5 Best Vegetarian Recipes By Vikas Khanna For All Brides-To-Be

As a new-age bride, no doubt you must have done your homework with abundance of recipes to become your in-laws' favourite chef. But the task gets all the more challenging if you are going to be around vegetarians. Well, don’t lose your cool as there is no dearth of family-friendly veggie meal ideas. 

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We bring you some interesting and top most recipes by Indian chef, restaurateur, writer, and Masterchef Junior judge Vikas Khanna, to impress your in-laws and darling husband as a beginner. So, what are you waiting for? Browse through these delicious recipes and master them up to win their hearts.

#1. Banana Asharfi

Here is an innovative, elaborate and rich dish made using bananas and capsicum that will be loved by your vegetarian family. If you get this dish right, you will be winning half the battle in your new home. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp oil
• 2 large onions, finely sliced
• Unripe bananas (boiled)
• Potatoes (boiled)
• Coriander (chopped)
• Chilli and salt to taste
• 2 tsp gram flour and ½ tsp green cardamom powder
• 2 medium capsicums cleared of seeds and white pith
• 1 ½ clarified butter (ghee)

Method:

• Fry some onions in a pan till it turns golden. Crush or chop the fried onions and keep aside.
• Peel the bananas and potatoes and mash well.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas and potatoes with browned onions, ginger-garlic paste, chopped coriander, chilli powder, gram flour, cardamom powder and salt and mix thoroughly.
• Fill this stuffing into the hollow capsicums. Using a sharp knife, cut the stuffed capsicum horizontally into 2-inch thick slices.
• Heat the clarified butter in a frying pan and shallow-fry the stuffed capsicum slices till the capsicum softens slightly and the filling is golden and crisp.
• Serve hot with paranthas and mint chutney.

Also Read: 6 Quick And Delicious Breakfast Recipes To Kick-Start Your Day

#2. Chai-Infused Emperor's Green Rice

Your vegetarian family will not look beyond this when it comes to a dish out of rice. Yes, there are tons of rice recipes to choose from. But it’s time for you to make it epic by choosing one signature rice dish. And for that, we have this seemingly difficult but actually easy recipe for you. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of emperor's green rice, also called forbidden rice (you can buy it online)
• Cinnamon sticks
• 6 green cardamom pods
• Fresh ginger (peeled and minced)
• 1 1/2 cups of water.
• 2 tsp of unsalted butter
• 3-4 bay leaves
• 4 white cloves
• Darjeeling tea bags or strong black tea bags (remove the paper tags)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)

Method:

• Soak some rice in cold water and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F in a medium pot with a lid.
• Melt some butter. Add bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. Then stir for two minutes until fragrant.
• Add rice and mix well until it combines well with the spices. Add water, tea bags and salt - bring to a boil, cover with a damp kitchen towel and a lid.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes until the liquid evaporates.
• Remove tea bags carefully without tearing them.
• Fluff with fork and garnish with cilantro.

Also See: 8 Easy-To-Make Sweets That Brides Can Try For Their Traditional First Dish After Marriage

#3. Mustard Vegetable Curry Recipe

We bet this would come out as a memorable meal for your in-laws as there is nothing more acceptable in a vegetarian family than a recipe made of vegetables. Plus the modern bahu in the family would get points for using unusual ingredients like Dijon mustard. The unique combination of veggies, Dijon mustard and subtle set of other ingredients would make the dish perfect to be served along with steamed rice.

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp oil
• Grated garlic and cloves
• Onions finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• Red chilli powder
• Turmeric
• Unsweetened coconut milk
• Vegetable stock (1 cup)
• Carrots chopped lengthwise
• French beans
• Steamed peas
• 2 medium size potatoes, boiled and diced small
• Salt as per taste

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Method:

• Steam the vegetables and keep them aside. You can boil the potatoes in a pressure cooker separately as they take longer to cook.
• For the curry base; heat a tsp of oil in a pan on medium heat.
• Add the cumin seeds, garlic and onion and saute until the onion has turned golden. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and stir for a few seconds.
• Now add in the coconut milk, the vegetable stock and the Dijon mustard. Add salt and check for the spice levels.
• Add the steamed veggies and let the curry simmer for five minutes.
• Mustard vegetable curry is ready to be served as main course meal.

#4. Paneer Picatta

Paneer always does the trick in a vegetarian family. So, show your people how talented you are with this must-try paneer variant. Picatta is just little away from the basic when it comes to preparation and miles away when it comes to taste.  And your major effort here is to ensure them that though the name is Italian, dish is completely vegetarian. Convince them, sport a genuine smile and just serve it hot.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces paneer cheese
• Salt to taste
• Ground black pepper
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• ¼ cup drained capers
• 1 tsp ginger, minced
• 2 fresh green chilli pepper, minced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup sherry or dry white wine (Those who don’t prefer wine can use grape juice or vegetable stalk as alternatives)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped (Use coriander as alternative)

Method:

• Season the paneer cubes lightly with salt and black pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet and quickly sear the paneer pieces until golden, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a serving dish, cover and keep warm.
• Now add the wine (grape juice or vegetable stock can also be used) to deglaze the pan, and scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
• Add the onions, capers, ginger and green chilli peppers, and stir for about 2 minutes.
• Add the lemon juice, butter and cilantro then drizzle everything over the paneer pieces, with chaat masala and serve hot.

#5. Khubani ka shahi tukda

Indian families always want something yummy to end their meal. So, here is your sinful sweet dish for their sweet tooth. What’s more? This will also make you a favourite amongst the little ones at your home.

Ingredients:

For Rabdi

• 3 cups whole milk
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ tsp green cardamom powder

For Shahi Tukda

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup whole milk
• ¼ tsp saffron strands
• Clarified butter (ghee) for deep frying
• 4 slices white bread
• 100 gms dried apricots, soaked overnight and drained
• 2 tsp pistachios, finely chopped
• 2 sheets edible silver leaf

Method:

• For rabdi, heat and keep stirring milk in a kadhai till it thickens. Add sugar and cardamom powder and stir till sugar dissolves. Keep the mixture aside and allow it to cool. 
• For the shahi tukda, combine the sugar with 2 cups water in a saucepan and cook. 
• Keep stirring till sugar dissolves and the syrup thickens to one-string consistency. 
• In another saucepan combine the milk with saffron and the prepared sugar syrup. Simmer for around 5-7 minutes and remove from heat. 
• Heat the clarified butter in a kadhai over medium heat, and deep fry the bread slices till golden and crisp. 
• Remove and drain on absorbent paper. Soak the fried bread slices in the warm milk for 2 minutes. 
• Sandwich the cooked apricots between the softened bread. 
• Add the drained apricots to the syrup and cook till tender. 
• Remove apricots from syrup and set aside. 
• To serve, arrange the sweet apricot sandwiches on a plate and spoon rabdi over. 
• Sprinkle over with pistachios and garnish with silver leaf. Serve warm.

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As a new bride or a bride-to-be, you can take the full vegetarian plunge with these lavish and flavourful recipes by culinary wizard Vikas Khanna. Just follow the direction given and adjust the flavour and taste to suit your family’s requirement. We bet the meals would delight and satisfy everyone at the table.