Vegetable chop

About the food:

This is an Indian snack, fantastic as a party starter or just to be served with a cup of hot tea. This has always been my all time favourite, and it brings back the nostalgic childhood memories with my family, when we used to savour it from vendors in the long train journeys. Try this, and all will love it, I bet!

Preparation time: 1 1/2 hrs
Cooking time: 20mins

Ingredients: (makes apprx. 20)

1 big Potato, peeled, boiled and smoothly mashed
4 medium carrots, finely chopped
4 medium beet roots, finely chopped
1 bowl white flour
1 big onion, finely chopped
2 eggs
2 bowl breadcrumbs
1 bowl peanuts, broken in halves and dry roasted
1 bowl green peas, part boiled (if not frozen)
Chat masala powder
4-5 green chillies, de-seeded and finely chopped (optional, only if you want the chops hot)
Ginger paste 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

For the Masala:
2 inchs Cinnamom stick
2 dried red chillies
1 tbsp jeera (cumin) seeds
1 tbsp dhania (coriander) seeds


Method:

1. Heat a pan. Dry roast the ingredients for the masala until they change colour and crackle. Take care not to roast for long, as then it will turn bitter.Grind the masala into a fine powder. Store it in an airtight container.

2.Mash the boiled potatoes well. Add salt to taste, and mix it well.

3. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add the onions, and let it be slightly brown. Add the mashed potato and continue cooking. After 5 mins, add the garlic paste, carrot, beet roots and peas one by one, each time mixing them well. Carry on cooking for 15 mins over a slow flame. Add the masala powder as prepared above and the peanuts and mix it well in the pan.

4. Let the mix cool down. check for the seasonings and adjust. Roll them up in small size balls and shape them as a pipe (3 inchs long, 1 inch across) like structure, to form the chops.

5. Roll each chops in a plate containing the flour, carefully coating them on all its sides.

6. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Dip the chops in the eggs to coat its all sides.

7. Place bread crumbs in a plate. Roll the chops over the crumbs for an even coating.

8. Heat oil in a pan. Deep fry the chops in batches until golden brown. Take it out on a kitchen tissue.

10. Arrange them on the serving tray. Sprinkle the chat masala over it. Serve with a mustard sauce.