Recipes in a jiffy: Shravan special vegetarian snacks

Special vegetarian recipes for the holy month of Shravan.

The holy month of Shravan is underway. It's that time of the year when many Hindus give up non-vegetarian food completely; the really devout ones even give up onion and garlic and fast on Mondays. Keeping in with the tradition, we bring you these special vegetarian recipes you can try during Shravan... or all year round! While Shravan ends in some parts of the country today, in other parts it will continue to be observed till September 5.

We begin with:

Sabudana Vada

Sabudana vada is a very popular dish for when you are fasting. Sabudana by its very nature tends to be filling; so when you have it, let's say for breakfast, you don't really feel hungry for a good part of the day, there

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sabudana
• 1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup peanut roasted and crushed
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp chat masala
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1-2 green chillies chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• Oil for frying
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Wash sabudana. Drain and keep aside for at least 2-3 hours.
• Boil and mashed the potatoes. Be careful not to over boil potatoes, otherwise the mixture will be sticky.
• Take sabudana in a bowl, add potatoes, peanuts, and mix with all the masalas.
• Knead lightly to form soft dough. Don't over knead the dough.
• Divide the mixture into equal portions. Apply little oil on palm and shape each portion into a round and flatten.
• Heat oil in a pan, deep-fry vada until it is golden brown.
• Drain out the excess oil and follow the same process with remaining vadas.

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Dahi ke Kebabs sound exotic but easy to cook. Just one needs to be careful during the filling process and seal the kebabs well.

Ingredients (for the filling)

• 400 ml yogurt (hung)
• 1 tsp amchur powder/ dry mango powder
• 2 green chilles finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• Rock salt to taste

Ingredients (for the cover)

• 1/2 kg potatoes boiled and mashed

Process for hung curd

• Pour the yogurt in a muslin cloth. Tie the edges of the cloth and hang it over the kitchen sink for at least 2 hours or until all the water is drained from the yogurt.
• The resultant yogurt should be thick.

Method:

• Transfer the yogurt to a large bowl and stir in the filling ingredients.
• Mash the potatoes, knead them into a stiff dough and make round balls.
• Take a tablespoon of the yoghurt filling and place inside the potato balls and flatten it with your palms. Take care the filling is covered well with the potato cover.
• Heat oil in a frying pan on high flame. Once oil it heated up reduce the flame to medium and shallow fry the kebabs.

Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji without onion and garlic is possible and the Jain community will swear by its authenticity.

The key is cooking the masala well. It might take a few extra minutes but it is worth the stirring.

Also potatoes can be replaced with raw and boiled bananas.

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes - 2 cups, finely chopped
• Raw bananas/Potatoes - 1 cup, boiled, peeled, mashed
• Green Peas - 1/4 cup, boiled
• Cabbage - 1/2 cup, shredded
• Pav Bhaji Masala Powder - 1/2 tblsp
• Coriander Powder - 1 tblsp
• Cumin Powder - 1/2 tblsp
• Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Leaves - 1 cup, chopped
• Capsicum - 1/4 cup, chopped
• Green Chillies - 1, finely chopped
• Water - 1/4 cup or as required
• Salt as per taste
• Oil as required

Method:

• Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan.
• Add tomatoes, coriander powder, red chilli powder, pav bhaji masala, cumin powder and salt.
• Cook until the tomatoes are mashed and oil leaves the pan.
• Add the other vegetables and cook.
• Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Remove the lid and mash the vegetables well.
• Add water and capsicum.
• After a minute, mash again till capsicum is well blended.
• Add lemon juice and coriander leaves.
• Serve it with pav/bread.

Shakarkhandi (sweet potatoes) ki Tikki

It is simple and is ready in a jiffy.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg shakarkandi - boiled, peeled, mashed
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (roasted and powdered)
• 1 tsp rock salt (sendha namak)
• 2-3 green chillies - finely chopped
• Oil
• Coriander leaves - chopped

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients, add spices according to taste.
• Make small round balls and press them to form desired shape.
• Shallow fry the tikki on a non stick pan.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until they turn golden.

Do you have similar recipes too? Simply email them to getahead@rediff.co.in (subject line: 'Veg recipes'). Make sure you add a photograph of the recipes you are sharing and we will carry the best ones right here on Rediff.com and India Abroad.