It's Moussaka again for Brunch today. I've made over 110 unique dishes in this past 4 months, of which Moussaka is most repeated closely followed by Litti Chokha and Neer Dose. I guess this means The Husband approves! I think I may have converted him away from Rasam Rice and Beans Poriyal 😱 or maybe he's just given up hope of ever eating them again 😂
When I post these pics I get asked how I can eat these foods while fasting. Well, that's the beauty of fasting. Its not a diet, its a way of life. You cannot go through life not eating tasty things. Lets face it, all things tasty are banned by one diet or the other so... Here's my Moussaka doused in cheese this time per The Mister's request! Veganising this recipe only requires vegan cheese or nutritional yeast in the Bechamel sauce.
Baked Indianised Vegetarian Moussaka
Serves4
Heat oven to 200C. Take 2 medium sized (100gms) each of Potatoes and Onions. Make even round slices of the potatoes and put them in a bowl. Cut the Onions in half and slice them and mix in with the potatoes. Coat the slices with Olive Oil, Salt , Paprika, and Thyme. Arrange this into a uniform layer in a 12x8 Baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.
Take 1 medium (400gms) Italian Eggplant (Bharte Wala Brinjal), and cut into even round slices and collect in a bowl. Coat the slices with Olive Oil, Salt, Paprika, and Thyme. After the above 20 minutes take out the dish, layer the Brinjal slices evenly on top of the Potato-Onion Layer and keep it back in the oven for 20mins.
Take 1 medium (200gms) Green Zucchini, cut it into even round slices and collect in a bowl. Coat the slices with Olive Oil, Salt, Paprika and Thyme. After the above 20 minutes take out the dish, layer the Zucchini slices evenly on top of the Brinjal layer and keep it back in the oven for 20 minutes.
While the Zucchini is cooking, you need to make two sauces- Vegetarian 'Bolognese' Sauce and a Bechamel Sauce.
VEGETARIAN 'BOLOGNESE' SAUCE
In a pan, heat 2 tbsp butter add in 1 finely chopped Onion and 2 minced cloves of Garlic. Add in 1/4tsp ground Cloves and 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon. Saute for 2-3 mins and let the Onion caramalise. Add in 2-3 chopped tomatoes. Optional - 1 tbsp Tomato Paste. Add in 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes are well cooked.
Add 1.5 cups of cooked Soya Granules. Mix everything and cook for 2-3 minutes until well incorporated and completely dry.
BECHAMEL SAUCE
Heat 2 tbsp butter in a pan. Add 2 minced cloves of Garlic. Add 2 tbsp Maida/ AP Flour stir and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in 200ml Milk. Do not pour in all the milk at once, add in 4-5 small batches while continuously stirring. Turn off the heat when the sauce comes to a boil. Mix in choice of cheese.
Once the Zucchini layer is done with its 20 minutes, evenly spread the Bolognese-Bechamel sauce on top. If you are doing two separate layers, then the Bolognese goes on top of the Zucchini and Bechamel on the Bolognese. Bake it for a final 25 mins at 200C.
NOTE-
1. The veggies can be cut in any shape. But BUT! all veggies have to be of same thickness so that they cook evenly. I cut them round because Akis Petretzikis cut them round. You can dice them into squares or semi circles.. whatever floats your Moussaka!
2. The actual recipe has a Bolognese Layer and a separate Bechamel layer on top. However, I don't like a separate Bechamel layer so I mix the Bechamel and Bolognese together and have only one layer.
3. I have used Soya Granules as my protein in the Bolognese sauce. Any other Vegetarian alternative can be used such as Paneer, Tofu, Soya Chaap, Soya Chunks, Scrambled Eggs, Beans, Lentils etc.
4. Overlap one slice over the next so that there are no gaps. If there are too many slices of a veggie, just make 2 layers of it.
5. You don't have to use a 12x8 dish, use a round one or square one
6. Rest the Moussaka for at least 30 mins before serving.
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