VEGETABLE CUTLET

      Vegetable Cutlet - A quick fix Party Dish, a humble snack, an irresistible starter.  Cutlets have always been a quintessential dish of every special occasion in our family.  This crisply delicious and sinfully satisfying starter is always on our family menu, no matter what occasion or festival it marks for. But every time it comes up with different ingredient though, sometimes with Chicken, Lamb or Beef and maybe simply with vegetables for a total vegetarian option. 

 
    Vegetable Cutlet/Croquettes is an easy add-on at a party menu.  These cutlets are usually prepared with finely chopped classic vegetables like Carrots, Beetroots, Beans, Green Peas and Potatoes, coated with homemade bread crumbs for a crispy crust. Potato act as a binder in this recipe.  Even we can add a combination of vegetables like  Carrots, Green Peas,  Beans, Cauliflower, Beetroot etc., to this Vegetable Cutlets. These Cutlets can be prepared in advance and stored in the freezer for up to a month.

VEGETABLE CUTLET

    Vegetable Cutlet is something we like the most at home rather than its non-vegetarian counterparts.  And I have a soft-corner for this Vegetable cutlet, because it was one of the first of its kind delicacy I had as an outside food(only next to Chicken Biriyani) when I was a kid.  It is never or seldom that we eat at a restaurant. I happened to eat this at a driveway restaurant near  VOC Park in Coimbatore.  I am talking about sometime in late 70s that was when I was accompanied by my Dad and his friend to the Nehru Stadium to watch a football match and happened to eat Vegetable Cutlets during that visit.  As far as my memory goes they used to serve two pieces of Vegetable Cutlets in a plate with Ketchup and Slices of Carrot, Onion and Beetroot.  Memories!!!

    Since then, Cutlets have always been one of my favourite snack. Serve Vegetable Cutlet as a starter or as a Tea-time Snack with a dipping sauce of your choice. Serve the Vegetable Cutlets with thinly sliced Onions, Carrots etc., along with a dash of Tomato Ketchup or Red-Chilli Sauce to add a zing to the croquettes. You can even slide it up into a Bun along with your choice of add-ons and convert it into a Burger.


For more CUTLET RECIPES, Click here... 



Cuisine - Indian (Kerala, South India)
Course - Appetizer / Starter
Spice Level  - Low
Difficulty - Medium
Yields - 20 Cutlets
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 20-30 Minutes
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes


    
For a detailed Recipe on HOW TO MAKE BREAD CRUMBS, Click here...

HOW TO COOK VEGETABLE CUTLET/CROQUETTES

VEGETABLE CUTLET

For Vegetable Cutlet Patties:

To Sauté:

For the Crust : 

For Deep Frying:

VEGETABLE CUTLET

METHOD:

• Clean, peel and then finely chop/grate the Carrots & Beetroots.
• Shred the Cabbage and chop it finely.
• Clean and remove the veins from the beans and chop it finely.  
• Boil the Potatoes, peel, mash and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, sauté finely chopped Onions, Garlic, Ginger and Garlic cloves until onions turn translucent.
• Add Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder and Garam Masala to the above and fry for a while on a low flame until fragrant.
• Add finely chopped Carrots, Beetroots, Beans, Cabbage and Green Peas along with a dash of Salt, Pepper Powder and mix well.
• Cook this on a low flame until the vegetables turns soft & cooked. 
• Sprinkle some water if necessary at this stage. 
• Make sure the mixture is dry once the vegetables are cooked.
• Sprinkle finely chopped Mint and Coriander Leaves and give a quick stir.
• Switch off the flame and add mashed Potatoes to the vegetable mix.
• Mix it well with your hands until well combined. 
• Shape it into small balls and flatten them at the centres into round/oval-shaped patties with your palms(make sure there are no cracks).
• Meanwhile, beat eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt.
• Spread Bread Crumbs on a large plate. 
• Dip the Vegetable Cutlet patties in the egg mix first.
• Then dredge them in Bread Crumbs, make sure that the patties are evenly coated with bread crumbs on all sides.
• Heat oil in a deep pan until they reach the smoky point.
• Lower the flame to medium-high and deep-fry the Vegetable Cutlets in batches.
• Do not overcrowd the oil pan.
• Flip & fry the Vegetable Cutlet patties until crisp and golden brown. 
• Remove it from oil with a slotted spoon, and line the Vegetable Cutlets on a paper towel.
• Serve Vegetable Cutlet hot with any dipping sauce of your choice.
  

VEGETABLE CUTLET

NOTES:

• Can replace Vegetables with Minced Chicken, Minced Meat/Lamb, Beef, Prawns or Tuna. 
• Deep-fried Vegetable Cutlets taste better comparatively. 
• Some recipes even call for shallow frying the Cutlets or baking it in an oven.
• Use a deep-frying pan and let the oil be at the right temperature suitable for deep-frying.
• Allowing Oil to smoke off initially will cut down the fat content to an extent.
• Do not overcrowd the pan while deep-frying the Vegetable Cutlets.
• Raw Vegetable Cutlet patties can be stored in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to 3- 4 days, or can be frozen up to a month.