The kitchens of Maharashtra really know how to serve their veggies. With a little innovation and a lot of experimenting the vegetable dumplings are a real hit. The dish is relished throughout the state and is a real mouthwatering delight.
Ingredients for batter:
1-2 cups of gram flour
1 tablespoon of rice flour
A pinch each of soda bi-carbonate, red chili powder and asafetida powder
Salt to taste
Cooking medium for deep frying
Ingredients for the filling or stuffing:
a liberal pinch of cumin seeds
1 tablespoon of ginger and garlic paste
2 green chilies, slit and chopped fine
1 medium sized onion, also chopped fine
1 cup each of boiled carrots, peas and potatoes
A pinch of turmeric powder
1/2 cup coriander leaves, washed and chopped fine
Juice of one lemon
Salt to taste
cup of any cooking medium
Popular Accompaniments:
Eaten at tea time the dumplings are a hit with both adults as well as the kids. They are healthy eating and a meal in themselves. These dumplings are very easy to make and go well with tomato sauce or green chutney, with or without bread or any other accompaniment.
Preparation:
First heat the cooking medium in a heavy bottom pan.
When the oil is nice and hot, add the cumin seeds.
When the seeds take on a nice brown color and add aroma and flavor to the oil, add the green chilies, ginger garlic paste and onion.
Once the onions get a light brown color and become transparent on a medium fire, add the parboiled vegetables.
Sprinkle salt to taste and a little (only part of the turmeric powder) and stir well, before placing the lid on and allowing the vegetables to sauté well.
Stir occasionally for the next 5 minutes; add the lemon juice and coriander leaves before removing the mix from the fire and allowing it to cool.
Once the mix, which is the filling has cooled sufficiently enough for you to touch it, make fist sized balls and set aside.
Prepare the batter with the gram and rice flour, soda bi-carbonate, red chili powder, asafetida powder, turmeric and salt to taste.
Use just enough water so that the final result is a batter thick enough to hold on to the vegetable balls.
Main Cooking:
Slowly and very carefully, dip each of the vegetable balls into the batter prepared and deep fry them till the batter coating gets a nice golden brown color.
