FOODIE SPECIAL....... Meat your needs

Meat your needs

Why should non-vegetarians have all the fun? Here are some meat replacements that pack in the same scrumptious taste

Be it for health, environmental or ethical reasons, opting to turn vegetarian shouldn’t prevent one from tucking into their favourite comfort dishes. And for those going for this diet makeover, it couldn’t have been easier. City chefs have managed culinary breakthroughs by swapping meat with delicious alternatives to dish our healthy variants of everything, including that juicy lamb burger. For instance, seitan, made of pure vital wheat gluten contains more protein than beef and steak per-calorie and has less fat than a grilled chicken breast. “It contains zero heterocyclic amines, the carcinogens found in meat and is cholesterol-free since it’s purely plant-based,” says Vinita Contractor, founder of Down 2 Hearth. Contractor believes that most meat dishes can be replicated with plant-based “vegetarian meat” — made from ingredients such as soy, wheat gluten, eggplant or jackfruit or a combination of these ingredients. Here are four recipes that fit the bill perfectly:

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Chef Mohit Savargaonkar

BLACK BEANS BURGER

This an easy swap for a beef or lamb burger. Beans, legumes and lentils can be made into substitutes for ground beef or even sausage and they also provide a good amount of protein (8 grams of protein and 8 grams of fibre per 1/2-cup serving.) “This burger is completely vegan as there’s no cheese, animal meat or animal fat in it. Cheese has been substituted with mashed avocado and the minced meat is replaced with mashed beans. The addition of beetroot also gives it the perfect colour,” says Chef Mohit Savargaonkar of Pod Supply.

INGREDIENTS

Onion chopped ......................................

½ Black beans, soaked overnight, pressure cooked, drained ...............

1 cup Cooked rice .......................................

¼ cup Chopped garlic .............................

2 cloves Grated beetroot ...............................

¼ cup olive oil to shallow fry/ deep fry Sprig parsley, chopped.............................

Salt ........ to taste

Crushed black pepper ................ to taste

METHOD

1 Sautee the garlic and onions till soft, add the grated beetroot and cook for 5 minutes.

2 In a large bowl, mash the beans until almost smooth.

3 Add the cooked onion and beetroot mixture and the cooked rice to the mashed beans. Mix well to make a mixture.

4 Form this mixture into individual patties. The best way to do this is to form them into individual balls and gently flatten it. Rest these patties for 10 minutes in the freezer to hold shape.

5 Remove from freezer and fry as per your liking. Baste it with your favourite barbeque sauce and assemble it into a veggie burger with all the fixings.

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Vinita Contractor

THAI SEITAN MASSAMAN CURRY

Often referred to as ‘the vegetarian white meat,’ this wheat-based protein is a great option and provides a similar texture to chicken. “This curry is more nutritious and tastes close to the regular massaman curry,” says Contractor adding a caveat, seitan shouldn’t be used for regular consumption. “It is better to use the organic version as the packaged ones contain preservatives and additives, which may not be suitable for the gluten- intolerant,” she adds.

INGREDIENTS

Chinese five-spice powder ............................. ½ tbsp

Fresh ginger, grated......................................... 1/2 tsp Turmeric ...................................................... 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper, or to taste .......................... 1/4 tsp Coconut milk (grind with a few grains of soaked raw rice to prevent it from curdling)..................1 cup

Vegetable stock ...................................1/4 cup

Potato steamed and chopped .............................1

Baby corn, chopped and steamed..................¼ cup Mushrooms, chopped and steamed ..............¼ cup Yellow pepper, chopped and steamed ........... ¼ cup Seitan, cut into small pieces ..........................1/2 cup Peanut butter .................................... ½ tbsp

Whole  Clove................................................1

Salt .......................................................... 1 tsp

Date paste .......................................... 1 tsp

Cashews or roasted peanuts ....................... 1/6 cup Kashmiri chilli powder ................................½ to 1 tsp Tamarind juice.......................................1 – 2 tbsp

METHOD

1 In a heavy-bottomed pot, on a low flame, roast the five-spice powder, turmeric, cayenne pepper and ginger, for just one minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.

2 Reduce heat, add vegetable broth. Stir to combine. Add seitan, clove and salt, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3 Then add the steamed veggies such as baby corn, mushrooms, and bell pepper.

4 Add potatoes, peanut butter, date paste, a bit of Kashmiri chilli powder and cashews or peanuts, and heat for another minute.

5 Serve with rice or millet.

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Dhwani Agarwal

SHROOMS

When you want that meaty taste, the caps of the Portobello mushroom are just the bite you’re looking for. They are healthy and filling and can replace meat in any recipe. “Mushrooms contain no cholesterol or fat and are low in carbohydrates. They are also a rich source of iron and calcium. Like Portobello, shitake and oyster mushrooms, can be used as substitutes,” says Chef Dhwani Agarwal, Senior Sous Chef at Masala Library who has seen a jump in diners looking for healthier options. “If there are alternatives that have a similar taste or nutritional benefits, one would definitely choose the healthier versions. Now, the clients are well travelled and know a lot more ingredients than they used to,” she adds.

INGREDIENTS

Button mushroom........................................... 60 gm Portobello mushroom....................................... 30 gm Shimji...........................................................20 gm Enoki mushrooms ........................................... 5 gm Green chilli...................................................1

Garlic, chopped ................................................ 5 gm Bell peppers ............................................... 8 gm Onion, chopped ................................................. 8 gm Pickled shitake and oyster mushrooms ................. 5 gm Makhani gravy ................................................. 5 gms Fresh Cream ...................................................10 gm 

Butter .......................................................... 5 gm 

Salt .................................................... 2 gm

Black pepper..................................... 1 gm          

Truffle oil.........................................................3 gm Toasted panko/breadcrumbs ............. to garnish 

Chopped coriander ........................................... 2 gm

METHOD

1 Heat pan, melt butter, add chopped garlic.

2 Once the garlic is browned, add chopped onion and bell peppers and sauté.

3 Add blanched button mushrooms, blanched Portobello and Shimji.

4 Add in makhni sauce and fresh cream and season with salt and pepper.

5 Finish with chopped coriander and a drizzle of truffle oil and dish it out on a plate.

6 Garnish with toasted panko, trimmed enoki mushrooms, pickled shitake and oyster mushrooms.

| Sayoni Sinha MM 18FEB18