When it comes to Indian street food, West Bengal stands out. Bold flavors, unique combinations, and a touch of sweet and savory elements make it special. Apart from the delicious puchukas, the state is also famous for other foods such as kati rolls, telebhaja, ghugni chaat, chulmul, jhalmuri and biryani. One of the most popular dishes in West Bengal, his veg chop is also a gastronomic highlight of West Bengal. It’s a cutlet-like dish made with simple ingredients, but the variety of vegetables used makes it even more flavorful. Moreover, if you really want to eat it and can’t go to West Bengal, you can easily make it at home. Intrigued? Learn how to make Bengal Veggie Chop at home.
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Can you make Bengal veggie chops in the air fryer?
yes! Bengal veggie chops are fried to give them a crispy exterior, but you can easily replace that step with an air fryer. To make Bengal veggie chops in the airfryer, preheat the appliance to 180°C for about 5 minutes. Grease the air fryer basket and gently place the coated vegetable chops on top. Try to leave some space between the cutlets. Brush with a little oil and air fry for 20 minutes until golden brown, turning halfway through. And it’s completed!
How to make Bengali veg chops: Recipe to make Bengali veg chops at home
Add potatoes, beets, chopped carrots, kidney beans, peas, onion, chili peppers, and dried chili peppers to a pressure cooker with water and salt. Simmer over medium heat until tender, 15-17 minutes. Drain the vegetables and set aside. In a small saucepan, fry 3 tablespoons roasted peanuts over low heat until crisp. Once the coating starts to burn a little, turn off the heat and allow the peanuts to cool. Once it’s safe to hold, remove the skin.
Once the drained vegetables have cooled a little, peel them and grate them in a pot. Next, add fennel seeds, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, roasted peanuts, sugar and salt to the vegetables and mix. Besides fennel seeds, you can also add fennel seed powder and mix well. If the mixture feels too runny, add more breadcrumbs.
Make a slurry by mixing 3 tablespoons maida and 6 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Next, take the vegetable mixture and form it into a cylindrical cutlet-like shape. Dip the cutlets in the Midas slurry and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. If you feel the coating is insufficient, repeat the process. Shape the remaining vegetable mixture into a cylinder and repeat the process.
Heat a little oil in a frying pan. Next, gently place the Bengal veg chops in the oil without breaking them. Fry the vegetable chops on both sides until golden brown, but be careful not to overcrowd them. Remove the Bengal veg chops onto a kitchen towel to soak up any excess oil. Place on a plate and garnish with coriander leaves. And voila! Bengal Veggie Chop is ready. These chops can be served with ketchup or a Bengali condiment called aam kasundi.
Read the detailed recipe here.
Do you have any memories of eating veggie chops as a child? Let us know in the comments section below.
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