Poha-Crusted Green Cutlet

Recipe 15 minPreparation Time 35 minCooking Time

Poha-Crusted Green Cutlet

15 minPreparation Time 35 min Cooking Time

About this Recipe

Tea snacks or naashta are a big part of community in India, but they can often be carb-heavy, greasy, and deep-fried. Not these poha-crusted cutlets! I love vegetarian tikkis or cutlets because they’re a great way to incorporate leftovers like green veggies for a burst of color, nutrition and fiber. I also use poha, or beaten rice, which is less processed than polished white rice, a bit lighter on the stomach, and crisps up well with very little oil.

The Benefits

Overall this recipe incorporates almost all the essential vitamins and minerals, making it a great, fiber-rich breakfast or evening snack. Potatoes bring resistant starch, B vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, flavonoids, carotenoids and phenolic acids. Broccoli, peas and spinach all contain vitamins A and K. Broccoli adds folate and high levels of antioxidants that help with reducing blood sugar, cholesterol levels and inflammation. Peas pile on the B vitamins and manganese, while spinach ups the calcium and antioxidant profile to boost vision, blood clotting, and strong bones.

Note: Use any preferred spice blend, or make your own Garam Masala. You can also pan-fry the cutlets to crisp instead of in the oven. These cutlets can be prepped and shaped ahead of time and frozen in a freezer bag. Bake or pan-fry directly from the freezer until warmed through.

Ingredients

Makes 10 cutlets

2 to 3 Tbsp (30 to 45 ml) cold-pressed neutral cooking oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tsp chopped garlic
1 cup (200 g) green peas, frozen or blanched
1 cup (200 g) green beans, frozen or blanched and finely chopped
1 cup (200 g) broccoli florets, frozen or blanched and coarsely chopped
1 cup (150 g) spinach, frozen or blanched, puréed or chopped fine
½ cup (25 g) spring onions, finely chopped
½ cup (25 g) cilantro leaves, chopped
1 tsp ground black peppercorns
2 tsp Garam Masala
2 (300 g) medium potatoes, boiled, cooled and grated or mashed
½ cup (80 g) poha (flattened rice)
Salt

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 200°C/ 400°F. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large ceramic or cast-iron pan. Add chopped onions, sautée for about 1 minute before adding garlic. Sautée until onions are translucent but don’t let the garlic brown too much. Color is important at every step of cooking!
Step 2

Add the peas and sautée briefly, then add beans, broccoli and spinach. Stir well to mix and briefly heat through before removing from heat. Mash the contents to a coarse consistency using a potato masher or fork and transfer to a bowl.
Step 3

Add the spring onions, cilantro, and potato. Season the mixture with pepper, garam masala and a big pinch of salt. Stir well to incorporate.
Step 4

Pour the poha onto a large, flat plate. Sprinkle a bit of water on the rice flakes. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and drizzle with cooking oil.
Step 5

Once the veggie mixture is cool enough to handle, portion and roll into golf ball-sized spheres between your palms. Take a ball and press it into the poha, flattening it slightly into a thick disc while make the rice flakes stick to the surface. If the poha isn’t adhering, wet it a bit more with water. Rotate the disc so that all sides of the cutlet are coated uniformly. Place it on the baking tray. Repeat until all the cutlets are coated and on the tray with a gap of about an inch between them. Turn them over once so they are lightly oiled on both sides, or dab them with additional oil using a pastry brush.
Step 6

Bake the cutlets for 15 minutes, until lightly toasted and crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Substitutions: You can use this general method to incorporate different add-ins (other greens or root vegetables), and starchy binding ingredients (sweet potatoes, yams). Other spice lends like Lazzat-E-Taam or Lucknowi Chaat Masala could work well in place of Garam Masala.

Serve it with: A spicy or tangy condiment like Ajvar, Fermented Green Chutney, Pineapple Ombol, or Mango Ginger & Date Chhundo. Add a poached or fried egg on top for a heartier breakfast. Or serve with a yogurt-based dip or Beet Pachadi as a colorful party snack.

Level Up: Make vegan sliders using these cutlets as the burger.

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About the author

Eeshaan Kashyap

Eeshaan Kashyap is a Delhi-based chef and food stylist who works at the intersection of food and art though curating culinary events. He is the artist-designer behind Tablescape, an online tableware store.

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