Snack on chestnut

Manju Dewan

Seasonal vegetables have a fresh taste of their own, which cannot be replicated. Vegetarian cutlets are mostly bread or potato based, but in this recipe powdered peanuts have been used to bind the chestnuts, corns and mushrooms. Full of nutrition, it makes for ideal snack with tea or coffee.

Chestnut Surprise

Ingredients

• 400 gms Fresh Corn Kernels (coarsely chopped)
• 1 cup Water chestnut (chopped)
• 1 cup Spring onions (chopped)
• 1/2cup Mushrooms (chopped)
• 1/2cup Coriander and basil leaves (chopped)
• 1 1/2 tbsp Powdered peanuts
• 1 1/2tbsp  Cornflour
• 2-3 Fresh chillies (finely chopped)
• Salt to taste.
• Cornflour for rolling
• Oil for shallow frying

To Serve

• Sweet and sour sauce

Method

• Mix all the ingredients except cornflour and oil in a bowl; mix well.
• Make two balls, roll each one in cornflour and shallow fry in preheated oil until it turns golden. Serve hot with sweet and sour sauce.
• We Sweet and Sour Sauce: Welshed
• Mix together ½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice, 1/4cup cider vinegar, 1/4cup brown sugar, 1tbsp conflour, 1tbsp finely chopped chillies and 2 tbsp light soya sauce in a small pan. Mix well. Give it a boil and keep stirring continuously. Set aside to cool

(Dewan is a Ludhiana-based culinary expert)

— As told to Poonam Bindra