Aloo tikki are crisply fried potato patties–they make a great snack, appetizer or side dish, especially on cool-weather days. The aloo tikki sizzle in the pan just long enough to form a golden crust, keeping the potato on the inside tender . The recipe is below.
The recipe requires that you start with already boiled potatoes; you can do this the night before. In this Video Bite, Ayesha D’Mello serves the aloo tikki with her addicting tamarind-date chutney. Serve the patties with homemade mango-tamarind chutney or buy some (if it’s available, the starfruit chutney from Acme Bakery is highly recommended).
Aloo tikki with mango and tamarind-date chutneys
For a brisk-weather drink to accompany the potato patties, steep your own cardamom chai.
Ayesha D’Mello teaches an Indian cooking series at her home in Miami. Each class includes demonstrations of five to six recipes, followed by an Indian feast under D’Mello’s backyard chickee hut. You get to take home the recipes. D’Mello also has various culinary wares for sale, including a starter Indian spice kit that matches the recipes, curry leaf plants and her homemade chutneys. It’s a good idea to register for her classes at least a month ahead; they fill up quickly.
Many thanks to Brad Bryan for camera and editing.
More video bites with Ayesha D’Mello:
Winter squash with coconut sauce
Aloo Tikki
Crispy potato patties
Serves 4-6
TIME
20 minutes plus time to boil potatoes
INGREDIENTS
2 cups Russet potatoes, peeled and boiled until they are easily mashed, then cut into 1/2-inch chunks (2-3 Russet potatoes yield about 2 cups)
1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onions
1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeno chiles
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
Enough canola or olive oil to coat the bottom of your frying pan
Homemade or store-bought chutney
1. Put the potatoes, onions, cilantro, breadcrumbs, chiles and salt in a bowl. Mix the ingredients with your hands to combine. The ingredients need to be well combined so the patties don’t fall apart when cooked.
2. Add the cumin seeds to the mixture and combine with your hands.
3. Roll about a golf-ball-size of potato mixture in between your palms and gently flatten. Just slightly flatten the patties so that they brown nicely. Make sure the sides are evened out. Continue until all of the patties are formed.
3. Heat the canola or olive oil in a frying pan on high (or medium-high if you’re more comfortable with that). Once it’s hot, place patties in the oil and brown them, no longer than a minute or so on each side. You will know a patty is ready to turn over when you lift it slightly and see that it’s developed a golden crust.
4. Serve immediately with chutney.
