Aloo Tikki: The Spiced Potato Cutlets
Aloo Tikki
Aloo Tikki is basically an Indian/ Pakistani version of a potato cutlet. What makes it special is that It uses spices and herbs that make it taste more flavorful.
The recipe I’m sharing here is rooted in the way my Pakistani family and friends make those little potato gems. So, you don’t need many different spices. Only the basic ones that you often use to cook curries.
Although this recipe is vegetarian-friendly, you can make it vegan as well. Just swap the egg with a few tablespoons of chickpea flour/ gram flour, and you’re all good.
More Than A Snack
These potato cutlets may be considered savory snacks for afternoon tea, but they’re also good for light meals if you fancy them.
Enjoy them as they are alongside some chili sauce (I use sriracha sauce more often than not) and some green salad. You can also put them in a tortilla wrap, pitta bread, or flatbread and have them as your lunch (or dinner?), or take them as a packed lunch for school, work, or a picnic.
Basic Things You Need
The beauty of making this Aloo Tikki is that you don’t really need special ingredients. All the items needed are the stuff that you may already have in your kitchen.
Apart from the obvious potatoes, you only need spring onions/ scallions, garlic powder, garam masala, paprika powder, red chili flakes, ground black pepper, salt, gram flour, and some cooking oil for frying.
For the potatoes, I suggest using waxy potatoes. Otherwise, the cutlets will break easily when you fry them. My personal preference is red potatoes. They have a creamy taste, like good mashed potatoes, but are still a bit waxy, so they stay in shape when I fry them, provided I don’t overboil them.
When it comes to chili flakes, you can always substitute them with chopped fresh chilies or chili powder. Or you can even skip it altogether if you prefer, especially if you want to give the Aloo Tikkis to your little ones. It’s your choice.
How to Make Aloo Tikki
Firstly, boil or steam the potatoes until tender. Do not overcook them, as you don’t want them to be too mushy when you mash them.
Let the spuds cool down to room temperature.
Then, place them in a mixing bowl and mash them lightly. You want to keep it with some chunks and not too smooth. Add the sliced green onion, spices, beaten egg (if using) and salt. Stir well until all the spices and seasoning are fully combined.
Take a tablespoon of the potato mixture and shape it into a small round disc about 0.2 inches (5 mm).
In a smaller bowl, mix the gram flour (besan flour) with water until you get a thick cream consistency. Then, heat the oil in a deep-frying pan or a wok.
Dip the disc in the gram flour mixture, and ensure the mixture covers all the potato tikki’s surface. Carefully slide it into the hot oil, repeat making the disc, and dip it in the gram flour mix until the oil is full enough.
Deep-fry at medium-high heat and turn all the tikki once. When the outside looks golden and crispy, your aloo tikki is done. Remove them from the oil and leave them to rest on a paper napkin/ kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil.
Enjoy your potato cutlet with tomato chili chutney, imli chutney, or cilantro mint chutney.
Top Tips to Make The Best Aloo Tikki
- Boiling the potatoes with skin on can reduce the water content in the cooked potatoes. So they will stay in shape when you fry.
- Do not over-boil the potatoes. Keep an eye on them. Turn the heat off as soon as it is fully cooked, and drain the water immediately.
- Leave the potatoes to cool to room temperature before breaking and mash them. This will release moisture so they won’t be too wet to work with.
- When you mash the potatoes, try not to mash them until 100% mashed. Leave some big chunks to give your cutlets a nice texture.
- If the mashed potatoes become too wet, you can use a tablespoon or two of plain flour or all-purpose flour. Take care not to add too much flour; your Aloo Tikki will taste like flour fritters with potato flavor.
Related Posts
Thank you for reading this post. I hope you’re now wanting to try this Aloo Tikki recipe. When you do, it will be great if you can share what you think about it in the comments below (leave a reply).
And please follow me on Facebook, Instagram and/or Pinterest to see what’s cooking in my kitchen.
Before you go, check out my other aloo/ potato recipes that you may like.
Thank you and all the best.
Aloo Tikki Recipe Pakistani Style
Equipment
- Cooking pan
- Mixing bowls.
- Frying pan or
- Wok.
- Slotted spoon
Ingredients
- 3 medium-sized waxy potatoes I use red potatoes.
- 4 scallions/ spring onions sliced.
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
- ½ teaspoon garam masala.
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder.
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder.
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder, Kashmiri red chili powder.
- ½ teaspoon red chilli flakes see the note.
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste.
- 1 egg lightly beaten (optional).
- ½ cup gram flour/ besan flour/ chickpea flour.
- ½ cup water.
- Cooking oil for frying.
Instructions
- Steam or boil the potatoes with the skin on until they are cooked through. Take care not to overcook as they can be too soft and mushy. Drain and let the potatoes cool down. Room temperature is the best as the potatoes won’t be too wet.
- Peel the potatoes (I don’t) and place them in a mixing bowl and mash them lightly. Make sure it is not too smooth. You want a bit of potato chunks in the mash.
- Put the sliced scallions/ spring onions, garlic powder, garam masala, paprika powder, chilli flakes, beaten egg (if using), black pepper and salt in the potatoes. Mix everything well. Take about one tablespoon of the mixture and shape it into a small round disc. Try to aim the thickness of 5 mm/ 0.2 inch. Work it through until the potato mix is finished.
- Put the gram flour in a small bowl and mix it with the water. Use a small hand whisk or a fork, whisk the flour until you get a smooth batter.
- Then heat the oil in a frying pan/ wok about ½ inch high.
- Dip the potato disc in the chickpea flour batter and carefully slide it into the hot oil. Leave a little space between the discs. Fry until the Aloo Tikkis are lightly golden.
Notes
- Boiling the potatoes with the skin on can prevent the potatoes from going too soft. And take care, not to over boil. Otherwise, the potatoes will be too soft due to the water content.
- For the vegan option, you can omit the egg and replace it with two tablespoons of gram flour.
- You can substitute the red chilli flakes with Kashmiri red chilli powder, cayenne powder, or chopped fresh chillies. You can also omit the chilli if you don’t want your Aloo Tikki to be spicy.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutritional info in this recipe is only estimate using online calculator. You should refer to it as a guide only. Please verify with your own data if you seek an accurate info.
