A sizzler is a medley dish invented in Mumbai. The food is served on a hot metal plate that is placed on a wooden holder when taken to the diner’s table. The dish is inspired by the Japanese teppanyaki, in which the vegetables and meat are cooked on a hot metal griddle, to keep the inside soft and moist and make the outside crunchy.
The Indian sizzler was invented by Firoz Irani in Mumbai in 1963, and his restaurant near Excelsior cinema was called Sizzler as well. In 1967, Firoz shut down his restaurant and moved to the US. His son, Shahrookh, continued the tradition of serving sizzlers and opened a restaurant called Touche on Warden Road the same year.
Then, in 1975, a businessman called Vazir Rizvi started his own restaurant (and later chain) called Kobe Sizzlers. Nowadays you find sizzlers in most large cities of India and across the world.
The best thing about sizzlers is that you can put anything you want in it. You can put Shezwan chicken with fried rice, Teppanyaki chicken/beef, etc. The possibilities are endless. So, go ahead and make your sizzler combinations.
FISH STEAK SIZZLER
Fish Steak Sizzler
This sizzler is light on the stomach with lots of healthy vegetables and an extremely light mushroom sauce.
INGREDIENTS
- Bekti fish: 4 long thick fillets
- Flour: For dusting the fish
- Butter or olive oil: 2-4tbsp for cooking the steaks
For the mushroom sauce
- Mushrooms: 200g, sliced thick
- Flour: 2tbsp
- Butter: 2tbsp
- Milk: 2 cups
- Nutmeg: A pinch
- Parsley (optional)
METHOD
- Marinate the fillets with a little salt and pepper, and ½tbsp lemon juice.
- Lightly dust the fish with flour. Then heat butter and cook the fish for 3 minutes on each side till it is light golden and done.
- Remove carefully and keep aside.
- For the mushroom sauce
- In a pan saute the mushrooms in 1tbsp olive oil. Then remove it when all the water has evaporated.
- In a pan heat butter. Then add flour and saute till the roux is cooked. Then slowly add milk and keep whisking till no lumps are there. Season with little salt and pepper.
- Add the mushrooms and cook on low fire till desired consistency. Add nutmeg and very finely chopped parsley.
- The sauce should not be thick. It should be a little runny so that when you pour the sauce over the fish when assembling it will give the sizzling effect and smoke. You can even add a little chilli flake if you want.
For the vegetables
- Roasted potatoes.
- Carrots, peas, broccoli (parboiled and then sauteed in little butter. Season with salt and pepper.
For the assembly
- Heat the iron tawa. When it is really hot, place a few cabbage leaves on it. Let it be on fire for 30 seconds.
- Now put the vegetables on one side. And place the fish steak. Pour the mushroom sauce over the fish and quickly place the hot tawa on the wooden holder. Serve at once while it is still sizzling.
- Do not put too much sauce on the fish; just enough to cover it.
- You can serve it with garlic bread and Tabasco.
ROAST CHICKEN SIZZLER
INGREDIENTS
- Chicken: 2 leg pieces with thighs and 2 breast pieces
- Sugar: 1tbsp for caramelisation
- Garlic: 5-6 cloves, minced
- Flour: 2tbsp
- Worcestershire sauce: 2-3tbsp
- English mustard sauce: 1tbsp
- 8-to-8 sauce or barbecue sauce: 2tbsp
- Tomato sauce: 1tbsp
- Salt: To taste
- Pepper: To taste
- Red chilli powder: 1tsp
- Butter: 2tbsp
- Chicken stock: About 3 cups, or as needed
For stuffed tomatoes
- Tomatoes: 2, scooped out
- Butter: 1½tbsp
- Onions: ½ cup, chopped
- Garlic: 1tbsp
- Spinach: ½ cup, chopped
- Paneer: ½ cup, crumbled
- Salt: ½tsp
- Tabasco: A few drops
For stuffed capsicums
- Capsicum
- White sauce
- Vegetables of your choice: Finely chopped
- Salt: To taste
- Pepper: To taste
- Nutmeg: A pinch
- Cheese: Grated
METHOD
- Heat a wide pan and add sugar. When the sugar caramelises at once add the chicken pieces. Put the flame on medium.
- The chicken will take on a nice caramelised colour. Then flip the chicken to caramelise it on the other side.
- Now add the garlic and just push the chicken around.
- Now Sprinkle flour over the chicken and just flip once. (The flour will stick to the chicken.)
- Now add Worcestershire sauce, mustard sauce, 8-to-8 sauce and tomato sauce. Coat it well with the chicken.
- Now add the chicken stock and salt and pepper according to taste as well as the red chilli powder.
- Mix everything well. Now cover and cook on high heat till it starts to boil.
- Lower the heat and let it simmer till the gravy becomes thick and the chicken is tender. Then add the butter to get a good glace.
- The gravy should be a little loose so that it sizzles when served.
For the assembly
- Heat the iron tawa. It should be really hot. Place cabbage leaves. Place mashed potatoes on one side. Put veggies of your choice.
- Finally put the chicken and pour the sauce over it. Then see the magic of the sizzler.
For stuffed tomatoes
- Take the tomatoes.
- Heat 1½tbsp butter. Add ½ cup of chopped onions. Then add 1tbsp garlic and saute well.
- Now add ½ cup of chopped spinach and ½ cup of crumbled paneer. Add ½tsp salt and a few drops of Tabasco.
