BOTTLE GOURD CUTLET

This cutlet is super rich in nutrients. I have made this cutlet using bottle gourd, palak or spinach, Mint leaves, Green Peas, Black eyed beans.

These are the main ingredients used in this recipe.

BOTTLE GOURD

Bottle Gourd is the healthiest vegetable because it is like a sedative, it has anti-inflammatory properties, and rich in nutrients.

- It helps in weight loss.

- Acts as a natural sedative.

- Facilitates Liver Health.

- Reduces the risk of several types of cancers and its good for diabetes.

SPINACH or PALAK as called in Indian cooking. It has high nutritional value especially when it's fresh and quickly boiled.

Rich source of - Vitamin A

- Vitamin C

- Folate

- Fiber

- Vitamin E

- Vitamin K

- Magnesium

- Antioxidants

The vitamin folic acid was first purified from spinach.

To benefit from folate in spinach it is better to steam than to boil it. Boiling spinach for more than 4 minutes reduces the folate levels in spinach.

GREEN PEAS

Green peas are seeds that come from a legume plant, but they are most often consumed as a starchy vegetable.

- Green peas are fairly low in calories and contain several vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They're also high in fiber and protein.

- Green peas are a very filling food, mostly due to the high amounts of protein and fiber they contain.

- Green peas have a low glycemic index and are rich in fiber and protein, all of which are important factors for blood sugar control.

- Green peas are rich in fiber, which benefits digestion by maintaining the flow of waste through your digestive tract and keeping gut bacteria healthy.

- Green peas have several properties that may help prevent and treat some chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

PRECAUTION

Green peas contain FODMAPs and lectins, which may cause bloating, especially when they are consumed in large amounts.

Overall, Green Peas are an incredibly healthy food to be included into your diet.

Black -Eyed Beans

Black-eyed peas, also known as cowpeas, are a common legume cultivated around the globe. Despite their name, black-eyed peas are not peas but rather a type of bean. They’re generally very pale in color and feature a large black, brown, or red spot that resembles an eye. Black-eyed peas have a strong, savory flavor and are often considered a staple in both Indian and traditional Southern cuisine.

Black-eyed peas are incredibly

- Nutrient-dense.

- Packing plenty of fiber and protein into each serving. - They’re also a good source of several important micronutrients, including folate, copper, thiamine, and iron.

INCREASES WEIGHT LOSS - Due to their content of protein and soluble fiber, adding black-eyed peas to your diet is a great way to boost weight loss.

ENHANCES DIGESTIVE HEALTH - Black-eyed peas are a great source of soluble fiber, which is a key nutrient when it comes to digestive health. - In fact, studies show that increasing your intake of soluble fiber can help promote regularity and increase stool frequency in those with constipation. - Fiber could help prevent digestive disorders, such as acid reflux, hemorrhoids, and stomach ulcers. - The soluble fiber found in black-eyed peas and other plants can also act as a prebiotic, stimulating the growth of the beneficial bacteria in your gut to help foster a healthy microbiome . - These beneficial bacteria not only support digestive health but also have been shown to reduce inflammation, enhance immune function, and reduce cholesterol levels .

ENHANCES HEART HEALTH - Enjoying black-eyed peas as part of a balanced diet is an excellent way to help keep your heart healthy and strong, as they may help reduce several risk factors for heart disease.

PRECAUTIONS -Black-eyed peas are high in antinutrients and may cause digestive issues in some people. However, soaking and cooking them can help minimise side effects.

MINT LEAVES

- Even though mint is typically not consumed in large quantities it does contain several nutrients and is an especially good source of vitamin A and antioxidants.

- IBS( Irritable bowel syndrome ) is a common digestive disorder. Several studies have shown that taking peppermint oil capsules improved the symptoms of IBS patients.

IBS is characterised by digestive symptoms like stomach pain, gas, bloating and changes in bowel habits.

Peppermint oil contains a compound called methanol , which is thought to help alleviate IBS symptoms through its relaxing effect on the muscles of the digestive tract.

