Monday, June 15, 2009

Red Kidney Bean and Vegetable Cutlets (Rajma Cutlets)

How would you like it if you could sleep and help yourself maintain a healthy weight or even lose a little weight because you slept, that would be really cool wouldn't it? If you think that is impossible, read on to know a little more about an interesting connection between sleep and weight loss that might surprise you.

Did you know that people who slept less than five hours gain more weight over time than those that sleep seven to eight hours . Studies have found that sleep deprivation causes the body to increase production of the hunger hormone causing us to crave more food during the day. Some studies also show that when we are deprived of sleep we tend to crave more fattening foods.So if you are among those that sleep less than five hours here is a good reason to sleep a little longer....you don't have to feel bad about missing those late night shows on television anymore...after all health comes first doesn't it ? :-) If you would like to read a more detailed article on this topic click here

Moving on here is a healthy and protein rich cutlet made with red kidney beans (rajma) that I made to use as a filling in sandwich made with my oat pav (bread). Try this for a healthier version to the regular all potato / bread cutlets, this one does not compromise on taste and it is quick and simple too.

Red Kidney Bean/ Rajma Cutlets


Ingredients and Method to make red kidney bean cutlets

1 cup red kidney beans soaked for about 8 hours with a pinch of soda (soda is optional)
4 small potatoes
2 cups mixed vegetables ( I have used any combination of green beans, corn, green peas, and carrot)
4 slices of day old bread (powdered in a spice grinder to a coarse mixture) (yielded approx 1 and 1/2 cups of bread crumbs)
1/4 to 1/2 cup fine semolina (semolina flour/ rava) (see notes)
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (optional) (or according to taste)
1/2 tsp garam masala (optional or to taste) (my recipe for homemade garam masala can be found here
salt according to taste

1 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 Thai or Indian green chillies (or to taste)
1 inch piece ginger grated fine/ minced

a little extra oil to shallow fry the cutlets

Soak red kidney beans for about 8 hours or overnight with a pinch of soda (the soda is optional)

Drain red kidney beans and place in a pot with fresh water and simmer on a low heat until cooked. Alternatively drain red kidney beans and place in a pressure cooker with sufficient water and cook until soft. Drain any excess water after cooking the kidney beans and keep the beans aside.

Cook potatoes with skin either in the pressure cooker or stove top or microwave until soft and keep aside.

When the potatoes are cool, peel potatoes, mash them and keep aside.

In a heavy bottomed pan heat oil and add cumin seeds to it. When cumin seeds begin to sizzle, add green chilies and ginger and stir a couple of time. Add mixed vegetables, salt to taste, chilli powder, garam masala, sprinkle a few drops of water and cook on a low flame until the veggies are tender crisp. 

Add mashed potatoes to the cooked vegetables and mix well.

Add cooked red kidney beans to this mixture and mix well. Using the back of you spatula or a potato masher, mash the mixture gently until most of the vegetables, beans and potatoes get mashed. Alternatively, cool all the vegetables, add to a food processor and process until the veggies all break down into coarse mixture.

Add bread crumbs to this mixture and mix well. Add semolina a little at a time, mixing well. At this point, the mixture will be thick and you should be able to form a patty/ cutlet with it.
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Cool slightly and form into lemon sized or orange sized balls,depending on how large a cutlet/ patty you want to make, and flatten it slightly.

Heat a flat pan/ griddle/ tawa on medium high, place the flattened cutlets on them and add a few drops of oil around the cutlets. Turn over and fry the other side similarly.

Serve hot with ketchup as a snack/ appetizer or use as a patty in your burger or in a sandwich

Yield will depend on the size of the cutlets.

Notes:
The quantity of semolina will depend on how moist the mixture is, too moist may need 1/2 cup, lightly moist may need just 1/4 cup or a little more. Add the semolina a little at a time assessing once or twice to see if you are able to form a patty/ cutlet with the mixture. 

45 comments :

Gita Jaishankar said...

What a delicious and healthy cutlet Usha....love your recipes dear! I tried your oats pav bread last week...they came out so well...thanks dear :)

Manju said...

awesome! ive used red kidney beans only to make rajma masala! good one!!

Lisa Turner said...

Gorgeous. I have made lots of beans patties and cutlets, but I don't think I have made a cutlet with kidney beans. A must try!

Uma said...

I also read about sleeping related to weight gain! I don't how far it's true!!

