Bengali vegetable chop step-by-step recipe with photos.
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What is Bengali vegetable chop
Vegetable chop is a mouth-watering street food of Kolkata. It is similar to what the world knows as croquettes but is loaded with winter vegetables and the Bengali staple potatoes. I loved them when I first tasted them on the streets of Kolkata. Hot veg chops washed down with a cup of hot tea served in kulhad (small earthen pot) on a cold winter evening takes you to a different world.
They are different from vegetable cutlets which are more famous in the rest of India. And what makes them different and absolutely delicious is the addition of beetroots, peanuts, and coconut. Beetroots, carrots, potatoes, peas cooked with a handful of spices, crumbed and deep-fried – divine!
Ingredients
Potatoes, beetroot, and carrots: These are the main ingredients to make this vegetable chop.
Spices: I use cumin seeds, dry red chilli, and garam masala.
Peanuts: Peanuts is a key ingredient as it makes these chops unique and delicious. Don't skip it!
Roasted Bengal gram: (Hurigadle/puthani) This acts as a binding agent. If you do not have access to it, you may replace it with besan (gram flour/chickpea flour).
Peas: Adding peas is optional but I highly recommend it as it adds a natural sweetness to the chop.
Ginger and green chilli: You may adjust the chilli as per your preference.
Coconut: I use sliced fresh coconut; however, you may replace it with desiccated coconut.
Plain flour, cornflour and breadcrumbs: I use them to form the outer cover of the vegetable chop.
Serving suggestions
They taste best when served with mint chutney and date tamarind chutney. However, you may choose to serve it with any dip of your choice.
They are a great teatime snack and go very well with a cup of masala chai.
They are great as snacks and a great meat-free party appetizer. You may crumb and freeze them beforehand, and fry them when the guests arrive. Skip your regular croquettes or cutlets next time and try the Bengali vegetable chops. I am sure you will love it as much as we do!
Storing vegetable chop
These chops can be stored before frying and after frying. The fried keep good in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. They can be frozen for up to three months. You can reheat them in an oven or air fryer.
To store unfried chop, line them on a tray and place them in the freezer overnight. Then place them in a freezer-safe bag, remove as much air as possible, seal, and place them back in the freezer. They can be deep-fried directly from the freezer.
Bonus
This dish:
- is a very good vegetarian alternative for appetisers
- is great to be served as finger food
- can be crumbed and frozen
Click here for more Bengali recipes.
Step by step instructions
1. Grate carrots, beetroot, and potatoes
2. Cook them with spices, chilli, peas, and let them cool
3. Shape the mixture into ovals while it is still warm
4. Dip into the plain flour-corn flour batter
5. Coat it in breadcrumbs
6. Place the chops in the refrigerator for 30 minutes
7. Deep fry until golden brown
Vegetable chops served with mint chutney and date tamarind chutney
Recipe card
Bengali Vegetable Chop
Ingredients
- 2 beetroots grated
- 2 carrots grated
- 2 potatoes grated
- ¼ cup peas
- ½ inch ginger grated
- 3-4 green chilli or as per taste
- A handful peanuts
- A handful coconut sliced and cut into small pieces
- 1 tsp oil plus oil for deep frying
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 2-3 dry red chilli
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp roasted Bengal gram ground into fine powder
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup plain flour
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- Mint chutney to serve
- Date tamarind chutney to serve
Instructions
- Dry roast cumin seeds and dry red chilli until aromatic. Grind into a fine powder and set aside
- Heat oil in a fry pan or kadhai. Fry the coconut pieces until golden brown and set aside
- Next, fry the peanuts until they are crunchy and set aside
- In the same pan, add ginger and saute for a few seconds. Add grated beetroot, carrot, potatoes, peas and green chillies
- Add salt and mix well. Cover and cook until the vegetables are almost done
- Add coconut, peanut, cumin-red chilii powder, garam masala, roasted Bengal gram powder and mix well
- Simmer for 2-3 minutes and turn off the flame
- Lightly grease your hands, take a small portion, and shape it into an oval while the mixture is still warm but cool enough to handle. Repeat with rest of the mixture
- In a wide bowl, mix plain flour and cornflour with some water and make a smooth, lump-free batter. The batter should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon
- Place the breadcrumbs in another wide bowl
- Now dip the chop into the flour mix and then coat in completely with breadcrumbs
- Place them on a lined tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes
- Heat oil in a deep fry pan or kadhai. Fry the chops on medium flame until golden brown
- Serve hot
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