French Bean Cutlets
These vegetarian cutlets transform tender French beans into savory, golden-brown patties spiced with fresh ginger, green chilies, and turmeric. A classic Parsi-style preparation where the spiced bean mash is coated in breadcrumbs and dipped in beaten egg before frying, creating a unique, lacey exterior and a soft, flavorful interior. Perfect as a tea-time snack or a side dish served with chutney.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound French beans (fresh and tender) (Originally '0.5 ratal'.)
- 1/2 cup Fresh coriander leaves (cilantro) (Leaves only, finely chopped. Originally '2 bunches'.)
- 2 whole Green chilies (Large size, finely chopped.)
- 1 teaspoon Onion (Peeled and minced very finely. Originally '1 heaping small spoon'.)
- 1/2 teaspoon Ginger (Peeled and minced/grated. Originally '5 val' (approx 2g).)
- 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Originally '0.5 flat spoon'.)
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper powder (Originally '0.5 flat spoon'.)
- 1 tablespoon Rice flour (Used for binding. Originally '1 flat spoon'.)
- 1 teaspoon Salt (Or to taste. Originally '1 flat spoon'.)
- 2 whole Eggs (Beaten, for coating.)
- 1 cup Breadcrumbs (Quantity estimated for coating. Originally 'paun-nu cream' (bread cream/crumbs).)
- 1/4 cup Ghee (Quantity estimated for shallow frying.)
Instructions
- 1Wash the coriander leaves and green chilies thoroughly. Dry them completely and chop them very finely. Peel the ginger and mince it into a very fine pulp.
- 2Boil the French beans until they are soft. Drain all the water completely. Remove any strings or tough ends. Grind the beans finely on a stone or in a processor. Squeeze the ground bean paste to remove any remaining internal moisture.
- 3In a mixing bowl, combine the dry bean paste with the chopped coriander, chilies, minced onion, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, rice flour, and salt. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
- 4Divide the mixture into four equal portions and shape them into flat cutlets. Press breadcrumbs firmly onto both sides of each cutlet. Beat the eggs in a shallow dish.
- 5Heat ghee in a frying pan over medium heat. Dip each breadcrumb-coated cutlet into the beaten egg, ensuring it is fully covered, then immediately place in the hot ghee. Fry until golden brown on both sides.