- The filling is done. Now fill each tomato cup with the filling. Top it with grated cheese and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or till the cheese melts and becomes slightly brown.
- Serve with the sizzler of your choice.
For stuffed capsicums
- Scoop out the capsicum.
- Make white sauce. Add finely chopped vegetables of your choice. Season with salt and pepper. Add a pinch of nutmeg. Mix everything well.
- Stuff the capsicum with the filling. Sprinkle grated cheese and bake for 10 minutes in a preheated oven at 200°C.
- This makes an excellent accompaniment with any sizzler.
VEGETABLE STEAK SIZZLER
INGREDIENTS
For the cutlet
- Potatoes: 4, boiled and mashed
- Vegetables (carrots, beans, capsicum and peas): 1 cup finely chopped and boiled (crumbled paneer optional).
- Green chillies: 1tsp finely chopped
- Coriander leaves ( or parsley): 1tbsp finely chopped
- Breadcrumbs: 4tbsp
- Salt: To taste
- Black pepper: To taste.
- Red chilli powder: 1tsp
- Cumin powder: ½tsp
- Oil: For frying.
For the barbeque sauce
- Butter: 3-4tbsp
- Bay leaf: 1
- Cloves: 4
- Cumin powder: ½tsp
- Garlic: 1tbsp, grated
- Tamarind juice: 2tbsp
- Jaggery: 4tbsp
- Water: ½ cup
- Salt: To taste
- Black pepper: 1tsp
- Red chilli powder: 2tsp
- Tomato ketchup: ¾ cup
- Soya sauce: 1tsp
- White vinegar: 2tbsp (Check the sauce because we have added tamarind too)
- Green chilli: 1, chopped (optional)
METHOD
For the cutlet
- Mix all the above ingredients well and make thick, round cutlets. Coat in breadcrumbs. (At this stage you can even freeze them for later use) and fry till golden brown. Keep aside.
For the barbeque sauce
- In a pan heat butter and add bay leaf, cloves and cumin seeds.
- Then add garlic. Saute for a few seconds.
- Then add tamarind juice, jaggery, water, salt, pepper, cumin, red chilli powder, ketchup, soya sauce and vinegar.
- Cook till you get the right consistency.
For the assembly
- Heat the iron tawa and place cut cabbage leaves. Place sauteed vegetables of choice. Place French fries.
- Then put the cutlet and pour the sauce over. Your steak will immediately start sizzling.
CREAMY PRAWN AND BROCCOLI SIZZLER
INGREDIENTS
- Broccoli florets: 1 cup soaked in chilled water
- Prawns: 500g, shelled and deveined
- Pepper: 1tsp
- Salt: ½tsp
- Garlic: 5 big cloves, minced
- Spring onion: ½ cup chopped
- Butter: 2tbsp
- Oil: 1tbsp
For the cream sauce
- Butter: 3tbsp
- Oregano: 1tsp
- Flour: 2tbsp
- Milk: 2 cups
- Maggi: 1 cube
For garnishing
- Spring onions
- Chopped parsley
- Chilli flakes
METHOD
- In a bowl put prawns. Add salt and pepper ¼tsp red chilli powder and mix well.
- Drain the broccoli.
- Heat butter and 1tbsp oil.
- Add garlic and spring onions.
- Add prawns and saute till dry. Do not overcook the prawns.
- Add broccoli. Saute for 1 minute and keep the mixture aside.
- Now heat 3tbsp butter. Add oregano, 2tbsp flour and mix well. Keep the flame on low. Gradually add milk and Maggi cube. Keep whisking. The sauce should not be too thick.
- Add broccoli and prawns. Mix well.
For the assembly
- On a hot sizzler plate place the broccoli and prawn mix, some roast potatoes, and vegetables of your choice and garnish with spring onions and parsley.
BEEF STEAK SIZZLER IN PEPPER SAUCE
INGREDIENTS
For the beef steak
- Beef tenderloin: 2 steaks, 200g each
- Black peppercorns: 2tbsp, crushed
- Worcestershire sauce: 1tbsp
- Salt: To taste
- Dried thyme: ½tsp
- Cooking oil: 2tbsp
- Butter: 1tbsp
For the sauce
- Butter: 2tbsp
- Garlic: 1tsp, minced
- White flour: 1tbsp
- Chicken or beef stock: ½ cup
- Full cream milk: 1 cup
- Worcestershire sauce: 2tsp
- Salt: ½tsp, or to taste
METHOD
- Marinate the beef with all the ingredients except for the oil. Rub nicely all over the steak.
- Heat oil and butter and cook the steaks for 6-8 minutes on each side. Depends on you whether you want medium, medium rare etc. Keep aside.
For the sauce
- In the same pan in which the beef was cooked, add butter. When melted add flour, mix well and cook for a minute.
- Add black pepper crushed. Mix well.
- Add stock, milk and whisk well.
- Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and mix well until the sauce thickens. Keep whisking till the desired consistency is achieved.
For the assembly
- Heat the iron tawa and place cut cabbage leaves. Place sauteed vegetables of your choice, French fries or mashed potatoes, baked beans, and a fried egg or pineapple ring.
- Then put the steak and pour the sauce over. Your steak will immediately start sizzling.
Pictures courtesy the author
Durri Bhalla is a cookery expert and author of Indian Bohra Cuisine and Inner Truth To Good Health And Weight Loss. You can find her at @durribhallakitchen on Instagram, @Durribhallakitchen on Facebook and Durri Bhalla on YouTube.