Written by Shanthini Rajkumar
Groundnut oil made with cold pressing peanuts is full of nutrients. The luminous yellow golden coloured oil has a high smoking point which makes it perfect for cooking techniques like deep frying, shallow frying or frying on the cast iron tawa.
The groundnut oil is widely used for cooking pooris, different kinds of Indian flat breads like roti, thepla, thalipeeth, dosa etc. It adds a mild nutty flavour which adds to the deliciousness of the dish.
A cooking technique which is equally popular and getting increasingly so in the Indian kitchens is that of cooking on the tandoor. With more robust vegetables being grown locally, the vegetable tandoori platter is made up of an interesting medley of colourful produce grown in colder altitudes. Different colours of capsicum, broccoli, mushrooms, carrots and beans make this delicious side dish or works great as a starter.
The wholesome texture of these foods compliment the heavy spices. The versatility of tandoori vegetables is that they can be served on a skewer, put inside a chapati wrap or eaten with some ghee rice. The marinade is a straightforward amalgamation of spicy and sour flavours. The addition of peanut oil adds a further richness in taste and acts as a great cooking medium. Let’s get right to this easy recipe.
Recipe for Tandoori Veg- serves 4
Ingredients
Red capsicum-1 (cut into squares)
Yellow capsicum-1 (cut into squares)
Broccoli- 2 small heads, cut into florets
Onion- 2 big (cut into squares)
Mushroom- 200 gms (cleaned and stalks trimmed)
For the marinade
Curd- 1 C
Ginger & garlic paste-1 tsp
Lemon juice-½ lemon
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder- ½ tsp or to taste
Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
Black pepper- 1 tsp
Groundnut oil- 3 Tbsp
Method
In a large , deep metal or glass bowl , add all the marinade ingredients together and beat well. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
Take another bowl and add all the vegetables. Pour the marinade over and mix well. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
This can be cooked in 2 ways;
Spread it flat on a roasting tray and pop it in a hot oven for 30 minutes (making sure it doesn’t overcook)
It can also be cooked by piercing the ingredients on bamboo skewers and placing it on a hot tandoor. It can be wrapped in banana leaves to cook evenly and seal the juices in.
(Take care to pre-soak the banana leaves before placing on the tandoor)
Serve hot with rice or roti or as a starter.
Enjoy.
