Monsoons are called in with lush greens, cool breeze and the temptation to try something hot and tasty. We always go the traditional way of making some tasty, crispy, hot pakoras or samosas to go with our favourite cup of Masala chai. We all have pictured this image since childhood and as we grow this image becomes more and more real because now we are doing the same thing each time we feel about rain.
With the “New-Normal” so many things changed around us… the bike rides through the splashing rains is a old story, the fun under large waterfalls in your favourite destinations with friends and family feels like a dream, the run to your favourite “tapari or stall” to bring chai and bhajiya seems difficult… what we see is so much going around and happening that we are forced to lay back at home and enjoy the pouring rain splashes through our closed windows… But why lose hope, let’s tell you an interesting story of Sizzlers and show you how easy it is to make at home. Just a few ingredients and a grill plate or cast iron tawa or the grill pan and some fresh vegetables, pasta or rice or noodles with paneer or soya or your favourite meat options and your best “Rainy day” companion “At-home Sizzler” is ready to blow your taste buds.
All vegetables are tossed and bean-based which balance your humours. Paneer/tofu /chicken/ fish satisfies your digestive fire and of course the pasta/noodles/ rice makes you feel satisfied. Tomatoes, colored bell peppers, broccoli added along with cooked potatoes and carrots neutralise the acidic level. As it is steamed, baked and with tangy, pungent sauces and spices it is easily digestible. Sizzlers served in a smoky and hot pan satisfies the senses too.
Let’s take a sneak-peek into the history of this all time favourite food of ours “Sizzlers”:
With just the perfect, cosy weather, tantalise your taste buds with the smoky flavours of Indian, Continental and Pan-Asian sizzlers. The sizzler actually originated from the way the Japanese used to prepare sizzling dishes teppanyaki- style. From there, this was adopted in the USA after World War II in a restaurant in California that used to serve steaks.
- Sizzlers are food items that sizzle. They are served on a very hot iron plate which is kept over a wooden platter. Once plated, the steak lets off a dramatic hiss of steam, which is its great appeal.
- Sizzler steaks are generally prepared using high-heat to sear the outside and leave the inside moist. Sizzlers are a hot favourite with people of all ages and tastes.
- Sizzlers are basically a combination of one main dish served with a choice of sauces and a large variety of accompaniments, and are a complete meal by themselves.
- Sizzlers can be either sweet, sour or of any flavour. The most common sizzlers are the non vegetarian ones — fish, mutton, and chicken, but you can have vegetarian ones as well.
- Sizzlers with authentic indian vegetables and spices also turn into a tasty, sizzling dish.
- In fact, you can experiment and innovate with sizzlers, and come up with your own special one just in the comfort of your homes.
Sizzlers- Healthy Ayurveda style !!!
With this concept in mind we at Turyaa thought to help you know how Ayurveda thinks about this interesting dish “Sizzler” and show you how to use complementary dishes from vegetables to meat to sauce to side options and spices that will go in making your favourite Sizzler combos healthy & tasty at home.
Vegan-Delight Sizzler:
Ingredients:
- 200 gm of Tofu {Marinate in Salt, Pepper, Olive oil, Grated Garlic and Soy Sauce}
- 150 gm of cabbage leaves finely shredded
- 120 gm Onions cut into Quarters and grilled
- 50 gm French beans {slant cut}
- 50gm of Broccoli {par cooked}
- 50gm of Green peas {fresh}
- 50gm of Bell peppers {cubed}
- 20gm of Carrots {fresh slant cut}
- 100 gm of potatoes cut into wedges
- 100 gm cooked Rice/Pasta/noodles
- 10 ml of Dark soy
- 10 ml of Vinegar
- 10 gm of Corn flour {Vegan}
- 10 gm 0f Garlic {finely chopped}
- 100 gm vegetable trimmings(onion ,carrot,broccoli, french beans )
Recipe:
- On a slow flame keep a cast iron griddle or a sizzler pan for heating .
- Heat oil in another saucepan, add crushed garlic and saute for some time then add onion, carrot,french beans,broccoli and saute for 5 mins
- To make the garlic soy sauce saute a little more garlic and add the stock cube to it then add some water, dark soy and vinegar,once it boils add cornflour slurry to thicken it a little bit. .
- Take the potato wedges and bake them till crisp at 180 degrees for 30 to 40 min or air fry them till crisp or saute them until crispy in a non-stick pan.
- Now once the veggies are cooked, steam the tofu with some mild seasoning or microwave it for 30 sec till it is just hot enough.
- To assemble the sizzler put the shredded cabbage on the base of the hot pan then add the tofu and the veggies and the rice/ noodles/pasta next to each other and pour the piping hot sauce on the piping hot sizzler plate just after serving to enjoy the sizzler
- Garnish with spring onion and enjoy piping hot.
RICE/PASTA/NOODLES
- To cook pasta or noodles add them to boiling water for 6 mins and then strain them before using. For rice, soak it for 30 min and cook in boiling water for 8 to 9 min and then throw away the water and use for the sizzler.
- To a pot of water add vegetable trimmings and boil for 30 min then remove them and reduce to stock by 50 percent of its volume and use this for the sauce.
