↑
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Recipes A-Z
  • Travel
  • Copyright
  • Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • Shop
  • Contact Me
  • Somethin’ Fishy

Ruchik Randhap

Food & Memories of Mangalore

You are here: Home / All Posts / Bajiyechin Katlisaan (Spinach Cutlets)

July 15, 2011

Bajiyechin Katlisaan (Spinach Cutlets)

17
SHARES
TwitterFacebook17PinterestPocketTelegramWhatsAppYummly
On my last trip to the market I picked up a large bunch of Malabar Spinach (Valche Baji) which I split into two portions – one of which was used to prepare a vegetable gravy with black eyed peas (Valchebaji ani Guley) and I wanted to try some spinach cutlets with the remaining leaves. I have the fondest memories of the spinach cutlet as when I was little my sister had taken part in a cooking contest in school and had even won the prize. My most vivid memory of that contest is that she had come out just before the judges came to dig into what each contestant had prepared and handed me one sizzling hot cutlet to taste. Since it was mid morning and I was always a hungry child, I gobbled up that cutlet in no time and it tasted nothing short of delicious. This was more than two decades ago yet my memory of that exact spot where I stood & ate that cutlet still remains fresh in my mind. This was right outside the hall that connected the primary school and high school and housed all the Kannada medium classes. If you have visited/studied at Ladyhill School in Mangalore before the old construction was struck down and made way for the new building, then you will know what I mean. 
Pin
Above pic: Cutlets dipped in gram flour batter before frying

You might wonder why I am correlating the cutlets to my school and the old vs new building. Well, apart from that  memory of the cooking contest and the cutlet I ate, maybe it was also by coincidence that whenever we had fancy fetes held by our school in view of raising funds for the construction of the new building a few students were hand picked to bring home cooked snacks and other food stuff to be sold in the snack stalls and invariably someone or the brought spinach cutlet mixture and it was one of the items that always got sold off like hot cakes (hot cutlets, if you please!)
Anyways, cutlets have always remained to be my favourite. In Mangalore, they are often made as an accompaniment to booze (liquor) when men guzzle down a few pegs and munch on the cutlets (usually made of minced beef or chicken), however, the spinach cutlets are not too famous, but I think they need a special mention for catering to the pure vegetarians among the guests. Since almost every backyard in Mangalore has its own Spinach growing, Cutlets are a pretty interesting variation of eating it. A cutlet is called as ‘Katlis’ in Konkani and Katlisaan is it’s plural form. Baji is a universal name for Spinach and Malabar Spinach is commonly used to make these cutlets, however you can use any type of spinach. Palak would be the most easily available one, so go ahead & make it!
Pin
Above pic: Cutlets dipped in egg wash before frying

Spinach Cutlets
Yield 6 medium size cutlets
Serves 2


You Need:

  • 175gm spinach or beetroot leaves (2 cups approx)
  • 1 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
  • 1 big onion finely chopped
  • 150gm potatoes
  • 1/2 inch ginger finely chopped
  • 1 green chilli finely chopped
  • 5 flakes of garlic finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp pepper powder
  • 1 pinch garam masala powder
  • a sprinkling of sugar * see note
  • 1/2 tsp meet mirsang (salt chilli paste) or substitute with red chilli powder
  • 3 tbsp breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 tsp vinegar
  • 2 egg whites or 1 tbsp gram flour (besan)
  • toast powder (optional)
  • salt to taste
  • oil for frying

Method:
1. Wash the spinach leaves and allow to dry. Mince them fine and keep aside (see note). Pressure cook the potatoes with a little salt, peel and mash them well. Keep aside
2. Heat about 1 tbsp oil in a wok or pan and fry the chopped ingredients (onions, 3Gs (ginger, green chilli, garlic) & coriander leaves) and when they turn pale add the minced spinach leaves and fry till the leaves are cooked.
3. Add pepper powder, garam masala powder and salt chilli paste and mix well. Add sugar, bread crumbs, salt & vinegar, mix some more & then add the mashed potato. Mix well and remove off the flame.
4. Once the mixture has cooled off a bit, form into balls using a little toast powder and flatten into round shapes, dip in gram flour batter and fry on both sides till golden brown

Pin

Note: 
1. Make sure that the spinach leaves are completely dry before using. They leave a lot of water by nature and you don’t want your mixture to turn soggy/watery because of freshly washed & undrained leaves.
2. Don’t let the mention of sugar in cutlets scare you away. It actually makes the cutlets more flavourful and helps tone down the spice (especially of green chillies) which can otherwise give out a very raw spicy taste to the cutlets. However, you may skip the sugar altogether if you do not wish to put it.

