Potato Croquettes — Aloo Tikki

Mashed potato beignet flavored with aromatic ginger, cilantro, green chilies and onion. These addictive patties are a classic Indian street food, and simply mind-blogging!

Think of this as an Indian potato croquette. Tikki simply means “croquette” and aloo means “potato”, in Hindi, India’s indigenous language. This croquette is a staple of all the chaat stalls in Mumbai and northern India.

The recipe is so easy, and so melt-in-you-mouth good—a sure treat for all potato lovers. It can be served as an appetizer, as a side to your grilled meat —the possibilities are endless. It's delicious on its own, and even better when served as a pita sandwich with sliced cucumber, red onion and tomato. It pairs greatly with chutneys like cilantro, sweet tamarind, or plain tomato.  

A word of warning: getting the patties to hold shape while frying can be tricky. The key is to dredge the tikki in corn flour before frying. 

You don't need to make a trip to the Asian grocery store to make this recipe. The ingredients are pretty simple, and the preparation is even simpler.

Potato Croquette — Aloo Tikki

Ingredients

Makes 10-12

Prep: 30 min

2 cups potatoes, peeled

2 green chilies, chopped

3 tablespoon fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves, chopped

3 tablespoon onion, chopped

1 teaspoon ginger, julienned

Salt, to taste

½ cup corn flour

4 tablespoon oil for frying (I used olive oil)

Directions

Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water until tender. Drain and leave to dry for 2 minutes, then pound to a mash. 

In a bowl, combine mashed potatoes, cilantro, onion, and chilies; mix well. Taste and add more salt, if needed.

Wet hands and shape the mixture into ½ inch thick small cakes. Dust the cakes lightly in flour and shake off any excess—this step is necessary to help the tikki hold shape.

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Carefully place the patties in the hot oil in batches of six and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Plate and enjoy warm.

If you prefer, serve with warm pita bread and a crunchy salad. These are especially good when enjoyed with Indian sauces like sweet tamarind and cilantro.