INGREDIENTS: (serving 10-12 people)
Mix vegetables: (1/2 cup of each, chopped & steamed) peas, carrots, french beans, cauliflower/broccoli (cut into small florets), plus corn 1/4-1/2 cup
Milk: 4 cups (cup size about 250ml) at room temp. (for white sauce)
Flour/maida: About 4 Tbs full (for white sauce)
Olive oil: 3-4 Tbs (may have to adjust for pasty smooth texture of flour)
Potatoes: 2 big boiled, pealed & mashed in a bowl.
Tomato ketchup: 2 Tbs for spreading on top & 1 Tbs for white sauce
salt & pepper: to mix in white sauce & vegetables
Cheese: grated, 1/4 to 1/2 cup (for topping)
Mix vegetables: (1/2 cup of each, chopped & steamed) peas, carrots, french beans, cauliflower/broccoli (cut into small florets), plus corn 1/4-1/2 cup
Milk: 4 cups (cup size about 250ml) at room temp. (for white sauce)
Flour/maida: About 4 Tbs full (for white sauce)
Olive oil: 3-4 Tbs (may have to adjust for pasty smooth texture of flour)
Potatoes: 2 big boiled, pealed & mashed in a bowl.
Tomato ketchup: 2 Tbs for spreading on top & 1 Tbs for white sauce
salt & pepper: to mix in white sauce & vegetables
Cheese: grated, 1/4 to 1/2 cup (for topping)
My very own, baked vegetable special; a healthy choice for all!!
HERE's THE RECIPE!!!
HERE's THE RECIPE!!!
Take all the vegetables in a steamer or pressure cooker (either fresh or ready-made frozen mix veg pkt). Sprinkle some water if not frozen & steam lightly. I just allow 1 whistle in the cooker & then remove excess steam. Strain it in a big strainer. Mix some salt & black pepper. Keep aside.
Make white sauce: Take a big non-stick pan. Add 3-4 Tbs olive oil. Add flour/maida(3-4tbs) & keep stirring 3-4 min on medium heat. Adjust amt of oil so its not dry/lumpy but instead has cream pasty texture.
Remove from heat and add some of the milk, constantly stirring with a wooden spatula/spoon & then keeping back on the heat. The mixture may appear to show some lumps but keep breaking them, & stir to make it smooth (you may use a small strainer to pick out lumps & smooth them with spoon) Add rest of the milk slowly, always stirring with other hand. Keep cooking & stirring on medium heat till it begins to thicken to form a sauce. It should be smoother & thicker than ketchup (to allow coating of vegetables later). Add some red crushed pepper, 1 tbs ketchup, little salt & black pepper (1-2 tsp).
Remove from heat and add some of the milk, constantly stirring with a wooden spatula/spoon & then keeping back on the heat. The mixture may appear to show some lumps but keep breaking them, & stir to make it smooth (you may use a small strainer to pick out lumps & smooth them with spoon) Add rest of the milk slowly, always stirring with other hand. Keep cooking & stirring on medium heat till it begins to thicken to form a sauce. It should be smoother & thicker than ketchup (to allow coating of vegetables later). Add some red crushed pepper, 1 tbs ketchup, little salt & black pepper (1-2 tsp).
Mixing steamed veggies in white sauce
Add all the steamed vegetables to the white sauce & mix all together with light movements of the spoon.
Pour the mixture in a big baking dish as shown below
Boiled & mashed potatoes are mixed with 2-3 Tbs of milk in a bowl & beaten with little salt & black pepper till it has a slight smooth texture. Pick up as blobs & Spread a layer on the mix veggie/white sauce mix. Make it even with your fingers.
My twist: Spread a coat of ketchup on top of potato layer with your fingers or spoon, evenly all over the dish. Sprinkle some grated plain cheese on top of ketchup. Cover the dish with aluminum foil for baking.
Place the dish in a preheated oven (375 degrees) for 35 min to let it bake. Later remove the foil & let it broil or grill for 2-3 min till cheese has some light browning & potato layer beneath is also cooked well. The roasted effect makes it taste better.
The dish smells great & is ready to serve!!! ENJOY
Your friends will certainly enjoy it....
The dish smells great & is ready to serve!!! ENJOY
Your friends will certainly enjoy it....