Yearning for something delicious but light and easy on stomach, the besan (gram flour) patties is the thing to go for! Made with gram flour, semolina, mild spices and colourful vegetables, this snack dish is one of the healthiest breakfast or evening snacks. Steaming helps save many calories and also makes it soft and spongy. Theses patties can be made with easily available ingredients with a recipe that’s a breeze to follow.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20-30 minutes

Cooking time: 30-45 minutes

Ingredients:

Gram flour: 1 cup

Semolina: ½ cup

Curd: ¼ cup

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder: ½ tsp

Red chilli powder: 2 tsp

Baking soda: 1 tsp (levelled)

Carrot: 1 (grated)

Cabbage: 1 cup (grated)

Peas: 1 cup (coarsely ground)

Capsicum: 1 (finely chopped)

Onion: 1 (finely chopped)

Green chillies: 2 (finely chopped)

Ginger: 1/2 “piece (grated)

Fresh coconut: ½ cup (grated)

Oil: 3-4 tbsp

For tadka:

Water: 2-3 cups

Small mustard seeds: 2 tsp

Sesame seeds: 1 tsp

Curry leaves: 10-12

Green chillies: 3-4

Lemon juice: 3 tbsp

Sugar: 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Method

Take a big bowl and mix well gram flour (besan), semolina (suji), and curd together. Add water gradually and keep beating to make a smooth and moderately thick batter (not too thick or runny in consistency). Add salt, turmeric powder, one teaspoon of red chilli powder and mix well. Cover it and keep aside to rest for 15 to 20 minutes. In the meantime, prepare vegetable stuffing. Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add ginger and onion and saute until golden brown. Add grated cabbage, carrot, ground peas and chopped capsicum and green chillies. Mix well and add salt and one teaspoon of chilli powder. Give a good stir and cover the pan to let the vegetables get cooked for 10 minutes on low flame. Add grated coconut and saute for a few more minutes. Turn off the flame and keep aside to cool down.

Beat the besan batter again and add baking soda (meetha soda). Beat well. Take four small bowls (katori). Grease them. Put one to two tablespoons of besan batter into each bowl. Tap them to spread the batter evenly. Top it with a layer of cooked vegetable-coconut mixture. Then again pour one to two tablespoons of besan batter on top to cover the vegetables well. Heat two glasses of water in a steamer or idli stand. Put a stand in the bottom. Place these besan batter filled bowls on the stand and cover the steamer. Let the besan patties cook in steam. After 30 minutes, open the steamer and insert a toothpick in the centre of each bowl. If the toothpick comes out clean, it means patties are ready, otherwise steam them for few more minutes until properly cooked.

Turn off the flame. Open the steamer after five minute and take out the bowls. Let them cool for 10 minutes before de-moulding. De-mould patties gently scrapping the sides with a sharp knife. Now prepare tadka. Heat two tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan. Add mustard seeds and sesame seeds. When mustard seeds crackle, add curry leaves and sliced green chillies. Add water, salt, sugar and lemon juice. Give a boil and then simmer for five minutes on low flame.

Add all the patties in this simmering tadka water and cook flipping from both sides until all water dries away. The patties will become little crisp and golden from outside. Serve hot with tomato ketchup and mint-coriander chutney. This vegetarian snack is an ideal dish for parties and special occasions to impress your family and friends with your culinary skills.