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  Meaty matters

Meaty matters

Published : Feb 7, 2016, 6:24 am IST
Updated : Feb 7, 2016, 6:24 am IST

These days, one runs into so many people who want to embrace vegetarianism at some stage in their lives.

 (Photos: Vinod Karimatt)
  (Photos: Vinod Karimatt)

These days, one runs into so many people who want to embrace vegetarianism at some stage in their lives. There are several reasons why they want to shift but it is the health aspect that is the main one. However, giving up non-vegetarian food can be challenging and the best way forward is to adopt a gradual change by increasing the intake of vegetarian dishes.

One of the factors that attract people to non-vegetarian food, apart from its taste, is its meaty texture. So, for someone who wants to completely give up non-vegetarian food or increase vegetarian food intake, it is best to start trying vegetarian dishes with intense taste and texture akin to meat dishes. Vegetables like mushrooms, jackfruit, eggplant, cauliflower have a meaty texture and neutral taste. Hence they can absorb strong flavours and make it interesting. Here are some vegetable dishes that can serve as alternatives to meat dishes.

MUSHROOM STUFFED STRING HOPPERS Ingredients

Mushrooms: 10 Vegetable oil: 2 tbsp Red onion (sliced): 1 Green chilli (chopped): 2 Garlic chopped: 4 cloves Ginger chopped: 1 small piece Tomato sliced: 1 Fennel seeds: 1 tsp Chilli powder: 1 tsp Garam masala powder: 1 tsp Cardamom powder: 1 tsp Coriander leaves (chopped): 2 tbsp Fresh cream: 30 ml

String Hoppers Rice flour: 200 gm Ghee: 5 ml Salt: to taste Coconut milk: 20 ml Boiling water: 220 ml

Method To make mushroom masala Heat oil in a pan, add the sliced onions and saute until golden brown, add the ginger, garlic and fennel seeds and saute for another 3 minutes. Add the chilli powder and saute. Now add the chopped tomato and green chilli and saute until the tomato is cooked well. Cut the mushrooms into quarters and saute separately. Add the sauted mushrooms to the masala and toss. Finish with chopped coriander leaves, cardamom powder and garam masala powder and cream.

To make string hoppers Roast the rice flour in a pan for few minutes. Heat water in a pan, add the ghee, salt and coconut milk. Now, add the rice flour and mix well to make a dough. Make a layer of string hoppers and top with the mushroom mix and put a layer of string hoppers on it. Steam it for 15 minutes. Served with raita.

Jackfruit ravioli with chilli cardamom emulsion

Jack fruit ravioli Raw jackfruit: 120 gm Philadelphia cream cheese: 3 tbsp Coriander chopped: 1 tbsp Salt and crushed black pepper: to taste Chopped garlic: 1 tsp Chopped onion: 2 tbsp Olive oil: 1 tbsp

Pasta dough

Refined flour: 400 gm Egg whole: 4 Salt: 1/2 tsp Olive oil: 2 tbsp

Chilli cardamom emulsion Vegetable stock: 2 cups Olive oil: 2 tsp Chopped shallots: 1 tbsp Chopped garlic, ginger: 1 tsp each Chopped red chilli: 1/2 Cardamoms: 6 Butter cubes frozen: 50 gm Single cream: 2 tsp Spinach cleaned: 200 gm

The author is Executive Chef, Crowne Plaza, Kochi