Food Trails with Tushita: Your Festive Culinary Journey

Food Trails with Tushita brings you a delicious celebration of flavors this Diwali!
As the festival of lights fills our homes with joy, it also lights up our kitchens with the aroma of festive delicacies. To make your celebrations more memorable, Executive Chef Swapnadeep Mukherjee from The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa shares four exquisite vegetarian recipes — a perfect blend of tradition, creativity, and festive indulgence.

From crispy starters to a divine sweet ending, these recipes are crafted to add sparkle to your festive table.

🪔 1. Spring Onion Vegetable Cutlet
Ingredients

• Salt: to taste
• Spring onion (chopped): 500 gm
• Potato dice: 200 gm
• French beans (dice): 200 gm
• Carrot (dice): 200 gm
• Green peas: 200 gm
• Cumin seed: 5 gm
• Coriander powder: 10 gm
• Cumin powder: 10 gm
• Red chilli powder: 10 gm
• Coriander (chopped): 10 gm
• Chilli (chopped): 10 gm
• Ginger (chopped): 10 gm
• Garam masala: 5 gm
• Bread crumbs: as required
• Refined flour: as per binding

Method

1. To Pressure cook, add vegetables to the cooker except spring onion and pour half a
   cup of water. Pressure cook on a medium heat for two whistles. When the pressure
   regulator drops, drain the excess water.
2. Take a frying pan, put oil and heat. Put cumin seed in hot oil, and then put all dry
   powders and stir to cook.
3. Mash cooked vegetables, add chopped spring onion and all cooked masala. Add
   chopped chilli, ginger, coriander and salt. Mix well.
4. Add 6 tablespoons of bread crumbs to the prepared mixture. Mix everything well for a
   smooth dough. Add bread crumbs according to the desired dough texture.
5. Mix well, and the dough is ready to make cutlets.
6. Divide the dough into equal portions and roll them into balls. Gently flatten each
   ball to form a cutlet shape.
7. Keep them aside in a dry tray.
8. Make refined flour batter, dip cutlets one by one and coat them again with bread
   crumbs for extra crunchiness. Keep aside.
9. Heat oil in the deep fryer on medium heat. Fry the cutlet in batches till golden brown.
10. Garnish with some spring onion and serve with ketchup and other dips

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🧀 2. Sauté Veggie Paneer
Ingredients

• Paneer (diced): 200 gm
• Desi ghee: 50 gm
• Cumin seeds: 2 gm
• Turmeric: a pinch
• Fresh anardana: 10 gm
• Salt: 2 gm
• Green chillies: 1 no
• Ginger: 2 gm
• Beans (chopped): 100 gm
• Peas (boiled): 100 gm
• Fresh coriander (chopped): 5 gm
• Lemon juice: a dash

Method

1. Heat the ghee in a pan
2. Crackle cumin seeds, add paneer and stir fry for two three minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients except anar and lemon
4. Stir fry for another 2 minutes
5. Finish with fresh anardana and lemon juice
6. Serve hot

Chef’s Tip: This protein-packed dish is light, flavorful, and perfect for a festive lunch.

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🍔 3. Vegetable Soya Burger
Ingredients

• Salt: to taste
• Whole wheat buns: 4
• Nutrela (soya granules): 200 gm
• Potatoes (boiled): 100 gm
• Carrot (finely diced): 150 gm
• Beans (chopped): 150 gm
• Cauliflower (grated): 150 gm
• Cabbage (chopped): 50 gm
• Curry powder: 12 gm
• Tomato, cucumber, onion slices: 12 each
• Fresh crumbs: 60 gm
• Mayonnaise: 40 gm
• Vegetable oil: 25 ml

Method

1. Take oil in a pan. Add carrots, beans, cauliflower, cabbage and sauté till soft. Add curry powder, cumin and seasoning
2. Take off the fire and cool.
3. Soak Nutrela granules in warm water till soft and swollen.
4. Drain and squeeze as much water as possible.
5. Add together vegetables, soya granules, grated boiled potato, fresh crumb and mix.
6. Divide into four and shape into round patties.
7. Cook the burger on a hot plate, taking care not to burn. Cut burger into two halves, toast lightly.
8. Apply mayonnaise, tomato and cucumber on one half of the burger.
9. Place the cooked patty on top and cover it with the other half of the burger.
10. Serve hot, accompanied by diced fresh fruits, ketchup and mustard.

Best Served With: Chilled beverages or as a light festive brunch option.

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🍬 4. Milk Mawa Barfi
Ingredients

• Ghee: as required
• Milk powder: 200 gm
• Fat-free milk: 150 ml
• Cardamom seeds (powdered): 0.5 gm
• Sugar: 100 gm

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients in a flat bowl (except ghee)
2. Put the bowl in a microwave for 7-8 minutes, switch off the microwave every 2 minutes and stir well.
3. Let the mixture cool for 3-4 minutes. Add sugar and mix it well
4. Line a tray or thali with a butter paper or parchment paper and grease it with some ghee.
5. Put all the mixture in that flat tray or thali and let it cool to a temperature which is comfortable to touch.
6. Make a dough of the mixture. Roll to make it flat, either by using a rolling pin or pressing by hand.
7. After about 2 hours, cut it into a diamond or square shape and serve.

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💫 Celebrate the Festival of Lights with Flavor

This Diwali, let your kitchen shine as bright as your diyas.
Whether it’s the crispy cutlets, the light and zesty paneer, or the indulgent milk barfi — every dish by Chef Swapnadeep Mukherjee is a festive treat that brings together family, flavor, and celebration.

So put on your apron, light up your heart (and stove!), and enjoy these festive delights — because good food is the best way to celebrate love and light.

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