Baked Mixed Vegetable Cutlets (Sabji Tikki)

Lord Krishna's Cuisine by Yamuna Devi was my earliest introduction to Indian cooking. I received it as a gift shortly after becoming a vegetarian and credit it with improving my eating habits and educating me about the treasures of the Indian cooking tradition. For the first few years, I mostly stuck to the rice and dal chapters, but all that has changed since I have become more adventurous in the kitchen. Honestly, it's like a book you never want to end. Thankfully, it contains over 500 authentic recipes somewhat adapted for modern day cooks. The possibilities are endless indeed.

A few months ago, I was flipping through the "Light Meals and Savories" chapter and immediately inserted a post-it-note next to her recipe for "Mixed Vegetable Cutlets". I finally had an opportunity to try these recently. These spiced cutlets made with a tantalizing array of vegetables in addition to chickpeas and paneer cheese are moist, hearty and nourishing as well as just plain delicious. Ms. Devi instructs the cook to shallow fry the cutlets, but I was a bit nervous that the mixture would fall apart. I was also tired of being in the kitchen on that particular afternoon. The result was an improvised version including bread crumbs that I baked instead. Overall, a great success.

Serve with a sauce or chutney, such as toasted fresh coconut and tomato chutney, for a very satisfying meal.

Baked Mixed Vegetable Cutlets (Sabji Tikki)

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking Cuisine: Indian Published on May 20, 2008 Moist, hearty and nourishing baked vegetarian patties made with chickpeas, paneer cheese and a variety of vegetables seasoned with spices Preparation: 30 minutes Cooking time: 30 to 40 minutes Print this recipe Vegetables: 1 cup cauliflower florets 1 cup diced peeled potato 1 cup fresh or frozen peas 1 cup chopped green beans 1 cup diced carrot 1 small beet, diced 1 celery stalk, chopped Other ingredients: 3 fresh green chilies, seeded and chopped 1 cup cooked chickpeas 7 oz (200 g) paneer cheese, chopped or crumbled 3 tablespoons chopped raw cashews 3 tablespoons chopped raw almonds 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 1 teaspoon garam masala 1 to 2 teaspoons sea salt, to taste freshly ground black pepper 6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro 1/2 to 1 cup bread crumbs, as needed Instructions: Steam the vegetables until just tender. (If using frozen peas, simply defrost without steaming). Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat an oven to 375°F. In a food processor, mince the chilies. Add the chickpeas, paneer cheese, nuts, sunflower seeds, defrosted peas if using, spices, salt and pepper. Process until combined. Transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl. Now add the steamed vegetables to the food processor and pulse until the vegetables are mashed. Transfer to the bowl containing the chickpea and paneer mixture and stir until combined. Stir in 1/2 cup of bread crumbs. Rub your hands with a little oil and shape the mixture into small 2 to 3 inch patties or cutlets, adding more bread crumbs if the mixture is too moist. Place each patty or cutlet on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the oven, carefully flip each cutlet over, and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. To give the cutlets a richer color you can brown under the broiler for another 1 or 2 minutes after baking. Serve hot or warm with a sauce or chutney. Refrigerate leftovers and reheat in aluminum foil for 10 minutes at 300°F. Makes 12 to 14 2-inch cutlets