Quinoa Paneer Patties ( High Protein vegetarian recipe)
Make these Indian vegetarian Quinoa Paneer patties recipe for snack or a meal .Great as burger, inside a wrap or with a salad. These veg cutlets are healthy & gluten free too.
For pressure cooking , See notes for other options
½cupuncooked Quinoapre-washed OR see notes.
Pinchof salt
1cupwater
1plantain/ raw bananawashed , pricked and cut in half
For making green masala
½cuproasted peanuts without skin
Fistful of Mint leaves
Fistful of Coriander/ cilantro leaves with tender stems
2green chilisor adjust to your spice level
1” knob ginger OR ½ tablespoon grated
Other Spices
1teaspooncumin powder
½teaspoongaram masalaoptional
2teaspoonlemon juice
Salt to taste
Couple twists of black pepper
For the dip/ chutney (suitable for fasting)
½cuppacked mint
½cuppacked cilantro
1green chili
½“ piece of ginger
2-3tablespoonsyogurt
Salt to taste
Instructions
Pressure cooker / Instant Pot method –
Add 1 cup water to the inner pot.
Put the trivet on it.
Place Quinoa, salt & 1 cup water in an Instant Pot safe bowl .
Cover with lid and place the plantain / potato cut in half over it.
Close the lid.
Switch on the Instant Pot with black knob on SEALING position.
Press Manual HIGH and set the time for 3 minutes HIGH PRESSURE.
Once the IP beeps, let the pressure come down naturally.
Take out the plantain and quinoa. Open the lid and let it cool completely.
Meantime make the green masala, grate the paneer and make the dip for these patties.
Make Green Masala
Make the green masala by blending mint, coriander, roasted skinned peanuts and green chilies.
Grate the paneer. If you have a food processor make use of it to grate paneer in 10 seconds.
Use the fine grater attachment for the same.
Let the cooked quinoa and the plantain cool down completely before proceeding with the recipe.
Peel and grate the plantain instead of smashing it for nice even lump free mixture.
Putting it together
Mix all ingredients and add the spices.
I have not deep fried these kababs. Instead cooked them on a skillet with little oil/ ghee.
Heat a skillet on medium heat.
Make tikkis that are approximately 2 " broad and ¼ " thickness
Once the tawa/ skillet is warm brush it lightly with oil or ghee.
Place the tikkis / patties on it.
Cook them on a low to medium heat gently flipping mid way.
Let it cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they are crispy and golden brown.
Serve it warm or cold with a salad and a dip.
For the green chutney/ dip
Blend all ingredients in the small jar of a blender or a spice jar of a mixer until smooth.
Taste test and adjust seasoning or liquid for reaching desired consistency.
Notes
This recipe is ideal for Jains as it is without onion, garlic or potatoes.These patties are gluten free too.I have used my Instant Pot to cook Quinoa and plantain at the same time. It is a hands-free cooking experience.If you do not have an Instant Pot then use a stove top pressure cooker to cook both at the same time.Or you may cook quinoa according to the package in a pan and boil the plantain separately.
Possible substitutes
You may substitute plantain with one fist-size potato.You may add add up to ½ cup of grated cabbage, carrots or steamed peas to the mixture for delicious vegetable tikkis.You may do a combination of paneer and other grated cheese too.Swap paneer with equal amount of ricotta cheese.Swap mint, cilantro and peanuts for homemade ⅓rd cup basil pesto without oil. Basil tastes yum!For Navratri fasting use sendha namak and homemade garam masala ( optional)Another option to cook ingredients together in an Instant Pot –I have cooked plantain and Quinoa at the same time using pot in pot method in my Instant Pot .You may directly place quinoa with water in the inner pot and put a long leg trivet on it . Then place a instant pot safe glass or steel dish or a steamer and place plantains in it.Expert tips-
If you are not buying pre washed Quinoa then always rinse quinoa 2-3 times with water to cut any bitterness.
Always let the quinoa and plantain/ potato cool before making tikkis or they will break.
Let the patties cook on one side for 2-3 minutes on medium heat before flipping over. This will ensure golden brown evenly cooked crispy patties.
Season with preferred spices. Adjust the spice level if making for kids.
These are perfectly grillable patties.
Do not forget to serve it with some kind of a dip like green chutney, ketchup ,a simply seasoned sour cream, hummus or salsa.
How to store these patties – You may semi cook it on the skillet and store it in the fridge in a air tight container for up to 2 days in advance.How to freeze patties-
You can semi cook the patties on the skillet until just golden brown.
Let it cool down completely and then place each patty on a cookie sheet or a tray . cover with plastic wrap and freeze until hard.
Now carefully place the hardened patties in a freezer safe zip lock bag.
Stays well up to 3 months.
To defrost , simply cook the patties over a skillet on a low to medium heat gradually on both sides.
Make this recipe under 30 minutes -You can cook Quinoa & plantain and store it in the fridge up to 2 days in advance.You can make the green masala up to 3 days in advance.Refer to FAQ's above for any more doubts.