KATHAL CUTLET

This was our dinner last night, we enjoyed it. As I always say, vegetarian meals have to be meticulously planned at this home. Last Saturday, when I prepared echor chingri / prawns with raw jackfruit, I kept aside a bowlful of boiled jackfruit to prepare these vegetarian cutlets sometime this week. Yesterday morning, I shaped, dressed cutlets, refrigerated to fry at night. Refrigeration helps them not break whilst frying. Yet, I would say my cutlets taste good, look wise they do not satisfy me. 

Anyway, because we enjoyed having them, I consider its recipe worthy of sharing in blog. Raw Jackfruit is common kitchen ingredient in our families but my family never prepared cutlets with it. Our mother was not into western cooking except for jam, jelly throughout year. Snacks she prepared were mainly chicken fritters, fish fry, different kind of stuffed porota, kochuri / Indian bread, fulkopir shingara. Desserts were made at home, even ice-creams rarely but cutlets, sweets, cakes were store bought. When I learnt baking basic cakes, then too cakes continued to come locally from Monginis, now Mio Amore, every two to three months from Nahoums when we visited New Market. 

Our's was typical middle class family which gave us happy childhood, youth. Because food was prime in family, because food was / is prime in my life; I have learnt little bit of cooking, take lot of interest in it. When I see culinary expertise around, I feel I ain't halfway there; yet you can try my KATHAL CUTLET recipe done with raw jackfruit, potato, regular spices.

Had government not allowed us to go for walk outside, I would have weighed 75kg by now, in fact it is not allowing us to walk in basement. I am never an adventurist, I usually listen. I walk, cook, eat; weight is stagnant at 58kg, height is 4'11". Day before yesterday, I cooked some atta kochuri, served it with an egg plant mash dish. I had four kochuris, again two yesterday morning.

Yes, Cristine became a pro luchi / poori maker, second picture has her's. BTW, can you see what damage tube light does to photography?With her at home, I needed to go to Kolkata; for family and my home that needs some repair work, spring cleaning. When I can I don't know. People at this home do not chat with me, senior does not allow me to talk as living room is his work station. In this scenario, cooking is good engagement. 

Weekly once, I work with my greens too. There is nothing much to do there. I wish to change this condo, rent bigger elsewhere. Both shower caps of one toilet are licking, the kitchen is falling down, yet this guy will not listen to me. This me sits, plan vegetarian meals like this KATHAL CUTLET with shemai / vermicelli polao for their dinner. The brother would really love those cutlets; the thing is the 70+ woman cooks a lot but hardly shall attempt at cutlet at this age; she did lot for us, stopped cooking a wide variety after my marriage because the brother mostly likes mughlai dishes & pizza, burger. His wife cooks but I doubt if she will attempt a cutlet. I have Cristine to helps me immensely. Yet, sorrow is part of my being, it was depressing to see my potato plant destroyed last night. They might not have borne potatoes, at least I was trying.

I had one more reheated jackfruit cutlet this morning, half of walnut bun I got yesterday back from walk.

You must remember, reheating cutlet softens it, cook and eat them fresh. Here is detailed recipe with stepwise pictures.

INGREDIENTS :

BOILED RAW JACKFRUIT : 2 COFFEE MUG [1/4 OF A STANDARD SIZED]
BOILED POTATO : 1 COFFEE MUG [OF TWO MEDIUM SIZED]
CHOPPED GREEN CHILLI : 
CUMIN POWDER : 1/2TSP
CORIANDER POWDER : 1/2TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER : 1/2TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/2TSP
DRY MANGO POWDER : 1TSP
CHAAT MASALA : 1/2TSP
BLACK PEPPER POWDER : 1TSP
CRUSHED CUMIN SEED : 1/4TSP
CRUSHED CORIANDER SEED : 1/4TSP
SALT : AS REQUIRED
BREAD CRUMB : 150-200GM
CORNFLOUR : 2TBSP
REFINED FLOUR : 2TBSP
OIL : 2TBSP + 200ML

PROCEDURE :

Two days back I cooked prawns with jackfruit, reserved this amount of boiled jackfruit for these cutlets.

You remember how to clean them after peeling, cutting, discarding the hard mid section? Take out seeds, the yellow coverage we throw.

I boiled 2 potatoes in microwave, cooled peeled, mashed both raw jackfruit, potato. 

If you wash potatoes, slit them, take on plate, microwave at high for 3-4 minutes; they are boiled.

We will take them together, add salt, turmeric + red chilli + cumin + coriander powders, mash well.

We will wash, chop green chillies, crush cumin & coriander a bit.

We will heat 2tbsp oil in wok, temper with crushed cumin+coriander seeds, green chillies. 

We will add boiled potato+raw jackfruit spiced mixture to it, stir cook at low heat for 3-4 minutes. 

We will add black pepper+dry mango+chaat masala powders, stir cook for 2 minutes.

We will transfer mixture to plate, let cool. We will shape taking portions out of it.

We will prepare semi liquid batter with refined flour, corn flour. We will take bread crumb in another plate.

We will dip cutlets in batter, coat with bread crumb, we will repeat the steps as shown.

We will refrigerate them stored in covered container for few hours.

We will take them out, fry in oil. I have to reuse this oil which I do not like.

Always place them onto tissue paper before serving them hot & fresh.