Nutri Burger

When you love to experiment with food, the Kitchen's your studio!! In my continuing bid to use different ingredients to lessen the guilt-factor, I chose banana flowers and bajra flour for my burger patty. The crunch it added was amazing, plus no bread-crumbs or refined flour either...so read on!!!

HEALTHY BURGER

Ingredients : (Makes 6 patties)

For the patty :

Boiled potatoes - 3 medium

Boiled peas - 1 cup

Crumbled Paneer - 1/2 cup

Raw Banana flower (chopped) - 1/2 cup

Chopped coriander - as required

Boiled Carrots - 2 medium

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Garam Masala - 1 tsp

Chili powder - 2 tsps

Bajra(Millet) flour - 2 tbsps

Soya flour - 2 tbsps

NOTE : Once cleaned and chopped, best to leave the banana flowers in diluted buttermilk (in the fridge, if not using immediately) to avoid them turning dark.

Other :

Burger buns, halved

Crushed Oats - for rolling the patties in

Olive oil - for shallow frying

Cheese spread of your choice, I used Amul Spice Dip and Oregano Pickle flavours

Tomato sauce (to make it interesting, one can add Jeera powder to the plain tomato ketchups)

Sliced onions, tomatoes

Shredded cabbage (Chill till serving time)

Method :

1. Add all the boiled vegetables to a bowl and mash but not too fine, leave the vegetables slightly visible and chunky.

2. Add the uncooked and chopped banana flowers, paneer, turmeric powder, salt, garam masala and chili powder and mix with a light hand, but well enough so the spices mix with the vegetables.

3. Finally add the Bajra and soya flours, along with the chopped coriander and give it a final mix using your hand.

4. Heat about 2-3 tbsps Olive oil on a flat griddle pan. Divide the veggie mixture into patties. Spread the crushed oats on a flat plate. Coat the patties with the oats and shallow fry till golden brown. 

5.While the patties are getting ready, apply the cheese spread on the halved buns. Place the fried patties on the bottom half, spread the flavoured tomato ketchup on the patty. Arrange the onion and tomato slices on top and finish off with the crispy shredded cabbage. If you have lettuce, even better!!!
Cover with the top bun half and serve.

Blueberry-Paan Shrikhand

A dessert that doubles up as a mukhvaas ? Thought of experimenting with blueberries and paan(betel leaves) for a shrikhand, so it helps digestion too!! The result was delicious and wiped clean off the bowl :)

BLUEBERRY-PAAN SHRIKHAND

Ingredients : (3 servings)

Hung Curd - 1 cup or 200gms
Cream (not whipped) - 3 tbsps
Blueberries - 6 to 7
Paan leaves - 2
White sugar - 3 tbsps
Water - 3 tbsps

Method :

First, let's prepare the blueberry-paan crush....
1. Add the blueberries, sugar and water to a pan. Tear up 1 1/2 paan leaves and add to the pan. Finely chop the remaining half paan leaf, keep aside. 

2.Let simmer on medium heat. When the blueberries turn soft, mash them gently using a wooden spatula and stir. When the crush starts thickening remove from fire and let cool. Remember, as the presence of sugar causes the syrup to thicken further, do not leave on the fire for long.

3. Tip the hung curd into a bowl and whisk gently. Add the crush (keep little aside for garnishing) and stir in.
4. Finally add the cream and another gentle whisk.

5. Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with a little crush and the chopped paan leaves. Refrigerate for about an hour and serve chilled.