it and then in the bread crumbs and set on a plate ready to fry.

6. In a fry pan pour 1/2 cup of vegetable/ canola oil and heat up to 375 ( frying temp - can use a thermometer ). If there is no thermometer - heat up the oil in the pan on moderate / high heat (around 8). Once it gets hot enough test it by putting a small pinch of the potato mixture in and see if fries and rises to the top quickly ( this is the appropriate temp).

You can turn down the temp to moderate heat at this point to prevent burning of the cutlet.

7. Fry the cutlet about 30 sec on both sides until golden brown . Use a slotted spoon since this drains the oil . Set the cutlet aside on a paper towel lined bowl to drain the oil 

Cutlet is ready to serve with ketchup/ tamarind sauce / mint chutney 

Apple, beet salad with breaded goat cheese topping

I first had this apple, beet, goat cheese salad at a restaurant in Budapest and then when we got home we had to re create it since it was so tasty. Since then this has been a salad we eat pretty regularly. It is a way to eat beets that is tasty :)

Ingredients 

Canned beets - 1 can - cut into thin strips ( julienned)

Apple-2 large - cut into thin strips ( julienned) 

Clementine/ mandarin orange slices from 2 fruits - optional 

Butter lettuce - cut and washed 

Candied walnuts / pecans - 2 tbsp ( optional )

Breaded goat cheese rounds:

Goat cheese - 8 oz log

Egg- 1 beaten 

Panko bread crumbs- 1 cup 

Dried spices (mix in with bread crumbs) 

Thyme- 1/4 tsp , parsley - 1/4 tsp , basil-1/4 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp, black pepper - 1/4 tsp

Vegetable oil - 1/2 cup for shallow frying 

Dressing :

Oranges ( clementines/ halos/ mandarin orange)- 3 juiced

Olive oil - 2 tbsp 

Rice wine vinegar - 2 tbsp

Mustard- 1/2 tsp

Maple syrup - 1 tbsp

Honey/ brown sugar- 1 tbsp 

Salt- to taste

Pepper - to taste 

Instructions :

1. First in a bowl add julienned apple, beets and                (optional) orange slices.

2. Combine all the ingredients for the salad dressing in a bowl beat well until combined. Taste it and add ingredients to taste ( ie if sour add some sweet, if sweet add some sour etc) and set aside.

3.Freeze the goat cheese for about 20 min before you cut it so it’s firm

4.Cut the goat cheese into 1/2 inch slices 

5.Dip the goat cheese into the egg and then dip it into the seasoned bread crumbs 

6. In a sauce pan add the oil until it is about 1/4 inch deep

7. Heat the oil up to about 350 ( if you don’t have a thermometer just heat up the oil enough and test it by dropping a small amount of the breaded goat cheese, if it sizzles and rises to the top right away then it is at the correct temperature)

8. Now gently place the breaded goat cheese round into the oil and let it dry form about 30 seconds and then turn it over with a slotted spoon 

9. Repeat the same with the other side - you take it out when it is golden brown

10. Drain the excesses oil by placing in a paper towel lined bowl. 

11. Add the dressing from step 2 to the bowl of apples and beets from step 1 and combine well

12. On a plate place the butter lettuce and the place the apple beet mixture on top and the sprinkle with candied nuts and then place the breaded goat cheese rounds on top and now the salad is ready to serve !!