- Although menthol does not function as a nasal decongestant, it can provide some relief to cold and flu symptoms by subjectively improving breathing through the nose.

Mint health benefits range from improving digestive system and brain function to relieving breastfeeding pain , cold symptoms and even bad breath.

You really can't go wrong in adding some mint to your diet.

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VICKS COOKS

30th August 2020

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Makes - 10 cutlets

Course - Appetiser

Diet - Vegetarian

Equipments Used - Steel mixing bowl, Flat Cast Iron Frying pan.

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INGREDIENTS

- Grated Bottle gourd ( 2 1/2 cups)

- Palak paste ( 1/2 cup)

- 4 sprigs of mint leaves

- Green peas ( 1/4 cup)

- Black-eyed peas ( 1/4 cup)

( Note :- I haven't taken the dried ones. If you have taken the dried peas boil them for 1 minute and then use it in the recipe)

- Red chilli flakes ( 3 tsp)

- Mixture of black pepper and sesame powder ( 1 tsp )

- Oregano ( 2 tsp)

- Salt ( 1 tsp)

- Ghee for frying the cutlet

- Besan Flour/ Chickpea Flour/ Gram Flour ( Required amount , keep adding the flour until your able to combine all the ingredients and make cutlets)

- cashew

METHOD OF PREPARATION

- Take a steel bowl add in 1 cup of water. Let the water boil , once the water starts boiling switch off the flame. Add in the Palak leaves/ Spinach into the water keep it in the water for only 1 minute, if you keep the spinach in hot for too long the level of folate in it will reduce. Hence it is more beneficial if you steam the spinach or if your placing it in hot boiling water keep it only for a small amount of time.

Make a paste of the Spinach by adding it in the jar of the mixer grinder there is no need to add water into the jar when your making a paste.

- After washing the green peas and black eyed beans , add them into a steel bowl of boiling water.

Boil it for 1 minute and then switch off the flame.

- Let it cool and then grind it to a coarse paste. Pulse it in the mixer grinder only once then you would get a coarse paste.

- Take a steel bowl , add the grated bottle gourd ( remove the skin of bottle gourd and then grate it with a grater), palak paste, finely chopped mint leaves, coarse paste of black-eyed beans and green beans, red chilli flakes, black pepper and sesame seeds powder, oregano and salt.

Note :- To make black pepper and sesame seeds powder take - Black pepper corns (1/2 tsp)

- Black sesame seeds (1/4 tsp)

- White sesame seeds (1/4 tsp)

Dry roast all these ingredients in a steel kadai only for some 40 seconds because sesame seeds get roasted real quick so you first add in black pepper corns into the kadai fry them and then add in the sesame seeds.

- Mix everything all the above ingredients and add besan flour/ chickpea flour/ gram flour into the bowl. Keep adding until you can form cutlets.

- There is no need of adding water to form cutlet because bottle gourd is a watery vegetable and hence lots of water comes out when you are grating it in a grater , do not throw away the water because it will be helpful to form the cutlets.

- Take a flat cast iron frying pan add ghee ( 2 tbsp), on the pan. Place the cutlets on the frying pan fry them until they turn brown on both sides. Once they turn brown just before removing them from the frying pan place the cashews at the middle of each cutlet as shown in the picture press it gently and place the cutlet side which has the cashews on it , on the frying pan where heat is directly applied so that the cashews turn brown.

NOTE - It takes a lot of time for the cutlets to be cooked. Fry them only on medium flame or else the cutlets will turn brown quickly but it wont be cooked properly if you try to fry them on high flame.

- Each time you place fresh set of cutlets on the flat cast iron frying pan add ( 2 tbsp) of ghee on the pan.

I have used ghee to fry the cutlets because it enhances the taste of cutlets.

Tasty bottle gourd cutlets are ready serve them with some Kuska rice .Here is the link for bottle gourd cutlet and kuska combo :-

https://vihithamuniswamy01.wixsite.com/mysite/post/kuska-rice-and-bottle-guard-cutlet-combo