Ditch non-veg food, opt for vegetarian dishes this festive season

Festive time brings with it a lot of fun and fervour. At this auspicious time, enjoy some of the best vegetarian delicacies that can be your perfect replacement for non-vegetarian food.

Broccoli stuffed tandoori momos

By Sumalya Sarkar, Executive Chef at The Gateway Resort Damdama Lake, Gurgaon

Ingredients: For momo sheet -- 50 grams refined flour, 5 ml oil, salt to taste, 25 ml water

For filling: 10 grams chopped onions 5 grams chopped garlic, 20 grams chopped broccoli, 5 grams chopped ginger, 5 grams chopped green chilli, salt to taste, a pinch of roasted cumin powder, 5 grams butter

For marination: 20 grams hung curd, 3 grams deggi chilli, 2 grams black salt, 2 grams black salt, a pinch of cumin powder, a pinch of garam masala, 10 ml oil

Method: For sheet -- Mix all ingredients together and make a medium tight dough; Let it rest for 10-15 minutes; Then take the dough and cut it into small equal pieces; Roll it with a rolling pin.

For filling: Heat the pan, add butter; Sauté onion, garlic, green chilli, ginger; Add chopped broccoli and sauté; Add remaining spices and sauté for a while; Keep it to drop to room temperature.

For marination: Heat oil in a pan, add deggi chilli; Immediately add hung curd and mix; Add the rest of the spices.

For momos: Take a rolled flat round sheet, put broccoli mixture in the centre and fold as a momo; Repeat for all the sheets; Apply marination on all the momos; Steam them for 4-5 minutes to cook it half done; Cool them; Put them on skewers and roast in a tandoor; Once nicely cooked, take them off, squeeze lemon juice and sprinkle chat masala on them; Serve hot.

Navratri special

plantain koftas

By Rajesh Singh, Chef de Cuisine, Varq, The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi

Ingredients: For koftas: two raw bananas; 3 tablespoon grated paneer (optional); 2 tablespoon finally chopped coriander leaves; Salt to taste; Oil for deep frying koftas

For gravy: One large pureed tomato; one tablespoon green chillies, ginger paste; ¼ tablespoon turmeric powder; a pinch of cumin powder; 10 cashew; 1 tablespoon fresh cream; 1 cinnamon stick; salt to taste; 2 tablespoon oil; coriander leaves for garnish

Method: Cut the end of the raw bananas, cut each raw banana into two pieces, do not peel, boil in 4 cups of water along with half tablespoon turmeric powder on low to medium flame, it will take approx 20-30 mts based on the size of the raw bananas, insert a knife into the raw banana and if it goes through smoothly, then they're cooked, turn off heat and drain the water, cool and peel the raw bananas and grate; In a bowl, add the grated raw banana, grated paneer, green chili paste, coriander leaves and little mash potatoes and salt; mix well so that you can make small lime-sized balls (koftas); keep them aside

Heat oil for deep frying: once the oil is hot, reduce flame to medium and place the balls gently into the hot oil; deep fry to a golden brown shade and remove into a bowl lined with absorbent paper; keep aside and make the gravy

Heat oil in a cooking vessel: Add the cinnamon stick and cardamom and allow to splutter. Add green chili paste and sauté for a minute, add turmeric powder, cumin powder and salt and mix, add tomato puree and cook for 8 minutes. add cashewnut paste and cook for 3 minutes; add one-and-a-half cups of water and bring to a boil, reduce flame and simmer for 7-8 mts or till it reaches the desired curry consistency, turn off heat.

To serve the kofta curry, place the koftas in a deep bowl and pour the gravy over the koftas till submerged; allow it to sit for 7-10 mts and serve warm after garnishing with fresh cream and fresh coriander leaves.

Soya Pop Corn

By Sanjay Rawat, Sous Chef, Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield

Ingredients: 2 cups dried soy chunks; 3 cups vegetable broth; 2 cloves of garlic, mashed; 1 tablespoon salt; 1 inch cube of ginger, grated; 1/2 cup flour; 3/4 cup vegetable broth; 1/2 cup cornstarch; 1 cup bread crumbs; 1 tbsp garlic powder; 1 tbsp lemon pepper; 1/2 tsp salt

For the dip: 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill; 1/3 cup sour cream; salt and pepper

Method: In a large bowl, combine soy chunks, mashed garlic, ginger, 1 tsp salt and fill the bowl with vegetable broth until it covers the soy chunks. Soak for about 20 minutes or until the chunks are soft; heat a pot with about an inch of oil on medium high heat; mix together 1/2 cup flour and 3/4 cup vegetable broth from the soaking soy chunks and whisk until no lumps remain.

Divide between two bowls; once the chunks are soft and soaked, gently squeeze the excess liquid from them soy and coat in one of the bowls of flour mixture; fry the chunks in oil in batches until golden; you may need to push them around to fry all sides because they tend to like to float in one way; remove and drain on a paper towel. In a food processor, blend the sour cream, salt and pepper to make the dip; Serve the fried chunks with dip.