Aloo Tikki

Lately, I have been on a quest to “master” Indian cooking. Well, I don't think I can ever truly master it but I want to be able to serve a decent Indian dinner and cut back on take-out! Of course, it helps that one of my best friends is from India and that she took me to the Indian grocery store, guiding me through aisles of spices, legumes, flours and other specialty items. I was like a kid in a candy store, went home and started reading through recipes after recipes. So expect more Indian flavors to grace this blog soon!

Aloo tikki is my husband's favorite Indian appetizer. The spiced potato patties are a traditional North Indian street food. Vendors fry them and serve them with coriander-mint and tamarind chutneys. I wanted to avoid frying them in too much oil, so I browned them in a pan brushed with safflower oil and finish them off in the oven. They are vegan, dairy and gluten-free (just don't use breadcrumbs, try chickpea flour for a similar texture, or omit all together, they will just be a little softer). My husband said it was the best aloo tikki he's ever had. I had a really hard time saving enough to serve to my cooking club friends the next day!

Makes 16-20 patties

• 4 large potatoes (I used Gold), scrubbed clean = 4 pommes de terre, nettoyées
• 2 tablespoons any neutral (safflower, grapeseed...) oil, divided = 2 cuillères à soupe d'huile au gout neutre
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds = 1 cuillère à café de graines de cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder = 1 cuillère à café de curcuma
• 1 small yellow onion, minced (about 2/3 cup) = 1 petit oignon jaune, émincé
• 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated (about 2 tablespoons) = 2 cuillère à soupe de gingembre râpé
• 1 to 2 green chiles, stems removed and finely minced = 1 ou 2 piments verts, finement émincés
• 2/3 cup frozen peas, defrosted = 85 g de petits pois
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder = 1 cuillère à café de coriandre en poudre
• 1 teaspoon garam masala = 1 cuillère à café de garam masala
• ½ teaspoon red chile powder = ½ cuillère à café de chili en poudre
• ½ teaspoon cayenne = ½ cuillère à café de poivre de cayenne
• Sea salt = sel marin
• 1 to 2 tablespoons gram flour (besan) or bread crumbs, optional = 1 à 2 cuillères à soupe de farine de pois chiche ou de chapelure, facultative
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice = 1 cuillère à soupe de jus de citron

Put potatoes in boiling water. Simmer about 20-25 minutes until they are soft when poked with a fork. Remove and cool down on a large plate. Peel and mash. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds and turmeric, and cook for 30 seconds until the seeds sizzle. Add minced onion and a pinch of sea salt. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring a few times. Add minced ginger and green chile. Cook another minute or so. Add peas and cook for an additional minute. Remove from stove and add the mixture to the mashed potatoes.

Add coriander, garam masala, red chile, a teaspoon of sea salt and chickpea flour or breadcrumbs if using. Use your hands and mix well. Add lemon juice and mix again.

Take about 4 tablespoons of the mixture, roll it into a small ball and flatten it to make a 2” patty. Place on a large platter and continue to make patties out of the entire mixture.

Brush about 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. Carefully place 5 patties in the pan, and cook until brown (about 2 minutes). Flip and brown on the other side. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat until all patties are browned.

Bake in 350°F preheated oven for 6-8 minutes. Serve with coriander and tamarind chutneys.