Tiffin recipe- Sago cutlets and Badam Modak

Badam Modak –

Almonds – 1 cup – blanched and peeled

Sugar – 4 tblspn

Full Fat Milk – ½ ltr

Saffron – 1 tspn

Elaichi (Cardamom) Powder- ½ tspn

Whole Almonds  - 2 tblspn

Whole Cashew’s – 2 tblspn

Ghee (Clarified Butter) – 1 tspn

Method-

Crush blanched Almonds coarsely in a mixer.

Make a powder from whole almonds and whole Cashews.

Heat a non stick kadhai.

Add ghee.

Add almonds.

Saute till slight brown.

Add milk and stir well.

Cook on  medium flame till milk is reduced to half.

Add Sugar and mix well till sugar is dissolved.

Add cashew powder and almond powder.

Mix well.

Keep on stirring.

Add cardamom powder.

Add Saffron.

Keep mixing till the whole mixture comes together.

Put off the flame.

Allow the mixture to cool.

Shape into modak using modak moulds.

Garnish with whole cashews.

Tip- If u do not have the modak mould, you can shape them into laddoo or any shape you desire.

Sago Tikki –

Sago (sabudana) – 1 cup – soaked for 4-5 hrs.

Boiled Potato –  2 large

Roasted  Peanuts- ½ cup

Cilantro (Fresh dhaniya) – ½ cup

Salt – to taste

Dry roasted Cumin (Jeera) powder – 2 tspn

Dry roasted Black Pepper (crushed) – 1 tspn

Oil – to deep fry as required

For garnish-

Carrot and Beetroot jullienes – 2 tblspns

Tomato sauce – 1/4^th tspn

Whole black pepper – for the eyes

Method-

Drain water from sago and get rid of excess water by pressing well between your palms. Keep it aside.

Mash boiled potatoes well.

Crush roasted peanuts coarsely.

Chop cilantro finely.

Mix the sago, potatoes, peanuts.

Add cilantro.

Add to it the roasted cumin powder.

Add crushed pepper.

Add salt.

Bring the mixture together by using your hands.

Do not add any water.

Shape into flat tikki’s.

Heat oil in a kadhai.

Deep fry the sago tikki’s till well done from both sides.

Arrange in the tiffin box.

Use carrot and beetroot jullienes to make hair.

Use pepper to make eyes.

Use sauce (ketchup) to make mouth.

Fish Patties

Fish is said to be in rich in Omega Fatty - 3 acids. It primarily contains 'good fat' and is a rich source of protein. Other sources of Omega Fatty - 3 acids mainly for vegetarians are the flaxseeds, flaxseed-oil, walnut.This recipe is basically for the kids and the weight watchers as the fish is steamed and then shallow-fried. 

An important thing to remember here is while the fish is being prepared there is a foul smell to avoid this one must apply loads of turmeric and some amount of salt an dkeep it aside for sometime say 20 minutes. Turmeric cuts the smell of the fish.

Here I've used Surmai (King Fish) fish fillets (boneless) for this recipe. The fish has been steamed with the whole spices so that the delicate flavours and aroma blend into the fish giving it a nice flavour. Delicately flavoured with pepper, I've used boiled mashed potato to help in binding. A very healthy and tasty dish for the kids as kids usually avoid spices. 

INGREDIENTS -

Fish Fillets - Surmai - 1

Boiled Potato -1 small

Whole Spices -

Cloves - 2/3

Bay Leaf - 1

Cinnamon - 1 inch stick

Black Cardamom - 1

Green Pepper - 5/6

Garlic pods - 3/4

Seasoning-

Salt - to taste

Black Pepper Powder - as per taste

Turmeric powder - 2-3 spoons

Garnish -

Grated Carrot - 1 Large

Lettuce - 2-3 tender leaves

Oil - Vegetable Oil - as required.

METHOD -

• 
  
  Sprinkle turmeric and some salt on the fish fillet pieces and keep aside
• 
  
  Keep some water to boil in a pan.
• 
  
  In a silver foil put the fish pieces and put all the ingredients under whole spices.
• 
  
  Prepare a parcel and keep this on a colander.
• 
  
  Colander has to be kept on the boiling water pan
• 
  
  Cover the colander. (See picture)

• 
  
  Steam the fish for 10 minutes.
• 
  
  Open the parcel fish would look like this picture.

• 
  
  Mash the fish with the back of a fork.
• 
  
  Add to it boiled and mashed potato.
• 
  
  Mix well.
• 
  
  Sprinkle seasoning to taste.
• 
  
  Form patty shape and shallow fry on a non-stick pan.
• 
  
  Assemble on a serving dish.
• 
  
  Garnish as shown in the picture.
• 
  
  Serve Hot.