Basic Pan-Fried Mashed-Potato Patties

Description

Also known as Aloo Tikki

One of the best things about tikkis is that you can cook them without giving them much attention (just one quick turn every fifteen or twenty minutes will do), so they make for truly effortless light meals. But they're also ideal for feast-sized dinners, since they give you lots of time to make other dishes

Summary

Yield: 8
Source:

Yamuna devi dasi

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Recipes Vegetables

Ingredients

  • 1 lb potatoes suitable for boiling
  • 2 1⁄2 T ghee or vegetable oil
  • 1 1⁄4 t salt
  • 1 1⁄4 t black pepper
  • 1⁄8 t nutmeg
  • 2 T fresh coriander or parsley leaves, minced fine
  • 2 t fresh hot green chilies, seeded and minced very fine or pureed
  • 2 t fresh ginger root, peeled and minced very fine
  • 1⁄4 t turmeric powder
  • 1 t lemon juice
  • 4 tbsp dry-roasted chickpea flour or sifted whole-wheat flour

Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes until they're tender and then peel them. While the potatoes are still warm, force them through a potato ricer or a coarse sieve to produce a smooth mass of mashed potatoes. Cool the potatoes to room temperature and add 2 tablespoons of ghee or butter and then the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Then knead the potatoes until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
2. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the ghee or oil) and knead until they're mixed well. Divide the mashed potatoes into 8 balls of equal size and then shape each ball into a flat, round patty about 2¼ inches across and ½ inch thick.
3. Brush a well-seasoned heavy iron griddle or a nonstick finished 10- to 12-inch frying pan with just enough ghee or vegetable oil to prevent the potato patties from sticking. Turn the flame down as low as possible and cook the tikkis about twenty minutes on each side, or until a thick, crisp, golden-brown crust forms. Hasty cooking or too much ghee or oil will cause the delicate patties to break apart. Offer the tikkis to Krsna when they're still hot, with a sprinkle of savory tamarind chutney or a dob of zesty tomato sauce, seasoned yogurt, or fresh green coriander-mint chutney