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