Whether
a foodie or not, one fact that everyone will agree with is how the
mention of Tandoori food often goes hand in hand with non-vegetarian
preparations. The perception that 'mood to have Tandoori food'
inadvertently means the craving to devour some succulent
non-vegetarian preparations like different types of
Chicken Tikkas, Tandoori Seafood Platter and the likes, needs to be
changed as there are a couple of misconceptions with regards to
Tandoori food. Contrary to popular belief that Tandoori food is a
type of cuisine à la Chinese, Italian, or North Indian cuisines, the
fact remains that it actually is a style of preparation wherein the
food is cooked in a hot clay oven. It is the style of cooking the
food in different types of these tandoors that renders the food that
typical and unique grilled and smoky flavour. Another myth to be
busted here that Tandoor preparations are not just limited to various
types of bread or rotis and meats. You can toss together all the
ingredients for the marinade which imparts the actual taste to the
main dish and follow it up with the other ingredients to make the
dish of your choice, which may not necessarily be a meat or fish
preparation. It may sound delusional to many but vegetarian kebabs do
exist and once served to you, you will surely be bowled over by the
sheer deliciousness of these. What is interesting to note here is
that just like its non-vegetarian counterpart, vegetarian kebabs do
come in a deluge of varieties. Read on to find out the best
vegetarian tandoori preparations that many Tandoori restaurants in Mumbai are popularly known for.
1. Corn Kebab: This is one
preparation that you can have on the menu as a starter for your next
dinner. It is quite popular among children and the innovative plating
itself is enough to have you indulge in the crispy delicacy.
Sweetcorn dominates the preparation along with potatoes while green
peas is an optional ingredient but is commonly found. The best part
of the preparation is its non-oily nature due to the chosen grilled
method of cooking. Tangy Pudina chutney makes for the best
accompaniment of this exciting vegetarian Kebab that can give the
good old Fish tikka a serious competition.
2. Tandoori Tofu: A great
substitute for the good old Paneer, Tofu is quite popular among
foodies. More so because of its nutritional value. Made from soymilk,
Tofu has great health benefits with its high iron, protein and low
fat content. Giving the classic Tandoori Paneer a break, try the
Tandoori Tofu instead which is high on taste as well as bears many a
health benefit too for you. Served on skewers and plated very
interestingly, this dish will leave you impressed at the word go. The
rich gold hue of the turmeric peeping through the deep sunset orange
tint from the grill makes quite an Instgrammable impression. The
thought that food is consumed by all the senses holds quite true in
this context as the aroma from the grilled preparation build your
appetite, the platter served in front of you is quite a visual and
finally the taste of the rich spices in the creamy marinade satiate
all your cravings. It is time for you to try this one!
3. Veg Seekh Kebab: Yes, you
read that right! A dish called veg Seekh Kebab does exist and does
complete justice to its name, just like its succulent non-vegetarian
cousin. The best part of these vegetarian Kebabs is unlike the
chicken or mutton Seekh Kebabs, the vegetarian one can be prepared
using diverse combinations of ingredients and is not limited to just
a couple of vegetables that can be used for the preparation. A
combination of potatoes, cabbage, carrots, french beans and green
peas is among the favourite ones liked by many a food lover. The
delightful golden-brown colour of the tandoor preparation plated with
finesse is just what you need to sate your hunger pangs. Dips like
Pudina chutney and yoghurt garlic sauce add a distinct flavour to
these scrumptious kebabs.
4. Mushroom Tikka Kebab: Whoever
said that Paneer is all there is to vegetarian food has definitely
never given vegetarian food a fair chance and made a judgment just
too soon. The Mushroom Tikka Kebab is one example of just how
palatable and tempting a vegetarian dish can be. The extremely
nutritious and delicious mushrooms are grilled with Bengal gram flour
and some of the choicest spices and condiments which make it the
perfect preparation for snacks.
So the next time you head to one of the
Tandoori restaurants Mumbai has, steer away from your usual
non-vegetarian Tandoori orders and experiment a little with the
recipes mentioned above and you will be pleasantly surprised by how
toothsome vegetarian Tandoori preparations are.