Pin

Updated Post – May 5th, 2014 : Beetroot Greens Cutlets

Pin

17
SHARES
TwitterFacebook17PinterestPocketTelegramWhatsAppYummly

Filed Under: All Posts, Appetizers & Starters, Mangalorean Recipes, Sides, Starters, Snacks & Savouries, Vegetarian Tagged With: Catholic Cuisine, Cutlets, Malabar Spinach, Mangalorean Cutlets, Mangalorean Specials, Starters, Veg Cutlets, Vegetarian

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Tina says

    July 15, 2011 at 10:35 am

    Delicious and healthy cutlets…

    Reply
  2. Vimitha Anand says

    July 15, 2011 at 11:43 am

    Crunchy cutlets look so yum and healthy one too…

    Reply
  3. SavithaRaj's Spice Land says

    July 15, 2011 at 2:56 pm

    They look yummy and healthy too..
    http://www.savitharajsspiceland.blogspot.com

    Reply
  4. Prathibha says

    July 15, 2011 at 4:10 pm

    Those cutlets look delciious…healthy too..yummy

    Reply
  5. aipi says

    July 15, 2011 at 4:22 pm

    Your cutlet looks crispy and so flavorful. I want to eat some now.
    US Masala

    Reply
  6. Shireen Sequeira says

    July 15, 2011 at 5:43 pm

    Thanks so much Tina, Vimitha, Savitha, Prathibha & Aipi!!

    Reply
  7. Michelle Peters - Jones says

    July 16, 2011 at 2:03 am

    Yum! Meat cutlets are my favourite, but I have to now try and make these too.

    Reply
  8. Sharmilee! :) says

    July 17, 2011 at 4:01 pm

    Crispy n yummy…healthy too

    Reply
  9. Sneha Pinto says

    January 1, 2013 at 9:42 pm

    I made these for my friends for New Year's lunch and it was a big hit.. Thank you
    Have a great year ahead 🙂

    Reply
  10. d.m says

    November 6, 2014 at 4:01 am

    Hi Shireen, I made these cutlets today. Yummmm…tasted gr8. This is the first time I'm making vege cutlets. Normally I make them with beef. I made 15 medium sized cutlets from a bunch of spinach and a large potato. For me, squeezing out the water from the spinach was the most painful part.:) Thank you

    Reply
  11. Shireen Sequeira says

    November 7, 2014 at 4:03 pm

    @ d.m: That sounds absolutely great! I am happy to know that you enjoyed them. Best is to wash and shake the leaves well and then pat them dry using a kitchen towel. Once they are adequately dried you can chop them

    Reply
  12. Dilavez says

    April 25, 2020 at 8:15 pm

    Made it for iftaar today …it came out good

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      April 25, 2020 at 8:39 pm

      That’s nice! Glad to hear that! Thanks for the feedback Dilavez!

      Reply
  13. Usha says

    December 10, 2020 at 8:57 pm

    Dear Shireen, I tried these cutlets today. They were amazing. The dash of sugar with spice gives a lovely taste. Love Usha

    Reply
    • Shireen Sequeira says

      December 12, 2020 at 6:47 pm

      Thanks a lot for the great feedback Usha!!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Looking for Something?

Stay Connected

Hi, I am Shireen Sequeira, a food blogger with a passion for exploring different cuisines and cultures. Having lived in several cities across the world, including Mangalore, Bangalore, Mumbai and Dubai, I have developed a deep appreciation for the unique flavours and ingredients that each place has to offer.

My blog Ruchik Randhap is a reflection of my love for food, travel, photography and storytelling. Through my posts, I take my readers on a culinary journey, sharing my experiences of discovering new dishes, meeting home cooks, local chefs and food artisans, and uncovering the rich history and traditions behind Mangalorean recipes and the diverse world of international cuisine.

Whether you're a seasoned foodie or just starting to explore the world of gastronomy, I hope that my blog offers something for everyone. So why not join me on my culinary adventures and discover the world one recipe at a time!

Know More...

Trending This Week

  • Butter Cake | How To Make Soft & Moist Butter Cake
  • Mango Cake + Video!
  • Hariyali Chicken | North Indian Style Chicken Curry
  • Muhallabia – Middle Eastern Milk Pudding
  • Bhuna Keema
  • Chicken & Bell Pepper Rice
  • Peri Peri Chicken Livers ~ Cheat’s Recipe

Subscribe To Receive Recipes Directly In Your Mailbox!

Categories

  • Airfryer Recipes
  • All Posts
    • Recipe Compilations
  • Baby & Toddler
  • Bakes
    • Breads
    • Cakes, Cupcakes & Brownies
    • Cookies, Tarts & Bars
    • Healthy Bakes
    • Pies & Puffs
  • Basic Recipes
  • Beverages
  • Breakfast
  • Chicken
    • Indo Chinese
  • Chutneys Dips & Sauces
  • Coconut Milk Based Recipes
  • Eggs
  • Festive Cooking
    • Christmas
    • Monthi Feast
  • Global Cuisine and Fusion Food
  • Home Remedies
  • Mangalorean Recipes
  • Meal Ideas
  • Mince
  • Mutton Beef and Pork
  • Poli & Seasonal Specialities
  • Preserves
    • Pickles & Jams
    • Spice Blends & Curry Pastes
  • Pressure Cooker Recipes
  • Recipes With Video
  • Restaurant Reviews
  • Rice, Pasta and One Pot Meals
  • Seafood
    • Fish
  • Soups & Salads
  • Starters, Snacks & Savouries
    • Appetizers & Starters
    • Snacks & Savouries
  • Sweets & Desserts
    • Indian Sweets
    • Western Desserts
  • Thanksgiving Recipes
  • The Boshi Series
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Vegetarian
    • Curries, Dals and Sambhars
    • Paneer
    • Sides
    • Vegan
  • When The Hubby Cooks!

Copyright © 2023 · Ruchik Randhap by Shireen Sequeira · Hosted & Managed by Host My Blog