Thursday, October 14, 2010

Vegetable Cake

   About three years ago, my husband and I dined at the Pineapple Room, a restaurant in Cheekwood Gardens (Nashville). It was here that I saw crab cakes for the first time, and ordered it with great excitement!
Vegetable Cake

   Sadly, the first bit was not as exciting.  I guess I had built up my expectation to dizzying, unrealistic heights.  I can’t put it in words what I was hoping ‘crab cake’ would be, but it was more than what came on my plate.  On the flip side, it opened up my view about all kinds of cakes.  Whether it is crab, meat, vegetable or just soda or yeast cake, the chef has the liberty to dish out ingredients put together fried, baked or grilled and call it by whatever name he/she chooses.  Today’s post is one recipe like that which is familiar to most people and in everyone’s hands it takes on a different flavor and taste.  In my hometown, we call it cutlets and anywhere else it maybe known as cakes or burgers.   One thing is for sure, it's liked by both children and adults as we all like deep fried food.

Vegetable Cake


   The recipe for the base can be coated with maida or eggs, and rolled in bread crumbs. It can be  deep fried or simply used inside a tortilla or roti and enjoyed.   Whichever way you choose, don’t forget to enjoy it.

Vegetable Cake

Ingredients:
Potato           - 1 Huge Idaho Potato.
Bean             - 20 nos.. (about a cup when cut into tiny pieces)
Carrot           - 1 medium (about 3/4 cup when cut into pieces)
Peas              - 1/2 cup
Onions          - 1 small
Green Chilies - 6 nos
Ginger           - 1 Tspn
Garam Masala - 1/2 tspn
Canola Oil - 1 Tbspn for sauteeing
Oil - For deep frying


Method:
1. Pressure cook the potato for 1 whistle on high and then on low for one more whistle.  It takes about 20 minutes. If you don't know how to cook potato cook it the way you know but any moisture content in the end will make it difficult to form the cakes as well as moisture tends to break the cake when deep frying.  
2. Cook the peas with a little water in the microwave and drain off the water
2. Heat a tablespoon of oil and saute ginger followed with onions and green chilies.
3. Follow with green beans and taste to make sure the beans is done and then add peas and the carrot and saute for about 3 or 4 minutes
4. The sauteing should be on a medium flame and the end result should not have any water and yet vegetables should not be too fried. Add salt to taste
5. Peel the potato and mash with a fork and add the vegetables in and mix check for salt
6. Form small rounds of cakes this should make about 12.

Batter:
1. 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
2. Salt
3. About 1/2 cup of water

Method:
Add water to the flour and salt a little at a time to make a semi thick batter.  Not too runny nor too thick.  It should be more or less half cup of water a little this way or that may happen due to kind of all purpose flour etc.  Use your judgement

Heat oil for deep frying and when it has heated through (never smoking hot, that's only allowed when we are talking men ;)
dip the vegetable cakes in the batter and deep fry.

Contributor: Sunitha


49 comments:

  1. Wow...They looks so good Sunitha..I would love to have some...

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  2. dat surely has a touch of exotic look...It looks awesome

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  3. These look soo hearty with all those lovely veggies going in!

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  4. Wowo i have never had this but it looks really good. Yeah i think sometimes crab cakes can be dispointed when we eat out as they add more potoes than crab for making profit.

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  5. Sunitha,
    Vegetable cake looks delicious. I love it.

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  6. Wow Sunitha it looks so delicious..lovely

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  7. The vegetable cake looks quite delicious.

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  8. Umm to me they look like fritters since thy have a coating of batter. Looks colorful and tempting.

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  9. This sure is a yummy wholesome snack.

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  10. I had a similar experience with crab cake recently....I had to go n brush to remove the taste....Veg cake sounds awesome...Beautiful clicks....:)

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  11. great idea to feed veggies to my kids!! the pic looks great too!!

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  12. Yummy dish with a lot of veggies,love it Sunitha.

    Pushpa @ simplehomefood.com

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  13. You are so creative to have come up with such a healthy and delicious recipe:) Looking forward to trying this.

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  14. Wow yummy dish.. and i need not say abt the clicks ..urs is always class.

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  15. Nice looking cutlets,love to have them any time with a hot cuppa chai.

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  16. Hi Sunitha,

    The cake looks awesome!!!:)

    Dr.Sameena@

    www.myeasytocookrecipes.blogspot.com

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  17. thats a new idea to make bondas with sauted veg.. nice name u have given.. love it... wonderful clicks.

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  18. Vegetable cake looks delicious....... yummy ...

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  19. That looks really yummy!wonderful recipe Sunitha.

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  20. very different to me but looks really very tasty:)

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  21. A very unique recipe! I like the idea.

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  22. delicious and yummy snack, need a cup of tea to visually relish this yummy snack

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  23. was wondering what veg cakes were :-) nice name for cutlets!

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  24. Stunning vegetable cakes, looks absolutely cute and unique..

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  25. Love them... its ages I have had...
    well presented sunitha..

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  26. What a lovely surprise to see all the colourful vegetables inside. Love it. Thanks very much for sharing. MaryMoh at http://www.keeplearningkeepsmiling.com

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  27. wow beautiful vegetable cakes ...so many colorful veggies stuffed in a small pocket ..yummy

    Satya
    http://www.superyummyrecipes.com

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  28. Perfect appetizer sunitha,wanna grab some .

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  29. WOW this vegetable cake looks great, nice post!!

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  30. Very very beautifully done..they look super delicious!

    US Masala

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  31. this has to be bookmarked right now....a winner!!

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  32. this reminds me of falafel!
    i love the addition of garam masala in there...mmmm

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  33. Dear Sunitha
    Dushera greetings to you and Namitha
    I was bit busy , missed most blogs.
    Ha ha I am a smoking man ( my wife has given up because she thinks, with my one foot in the grave, I dont have to stop smoking now).
    It is so new for me...I must try ...but doc has stopped me from eating fibrous vege tables..how about smashing in some meat into potato, keeping the spicing same ?

    An awesome Biriyani awaits you at my blog..cook and eat fast
    Have a nice week

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  34. A delicious and wholesome Snack!

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  35. even i was not so impressed when I had those crab cakes, but your veggie cakes looks super yumm.

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