Cutlets look healthy indeed!! A nice variation from the regular potato cutlets :)

Padma said...

Cutlets look so yummy Usha and healthy too ...

Myvegfare said...

I did some time back red kidney burgers!, what a coincidence!, they look fabulous..., I haven't posted mine still, Of course no need to say they are very healthy too...., about this sleeping thing just a few days back my teenage daughter was talking about it and now i forgot what she said!, when i read ur version i was thinking about it, once she comes back from germany i should ask her about it, because she told me something like what you said!
I must try some of your oats recipes dear...

Cynthia said...

Nice!

kittymatti said...

good usha..I read this article aloud to my hubby! Good piece of info
The cutlet looks great da!

Unknown said...

I also make cutlets with a lot of different beans but i doubt whether they can with a perfect shape like yours, but yours have come awesome. Nice and healthy snack. Regarding your article, read it and i am going to get my 7 hours of sleep now.

chef and her kitchen said...

Nice variation with rajma..looks perfect

Pavithra Elangovan said...

Wow wonderful healthy cutlets

Deepthi Shankar said...

wow, thatz a nice cutlet & a good use of Rajma

veena said...

hi ..
i never tried cutlet using red kidney beans ..cutlet looks so yummy ..will try this recipe ..thank u f sharing

veena said...

hi ..
i never tried cutlet using red kidney beans ..cutlet looks so yummy ..will try this recipe ..thank u f sharing

Shama Nagarajan said...

healthy cutlet...yummy

Shama Nagarajan said...

healthy cutlet...yummy

Unknown said...

nice yummay cutlet recipe.

lata raja said...

AThey must be great tasting for sure as with most of your other recipes.wesome healthy cutlets.

Amy said...

I love bean cutlets. These one's sound and look lovely!

Finla said...

I love kidney beans, never used them like this.
Looks so so yumm.

Kalaivani said...

Good info about sleep.Healthy cutlets,love it.

Parita said...

healthy and nutritious cutlets, have come out perfect!!

Priya Suresh said...

Wat a healthy and nutritious Cutlets, looks delicious!!

Vani said...

Looks yum, Usha!

Nithya Praveen said...

Nice one...i had made simmilar cutlets using pinto beans and potato.....Urs looks very gud and the info on sleep was very informative.thanks!

Vidya said...

Usha, rajma cutlets sounds just perfect. Looks so crunchymunchy!

Laavanya said...

I love bean cutlets.. and this one looks so good. Must've made for a yummy combination with your oat pavs.

Soma said...

i have patties with black beans & chick peas, never with red beans.. nice & healthy!

Vanamala Hebbar said...

Nice recipe.

Ramya Vijaykumar said...

So true Usha, when I was in college I hardly slept no clue why but couldnt reduce my weight!!! after that I slept for straight 8-9 hrs now I am the most peaceful person ;) the cutlet looks so yummy!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi usha
ur comment on my blog lead me here.I made rajma patties a few days back..and this cutlet of urs gave me all new idea.kudos.

Anu said...

Looks yum!!! Delicious..

Pam said...

I think I need to go to bed earlier ;). The bean cutlets look tasty.

Unknown said...

loks very yummy Usha..good one1

Juliana said...

First of all...thank you for visiting my site...your red kidney cutlet sounds and looks great...love the cilantro in it...yummie yummie!

Archana said...

Great idea of using beans in the cutlet...And nice info about the sleep bit...

Aparna Balasubramanian said...

Never made patties with kidney beans either. Sounds lovely. Youe oat pav has a lovely texture too.

Saritha said...

Lovely looking patties,never ate this,i liked ur oat pav :)

Red Chillies said...

Just yesetrday I made some curry using Red Beans and I was thinking how filling and nutritious they are.
Loved the idea of making cutlets out of the red kidney beans and using it as a burger.

miss v said...

yay! this is definitely a good recipe for me. i love cutlets of all types!

Madhuram said...

I made something similar using cooked lentils. My son liked it very much.

Valarmathi Sanjeev said...

Cutlet looks yummy and healthy. good one.

ARUNA said...

This is an interesting dish Usha! am goin to try it once!

kitchen queen said...

wow ur kidney beab cutlet looks amazing and delicious. u can visit my blog view my recipes and give ur comments

Mina Joshi said...

Looks delicious. Love the way you have served it.

Re the sleep study - I read it too and would agree with you.

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