Garbanzo beans & Potato Cutlet

I love(d) playing the guitar... but before you get any ideas as to how much of a pro I am... I was a beginner student at the Trinity school of music back home, and sadly never went beyond the basics. How pathetic. My guitar, as we speak is rigorously gathering dust beneath my armoire at home. Sorry all you musically inclined buffs, I mean no disrespect to music or the instrument, but that is how the way it is.
And boy! I did really lose touch with playing it. Isn't that one of the things that would come back to you even after a long hiatus? Like for instance driving a bicycle! And did I suck at that too recently. Not even gonna go there.
But I guess I could justify saying that I never knew how to play it thoroughly...

There goes one of the many things I have tried my hands at that didn't see the dawn of day. Is that why they call people "Jack of all trades, master of none?" And why is being master of any one trade "better" than the former? I never understood the assumption behind it.

With that story, can we get on to more important things like... making these figure-friendly garbanzo patties/cutlets! :)

Chick peas/Garbanzo beans are a true source of protein for vegetarians. They are very low in fat, and are also good ways of getting zinc, fiber and folate into your diet.
I always have a few cans stacked up in my pantry. It is great for and in curries, gravies, patties, hummus, or even in rice. Only thing I haven't tried yet is in desserts! Hmm, thinking of which... it might not be a bad idea!
Addition of potatoes in these patties are purely for the binding property to bring all of the ingredients together. And a potato or two never hurt, right?
Vegetables and herbs are completely flexible, and you could add what you have at hand, except tomatoes, that would be one soggy cutlet.
These are best eaten warm/hot right out from the pan. Microwave them before eating if you plan to store them longer.

Garbanzo beans & Potato Cutlet

Ingredients:

Garbanzo beans/Chick peas - 2 cans
Potato - 1 large (Boiled, peeled and mashed)
Red onion - 1 medium (finely chopped)
Green bell pepper - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Carrots - 1/4 cup (finely chopped)
Green onion - A handful (finely chopped)
Cilantro - 1/2 cup (chopped)
Curry leaves - 4-5 (torn into small pieces)
Bread crumbs - 1/4 cup (optional)
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Salt - To taste
Olive oil - Just enough to cook the cutlets (we are not frying them)

Method:

Dry blend the garbanzo in a food processor without water. It will end up with a crumbly texture.

Add the mashed potatoes to the beans and mash together well.

Add all the vegetables (red onion, green pepper, carrots, green onion) and herbs (cilantro and curry leaves) and mix well.

Add the chilly powder, pepper, chilly powder, garam masala, & salt and combine.

Lastly add the bread crumbs. Mix. This is just to absorb the extra moisture.

Taste the raw mixture to check for salt/spice. If the flavors are balanced, shape into small patties and set aside.

Heat a pan with a couple of tablespoons of oil on medium heat, and add the patties and let cook on one side for about 5 minutes or till golden brown. Flip to the other side and add oil if needed. I did not have to as you can see from the image below.



Swirling the patties around in the pan helps with the even browning of the cutlets and the little oil in the pan is evenly distributed as well.
Do not push the patties down with the spatula since it tends to break.

After the patties are cooked on both sides, remove from pan, and serve with sliced onion, and chutney or tomato sauce.
None of which are in the picture!



This goes to Vandana's Lunchbox special event & Sra's My Legume Love Affair event