Vegetable Cutlet
Who hasn’t eaten a cutlet ? it is all time favourite with adults and kids alike. I think of this when we have home made paneer, which is friable. I usually have boiled potatoes in the fridge anyway. I would make the dough in the morning, before leaving for work and refrigerate it. My daughters would prepare it in the evening, after returning from school, it is that simple.
Category : Indian Dish
Ingredients :
Potato : 1 large, well boiled, peeled
Bread : 2 slices, sprinkled with water to make it soft
Onion : 1 medium, finely chopped
Green chillies : 3-4 or to taste (finely chopped) Or red chilli powder
Garam masala powder : ~1-2 tsp, to taste
Paneer : ~3-4 tbsp (home made/friable) (optional)
Peas : boiled well, slightly mashed (optional)
Salt to taste
Bread crumbs : as needed (roasted sooji can also be used)
Oil : 1-2 tbsp, for shallow frying
Method :
Mash potato in a large bowl, add all other ingredients (except bread crumbs), mix well and make it to a soft dough. Make lemon sized balls and flatten it. Roll it on bread crumbs or sooji and shallow fry till golden colour in a pan. Serve hot with tomato sauce along with tea/coffee.
Preparation Time : ~20-30 min
Variations :
Many other boiled vegetables like carrot, beetroot, etc can be added to cutlets.
To enhance its nutritive value, whole egg can also be added, it helps as a binding agent too. But make sure not to make the dough too soft and watery.
INFORMATION :
Vegan diet : Yes (if paneer is not added)
Gluten free : NO (has bread)
Nutritional Value :
Potato (boiled), 100 gms contains : Calories: 87. Water : 77% Protein: 1.9 grams. Carbs : 20.1 gms, Sugar : 0.9 gms, fat : 0.1 gms. Also contains fiber, Vitamins C and B complex, Calcium, potassium. Potatoes are low in fat and have no cholesterol.
Health Benefits :
Potatoes contain important nutrients, even when cooked, that can benefit human health in various ways. Evidence suggests that potatoes might help reduce inflammation and constipation and might contribute to a healthful lifestyle, including preventing osteoporosis, maintaining heart health, and reducing the risk of infection.
Origin :
Potato (Solanum tuberosum) belongs to Solanaceae family, which includes tomato, aubergine, and tobacco.
Potato was first domesticated in the region of modern-day southern Peru and northwestern Bolivia between 8000 and 5000 BC. Spanish explorers introduced them to Europe in the early 16th century.
Water Footprint (is litres of water needed to produce the food)
Potato : 287 L/Kg
Upcycle Tips:
If you have left over vegetable (potato/beetroot/carrot) palya (dry side dish), you could add boiled potatoes and make it in to cutlets.
General Tips:
While boiling potatoes, don’t cook them dipped in water. Keep them on a raised plate (like in steaming) and pressure cook, with sufficient water below. This will avoid leaching of nutrients in to the water. Also poke a knife deep in to the potatoes for proper cooking and to avoid them bursting open. Potatoes boiled this way and without peeling, can be refrigerated for weeks. When needed, just microwave for few seconds or bring them to room temperature, peel and use.
Bread crumbs can be prepared by drying bread (in microwave or on a pan) and crushing it to powder.
DID YOU KNOW ?
The edible part of potato is actually the underground stems (stolons) that enlarge to form tubers. Where as sweet potato is a root vegetable.
The word potato comes from the Spanish word patata, they are also called spuds.
Potatoes should be stored between 7 and 10 degrees Celsius, in a dark (or black bag), dry environment. Storing potatoes in the refrigerator causes their starch content to be converted to sugar. This can give an unpleasant flavor.
Exposure to sunlight can lead to the formation of solanine, which causes potatoes to turn green and it is toxic. So, remove green parts while using them.
Potatoes should not be stored around onions because both vegetables emit natural gases that cause the other to decay.
The vitamin, mineral and fiber content of potato is mostly in the skin, so it is best to eat them with the skin left on.
Over half of all potatoes grown in the U.S. are sold for making French fries.
One of the main causes of the Great Famine in Ireland between 1845-1852 was the potato blight disease. The shortage of potatoes due to mono cropping led to the death of around 1 million people.
Despite health concerns, potato chips are one of the most common snack foods in the world, with billions of packets being consumed every year.
There are more than 4,300 varieties of native potatoes, most of which are found in the Andes Mountains.
There are over 180 species of wild potatoes, most of which are not edible — one of these was responsible for the death of Chris McCandless, the controversial figure whose death in the Alaskan wilderness was the subject of the book and film Into the Wild.
REFERENCES :
https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/ 978-1-4419-0465-2_2183
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/280579#tips_for_eating_potatoes
https://foodprint.org/real-food/potatoes/
https://waterfootprint.org/media/downloads/Report47-WaterFootprintCrops-Vol1.pdf
https://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/food/potatoes.html