Chicken Patties with Stir fried Vegetables

Cooked today! Was getting tired of take-outs. Hardly had stuff to cook with at home - so it was a simple fare - minced chicken patties and stir fried mixed vegetables with some store bought pita and hummus. Felt good. There is something about fried stuff - makes you feel right at home wherever you are. Those of us who hail from the northern part of Kolkata have literally grown up eating 'telebhaja' or deep fried stuff. (Telebhaja loosely translated means fried in oil.) So in a way, deep fried stuff can be labeled as comfort food for us.  The mixed vegetables, steamed first and then sauteed in some butter with a sprinkle of salt, provided a nice balance to the meal.

Like I said, there was hardly anything at home, so I had to make do with whatever little I had. Since there was no flour, my patties did not get the usual assembly line of dredging and dunking - first in  flour, then in egg wash and finally in bread crumbs. 

Ingredients: 

• Minced Chicken or Chicken Keema - 1lb or 450gm
• 1 potato - Boiled/Nuked for 5 minutes in the microwave, then mashed
• Onions - 1 medium finely chopped
• Bell Pepper or Capsicum - 3 tbs finely chopped
• Cilantro or Coriander Leaves - 1/2 Cup finely chopped
• Garlic - 2 fat clove or 3 tsp finely chopped.
• Bread Crumbs - 3/4 
• Salt to taste
• Oil - Enough for frying

In a big bowl mix the mashed potato, chopped onion, garlic, bell pepper & salt and mix well. I always taste the mix before I add the raw chicken. Then add the minced chicken and incorporate it well into the mix. Finally add the bread crumbs. You might need a little more depending on the consistency of the mix. Make sure it is not runny. Heat oil in a pan. Using a tablespoon or just eyeballing, scoop out the mix and placing it between your palms make round balls and then flatten a bit. Fry till nicely brown on both sides on medium heat. Do not overcrowd the pan, otherwise the heat will go down and you will end up wit soggy patties.  

This was a quick fix meal which all of us enjoyed, albeit sitting on the floor and from paper plates.  But it instilled a sense of calm.

Oh, we also got a tv today! That makes us happier! :)