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.
The author is Executive Chef, Crowne Plaza, Kochi
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
Method
Jack fruit ravioli
Mixture: Heat oil in a pan, add garlic and onion and saute until it becomes transparent, now add the chopped jackfruit. Saute until jackfruit is cooked. Cool the mixture and add the cream cheese, chopped coriander, salt and pepper.
Pasta dough: Sieve the flour with salt, put the flour on a work surface and make a well in the centre. Pour the eggs and olive oil into the well.
Gradually mix the flour and eggs with your fingers, moving in a circular motion in the well. Once the flour and eggs are mixed, it will look crumbly. Now knead the mixture to form a stiff dough. Cover with a wet cloth and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into 2 parts, roll the dough through a pasta machine, roll it and fold it and re-roll 3 to 4 times to get a smooth sheet. Cut the dough into 4 round discs of 6 cm diameter.
Cut the rest of the sheets into four 12 cm square sheets. Place the round discs on a floured work surface and divide the jackfruit mixture into 4 equal parts and place it in the middle of the round disc, apply egg wash around it.
n Place the square pasta sheet on it and seal the edges properly, cut again with the round cutter to get a round ravioli.
Blanch the ravioli in boiling salted water for a minute and put it in ice water. Once it is cold, take out from the water, drizzle with olive oil and store in fridge until use.
Chilli cardamom emulsion
Heat oil in a pan and add chopped shallots, garlic, ginger, chilli. Now add the vegetable stock and cardamom and let it simmer for 20 minutes and add the cream. Now strain the stock and add the frozen butter away from the fire, whisking continuously.
Serve the ravioli with the cardamom emulsion. Do not reheat the emulsion as it will split. This can be served with sauted spinach.
Mushroom stuffed strings 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.
