RECIPES WITH VERSATILE VEGGIE MIX

‘Versatile veggies’ may not be an invention but it is a handy discovery of mine – to create a number of versatile dishes with this one. You can make your dish colorful, tasty and healthy by adding it to the basic dishes like the universal favorite noodles or to ‘semiya upma’, ‘rava upma’, ‘poha’, sandwich, pulao, khichadi … You can add your ‘taste-makers’ like raisins (my grand kids go nuts over raisins but pick aside the crunchy nuts)!

So if you prepare this veggie mix, you can rest happy for 2 or 3 healthy, simple, varied and tasty meals spaced appropriately – if you are a small family, that is! Remember – don’t overdo it – your family should not flee at the sight of veggie mix! So here’s the recipe for the ‘Versatile Veggies’ which is followed by different recipes …..

Those who are based in the US / go in for frozen veggies have an easier job on hand – they can use the frozen mixed veggies and frozen beans which require very little cooking time!

Versatile Veggies 

Ingredients

1. Sweet Corn – ½ -1cup
2. Shelled peas – 1 cup
3. Cabbage (chopped) – 1 cup (optional)
4. Carrot – ½ - 1 cup (grated / finely chopped)
5. Beans (finely chopped) – ½ cup
6. Raw mango (optional) – 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
7. Coconut (grated) – 1-2 tbsp 
8. Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
9. Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
10. Asafetida – a pinch
11. Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
12. Sambar powder – 1 tsp / Coriander powder and red chilli powder 1/2 tsp each
13. Salt to taste
14. Coriander leaves (finely chopped) – 1-2 tbsp 

Method

1. Heat 1- 1 ½ tbsp oil in a pan and add mustard and cumin seeds and asafetida.
2. Then add all the vegetables and turmeric powder and salt and stir well.
3. Cook covered on low heat till the veggies are tender, sprinkling water if necessary.
4. Add sambar powder and stir well.
5. Turn off the heat and add grated coconut and mix well.
6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
7. If mangoes are in season, add finely chopped mangoes and mix well – it adds a crunchy zing to the mix.
8. If mangoes are not in season, add finely chopped tomatoes / lime juice.

This is the versatile veggie mix which can be used to make a variety of dishes.

It can also be eaten as it is – as a healthy food for weight-watchers.

Veggie Sandwich

 

Ingredients

1. Veggie Mix – 1 cup
2. Cheese slices – 3
3. Brown bread – 6
4. Butter / oil for toasting

Method

1. Apply butter on one side (outer side) of each bread slice.
2. On the plain side of one slice, spread the veggie mix uniformly.
3. Place a cheese slice on it.
4. Place the second slice of bread with the buttered side up.
5. Toast on a non-stick sandwich toaster.
6. Serve hot with ketchup or pack it as lunch.

Tips

If you want to make it special, spread a layer of green chutney on the inner part of the second slice.

Veggie Noodles

Prepare your favorite noodles and mix in a bowl of veggie mix and serve to your delighted kids.

Veggie Upma

Prepare ‘rava upma’ / ‘uppit’ or ‘semiya (vermicelli) upma’ and add a bowl of veggie mix, mix and serve hot with chutney.

Veggie Poha

Prepare poha.

Add veggie mix and mix well
.Garnish with farsan and serve hot.
A bowl of tomato soup will go well with it!

Pulao

Ingredients

1. Veggie Mix – 1-1 ½ cups
2. Basmati rice – 1 cup
3. Cloves -3
4. Cinnamon – ½”
5. Pepper corns – 5-6
6. Bay leaves – 1
7. Cardamom - 1
8. Ghoda masala - 1 tsp
9. Ghee / oil –2 tbsp

Method

1. Wash Basmati rice and soak in water for 10 minutes and drain off the water.
2. Heat 1- 1 ½ tbsp oil in a pan and add cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, pepper corns and cardamom and stir.
3. Add the rice and stir gently on low flame for 4-5 minutes.
4. Add ‘ghoda masala’ and fry for a minute.
5. Add required salt and 2 cups water and pressure cook / cook the rice till done.
6. Add 1-1 ½ cups of this veggie mix to the cooked pulao rice and mix well gently and serve hot with raita and papad.

Tips

1. If you have the time and inclination, garnish the pulao with nicely fried thinly sliced onion in ½ tbsp ghee.

Veggie Khichadi

Prepare khichadi / pongal.

Transfer it to a kadhai, add the veggie mix and mix well and serve hot with raita.

                     

 © Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.