Veggie delights of Ramzan

Haleem, biryani and other non-vegetarian dishes are a must on the Iftar table, but what many don’t know is that there are a few vegetarian recipes that form an equally important part when one breaks their fast during the month of Ramzan. This week, we bring you three such vegetarian recipes that are simple to prepare.

Kubuli

Ingredients
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• 150 ml sunflower oil
• 100 gm ghee
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ kg channa dal
• ½ kg rice
• 2 bunches of coriander
• 2 bunches of mint
• 8 green chillies
• 1 tsp shahi jeera
• 4 pieces dalchini
• 6 pods of cardamom
• ½ kg curd, ½ tsp salt
• ¼ kg onion (finely chopped)
• 7 pieces clove
• 4 tsp garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp of ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp chilli power
• Juice of 4 lemons

Method: Wash and soak the dal for 15 minutes. Then drain the water, add fresh water and simmer in a cooking pot and cook on medium flame for 20-30 minutes or until soft. In a separate pot heat oil and ghee together, add the chopped onions and remove once brown. Transfer half of the ghee-oil remaining in the pan into a separate bowl while leaving the rest in the pan. Place the fried onions on a plate and air dry.

Once the onions are dry, add half of it to the remaining oil in the pan. Add the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, four chillies and one bunch of coriander and mint (chopped). Fry for five minutes and add the curd. Add the cooked dal and stir gently until the water from the curd has evaporated. Once cooked, remove and keep aside.

Fill a pan with water and add salt,  chilli powder, shahi jeera, cardamom, clove, dalchini, four chillies and the remaining coriander and mint. Heat the water and add the rice. When the rice is cooked, drain the water. Put half the rice into another dish, add the remaining half of cooked onions, and finally add the curd mix. Then add the rest of the rice on top, to form three layers. Pour the remaining oil and add some lemon juice. Place it  on the stove and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.

Dahi Vada

Ingredients
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• ¼ kg besan
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp jeera powder
• 1tsp chilli powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ kg oil, w 1 kg curd
• 10-12 curry leaves
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 8 dried chillies
• 6 garlic pods
• ½ litre water

Method: In a pan, beat the curd and add salt, add ½ litre water. Set aside. In a bowl, mix besan, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, coriander powder, jeera powder, chilli powder and baking soda. Mix and set aside. In a pan, add oil and bring to heat, once hot, gently drop small amounts of the besan mix to make pakodas. Make sure they are round, and remove when golden. Drop the pakodas in the curd mix. In the same pan, fry curry leaves, dried chillies, cumin seeds, and the garlic pods. Fry lightly until brown, and remove with a strainer. Add the fried ingredients to the curd for taste. Mix gently and serve.

Talwa Mirchi

Ingredients
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• Juice of ½ lemon
• ¼ kg besan powder
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 250 gm green chillies (large ones)
• ½ litre sunflower oil
• 50 gm raw tamarind

Method: Soak tamarind in water for 10 minutes. Discard the water and grind the tamarind in a blender. Add  ¼ tsp of coriander power and cumin powder. Once it forms a paste, remove and place in a separate container. Slit the chillies length-wise, cut only one side while leaving the other side intact. Remove the seeds and fill the chillies with the tamarind paste.

In another dish, mix besan, salt, turmeric, chilli powder and the remaining coriander and cumin powder and lemon juice. Add ½ cup of water and mix well. Heat oil and dip the chillies in the besan mix and drop them one by one in the hot oil and cook until golden.

— Compiled by Priyanka Praveen