Paneer-Delight Sizzler
Ingredients:
- 200 gm of Paneer {Marinate in Salt, Pepper, Olive oil, Grated Garlic and Soy Sauce}
- 150 gm of cabbage leaves finely shredded
- 120 gm Onions cut into Quarters and grilled
- 50 gm French beans{slant cut}
- 50gm of broccoli {par cooked}
- 50gm of Green peas {fresh}
- 50gm of Bell peppers {cubed}
- 20gm of Carrots {fresh slant cut}
- 100 gm of potatoes cut into wedges
- 100 gm cooked Rice/Pasta/noodles
- 10 ml of Dark soy
- 10 ml of Vinegar
- 10 gm of tomato ketchup
- 10 gm of Corn flour
- 10 gm of ginger {finely chopped}
- 10 gm 0f Garlic {finely chopped}
- 100 gm vegetable trimmings(onion ,carrot,broccoli, french beans )
Recipe:
- On a slow flame keep a cast iron griddle or a sizzler pan for heating .
- Heat oil in another saucepan, add crushed garlic and saute for some time then add onion, carrot,french beans,broccoli and saute for 5 mins
- To make the garlic soy sauce saute a little more garlic,ginger and add the stock cube to it then add some water, dark soy and vinegar,once it boils add cornflour slurry to thicken it a little bit to a thick pouring consistency
- Take the potato wedges and bake them till crisp at 180 degrees for 30 to 40 min or air fry them till crisp or saute them until crispy in a non-stick pan.
- Now once the veggies are cooked, grill the paneer for 30 sec on each side till it is just hot enough.
- To assemble the sizzler put the shredded cabbage on the base of the hot pan then add the paneer and the veggies and the rice/ noodles/pasta next to each other and pour the piping hot sauce on the piping hot sizzler plate just after serving to enjoy the sizzler
- Garnish with spring onion and enjoy piping hot.
RICE/PASTA/NOODLES
- To cook pasta or noodles add them to boiling water for 6 mins and then strain them before using. For rice, soak it for 30 min and cook in boiling water for 8 to 9 min and then throw away the water and use for the sizzler.
- To a pot of water add vegetable trimmings and boil for 30 min then remove them and reduce to stock by 50 percent of its volume and use this for the sauce.
Sizzling Chicken-Delight
Ingredients:
- 200 gm of Chicken breast/leg boneless {Marinate in Salt, Pepper, Olive oil, Grated Garlic and Soy Sauce}
- 150 gm of cabbage leaves finely shredded
- 120 gm Onions cut into Quarters and grilled
- 50 gm French beans{slant cut}
- 50gm of broccoli {par cooked}
- 50gm of Green peas {fresh}
- 50gm of Bell peppers {cubed}
- 20gm of Carrots {fresh slant cut}
- 100 gm of potatoes cut into wedges
- 100 gm cooked Rice/Pasta/noodles
- 10 ml of Dark soy
- 10 ml of Vinegar
- 10 gm of tomato ketchup
- 10 Gm of sweet chilli
- 10 gm of Corn flour
- 10 gm of ginger {finely chopped}
- 10 gm 0f Garlic {finely chopped}
- 100 gm vegetable trimmings(onion ,carrot,broccoli, french beans )
Recipe:
- On a slow flame keep a cast iron griddle or a sizzler pan for heating .
- Heat oil in another saucepan, add crushed garlic and saute for some time then add onion, carrot,french beans,broccoli and saute for 5 mins
- To make the garlic soy sauce saute a little more garlic,ginger and add the stock cube to it then add some water, dark soy and vinegar,once it boils add cornflour slurry to thicken it a little bit to a thick pouring consistency
- Take the potato wedges and bake them till crisp at 180 degrees for 30 to 40 min or air fry them till crisp or saute them until crispy in a non-stick pan.
- Now once the veggies are cooked, grill the Chicken for 8 min till it’s cooked once done toss on sweet chilli sauce.
- To assemble the sizzler put the shredded cabbage on the base of the hot pan then add the tossed chicken and the veggies and the rice/ noodles/pasta next to each other and pour the piping hot sauce on the piping hot sizzler plate just after serving to enjoy the sizzler
- Garnish with spring onion and enjoy piping hot.
RICE/PASTA/NOODLES
- To cook pasta or noodles add them to boiling water for 6 mins and then strain them before using. For rice, soak it for 30 min and cook in boiling water for 8 to 9 min and then throw away the water and use for the sizzler.
- To a pot of water add vegetable trimmings and boil for 30 min then remove them and reduce to stock by 50 percent of its volume and use this for the sauce.
Butter Garlic sauce (most popular sizzler serving sauce):
Ingredients:
- 200 ml clarified butter
- 20 gm cloves garlic
- 2 tsp of garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1-2 tbsp fresh parsley
Recipe:
- Melt 1-2 tablespoons of clarified butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for approximately 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly. Do not let the garlic burn, reduce the heat to low if needed. Add the remaining butter, garlic powder, and salt to the pan. Stir well to combine. Once the butter has melted, add the lemon juice and continue to cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Remove the butter from the heat and stir in the minced parsley, if using. Best served hot.
Author: Shruti Kulkarni (Nutritionist), Vaidya Tejaswini Bhale-Borse (Ayurveda Physician)
Chef’s Touch: Hrushikesh Gokhale (5-star Culinary Expert)