Vegetarian  Steamed recipes | Steamed Indian Vegetarian recipes |

Steamed Vegetarian Recipes

The world of Vegetarian Steamed Recipes in India is rich and diverse, moving far beyond the well-known staples. Steaming is a fundamental cooking technique employed across various regions, not merely for convenience but as a core element of flavor and nutrition. This method is particularly celebrated in Indian cuisine because it perfectly complements the use of fermented batters and fresh vegetables, resulting in dishes that are both light on the stomach and bursting with regional spices and herbs. From fluffy cakes to savory dumplings, India offers an astonishing array of steamed delights that often form the backbone of a healthy diet.

One of the primary advantages of steaming Indian food is the significant health benefit. Steaming is a zero-oil or low-oil cooking method, which drastically reduces the calorie count compared to frying or sautéing. This makes traditional snacks like Dhokla and Idli excellent choices for a healthy breakfast or light dinner. Furthermore, the steaming process helps to preserve the nutritional integrity of the ingredients, particularly water-soluble vitamins and fresh vegetable flavors, ensuring the food remains as wholesome as it is tasty. The gentle heat maintains the moisture in the food, resulting in soft, tender, and easily digestible meals.

The practice of steaming is deeply ingrained in the regional cuisines of India, with each state boasting its signature recipes. In South India, Idli (spongy rice and lentil cakes) and Puttu (steamed rice and coconut cylinders) are non-negotiable breakfast items. Moving to the western state of Gujarat, we find the widely loved Dhokla (fermented chickpea cake) and Muthia (fist-shaped dumplings made with vegetables like bottle gourd or fenugreek). Meanwhile, Maharashtra champions Patra or Alu Vadi (steamed colocasia leaf rolls) and the sweet Modak (coconut-jaggery dumpling), while the Himalayan regions have adopted the savory Veg Momos (dumplings).

In essence, Indian steamed vegetarian recipes represent a perfect marriage of flavor, tradition, and well-being. They provide a delicious alternative to fried snacks and heavy curries, showcasing the inventiveness of regional Indian cooking. Whether it’s the tangy zest of a Gujarati Dhokla, the comforting simplicity of a South Indian Idli, or the hearty spice of a Maharashtrian Patra, these Steamed Indian Vegetarian Recipes are a vibrant testament to the fact that healthy eating can be incredibly flavorful and satisfying.

idli recipe | idli batter recipe | South Indian style idli | soft idli |

rice and moong dal idli | rice and green gram idli | rice and green moong dal and urad dal idli

Indeed, steaming is a basic cooking technique everyone needs to master. Apart from the obvious dishes like idlis, koftas and dumplings that are steamed, you can also start using steaming as an alternative to sautéing and deep-frying in many cases, for example, to make healthy koftas.You can therefore use steaming, not just to make healthy breakfasts, but also for healthy lunch recipes and evening snacks too. During dinner time, especially, it is best to opt for steamed recipes as they are light on the stomach and will get digested before bedtime. 

With a little bit of practice and inclination, you will be able to make a positive change in your eating habits by using steaming instead of sautéing and deep-frying for a lot of recipes.

Steamed Vegetarian Breakfast Recipes

Breakfast is one of the most obvious meals of the day, when people opt for steamed recipes like Idlis! Not only is it quick and easy to make a steamed breakfast, but also makes you feel light, energetic and healthy at the start of the day. You will surely notice the difference between days when you start the day with steamed snacks like Idli, Dhokla or Muthia and days when you have oily foods like Puri.

instant khatta dhokla recipe | khatta dhokla using idli batter | white dhokla using idli batter

Every region of India has its own exclusive range of steamed breakfast options, so you are spoilt for choice. Take the idli for example. Apart from the standard rice and urad idli, you have innumerable variants like rava idli, moong dal idli, oats idli, and what not. 

Take dhoklas, there is much more than meets the eye! Look beyond the usual Khatta Dhokla and Khaman Dhokla, and you will find more exciting options like the Poha Dhokla. 

Poha Dhokla

Not to forget the ever-popular Gujarati snack, the fist-shaped muthias, which come in several interesting variants like the Doodhi Muthia. 

Steamed Vegetarian Lunch Recipes

At lunch time, steaming is an indispensable technique. From steaming veggies and rice, to delicious koftas that drown in your tangy gravies, steaming always comes in handy. 

Not only for everyday simple cooking, steaming is also useful to come up with exotic but healthy dishes like the Palak Kofta Rice, Cabbage Soya Koftas in Coriander Tomato Gravy, and Lauki Kofta Curry.

Palak Kofta Rice

Steamed Evening Snacks

There is a common misconception that evening snacks are always deep-fried. True, evening tea time, always reminds one of bhajiyas, vadas and pakoras, but you can also go for something nice and steamed, like a fluffy dhokla with spicy chutney or Steamed Corn Panki. Steamed evening snacks are not only satiating but also extremely tasty and guilt-free too. 

Doodhi Muthia | doodhi muthiya | Gujarati doodhi muthia | dudhi na muthia | steamed lauki muthia

Vegetarian Steamed Dumplings 

Steamed dumplings like Dimsums or Momos are good snack options for the evening. They can also be served as starters for a meal.

When your kids come home from school, you can serve them steamed dumplings, which hide a lot of healthy ingredients inside them. The Spinach Dumpling, for example, is a tasty way to serve healthy greens to them.

Momos

When combined with the proper sauce, steamed dumplings can actually make a wholesome meal itself. For example, the Cottage Cheese Dumplings with Spinach Sauce is a light, healthy and tasty steamed dinner option!

Vegetarian Steamed Dinner, starters

Dinner is one meal when you should not look beyond steamed dishes! At dinner time, it is even more important that you go for steaming, because steamed foods are light on the stomach, easier and faster to digest. So, your food will be comfortably digested by bedtime, and you will not unnecessarily face digestion troubles or weight gain issues.

Any of your breakfast recipes can also double up as dinner. You can happily have idlis, dhoklas and pankis for dinner. Or you can also have a light rice recipe with lots of veggies in it. When you wish to have something different go for steamed dumplings in a nutritious sauce. 

veg steamed wontons recipe | Indian style chilli oil wonton recipe | chilli garlic wontons | steamed vegetable wontons

As we said, steaming is a technique that comes in handy to cook any meal, any day. Try our wide range of steamed vegetarian recipes that includes treasures from across the world… 

Enjoy our Steamed Vegetarian Recipes, Veg Steamed Indian Recipes below. 

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