I love sweets. I can’t imagine anyone not liking sweets.

Even after 9 years of staying together, I am always surprised when my husband says ‘No’ to a piece of cake or chocolate. I can’t imagine doing it!

My husband is not alone. A couple of my son’s friends’ too don’t like sweets. For my son’s birthday party, some of the kids stayed away from the cupcakes and chocolate pudding, preferring the cutlets and sandwiches instead.

But these cutlets were hit with not just the sweet hating kids, with sweet loving as well.

For every bite, the kids screamed,”This is the BEST cutlet in the whole wide world.”

And my husband said,”Amen” to that.

When something is so good, you can take it for granted that my contribution is minimal. These cutlets were my friend’s birthday gift for my son.

I hanged around the kitchen acting as if I was helping her,  as my friend did all the work. She made the filling 3 days before and on the day of the party, she came 3 hours before and deep-fried these for me.

Enjoy her love for my son and praise her efforts while I bug her again to make these for my birthday ;-)

Recipe Source: My friend

Makes : about 30, depending on the size

Ingredients:

To make the tikkis:

• Mixed Vegetables               :             3.5 – 4 cups**
• Soya Chunks                         :             1 cup
• Potatoes                                 :             4-5 medium sized
• Onions                                     :             3 big
• Green chillies                       :              3 -4, or per taste
• Ginger garlic paste             :             1 tbsp**
• Garam Masala                      :             1 tsp
• Coriander leaves                :              2-3 tbsp, chopped
• Oil                                             :             2-3 tbsp
• Salt, Pepper

To make the cutlet:

• Egg whites                                              :              from 2-3 eggs** (Can use maida(flour) +water)
• Bread crumbs(ready made)            :              3/4 cup
• Oil to deep fry

**See Notes

Method:

1. Soak soya chunks in a bowl of water at least 30 minutes ahead. Keep aside. I use plain water itself.
2. Wash and clean the potatoes and pressure cook them. I always cook a potato or two extra, just as a back up.
3. Wash and peel the vegetables. Dice into 1″ cubes. Pulse them in the food processor or in the mixie jar itself. Don’t grind them, instead just pulse them couple of times. What we are looking for is finely minced vegetables.
4. Peel and chop the onions finely. Chop the chillies as well. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a non stick pan and add the onions and sauté till pink. Add the ginger garlic paste (or 2 tsp each of finely minced ginger and garlic). Add the chillies and cook for 2-3 minutes more.
5. Add the minced vegetables. Cook covered in a low flame until the vegetables are done, stirring now and then.
6. When the vegetables are cooking, prepare the soya chunks and the potatoes.
7. Squeeze as much water as you can out of the soya chunks and pulse them in the food processor or mixie to get finely minced pieces. Again, don’t grind them, just pulse them couple of times.
8. Peel and mash the potatoes and keep aside.
9. When the vegetables are almost done, add the soya to it along with coriander leaves, garam masala, salt and pepper. Mix well and cover and cook again for sometime.
10. Check the taste and adjust the seasoning. I find that this soya and vegetable mix itself is tasty and can be had as a side dish.
11. Once its cooked completely, take off the heat and let it cool completely. We have to mix the potatoes by hand and so it’s important that the vegetables are cool enough to handle.
12. Add the mashed potatoes and mix well with your hands. Ensure that there are no lumps. Check the taste and add salt if required. This mix can be made ahead and refrigerated for 3-4 days. You can even shape them into tikkis and refrigerate them.
13. At the time of frying, take the mix out and shape them into round or oval cutlets.
14. Heat oil to deep fry. Take a slightly flat bowl. Whisk the egg whites in it and keep aside. In another plate, spread the breadcrumbs into a thick uniform height layer.
15. Prepare the cutlets. Take them one at a time, dip it in the egg white and then coat it with bread crumbs on all sides. Slowly pat the excess off.
16. Deep fry 2-3 cutlets at a time, depending on the size of the pan. Turn once in between and the cutlets are golden brown, take off the oil and drain on a paper towel.
17. Serve with tomato ketch up or eat them hot as such.

**Notes:**

1. For the vegetables, you can use any combination of carrot, cabbage, kohlrabi(knol khol), corn, beans etc. You can add beetroot as well, but the taste and colour will vary a bit. For this cutlet, it is a combination of corn, carrot and kohlrabi.
2. For soaking soya chunks, plain cold water is enough, but the soaking time will be more.
3. Instead of ginger garlic paste, use finely chopped ginger and finely chopped garlic.
4. Use ready made breadcrumbs for this. If making at home, use rusk instead of bread.
5. A slightly thick paste made of all purpose flour/maida and water can be used instead of egg white.