1,000 Indian Recipes (104 page)

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₄
cup peanut or vegetable oil

1.
Cook the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, then peel and mash or grate. Soak the bread in water to cover, about 2 minutes. Then squeeze out all the water, tear the slices into tiny pieces, and place them in a large bowl. Add the potatoes and salt, and with clean hands gently mix everything together. (Don't use a food processor; overmixing will result in glutinous potatoes.)

2.
With lightly greased hands, divide the potatoes into 8 to 10 portions and shape each one into a smooth 1
¹
⁄
₂
- to 2-inch patty.

3.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large, heavy, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the patties in the skillet in a single layer, in batches if needed. Press on them lightly with a spatula, making sure all the edges are in contact with the skillet. Let cook undisturbed about 1 minute, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, watching carefully until the bottom side is golden, about 5 minutes.

4.
Carefully turn each tikki over with the spatula. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons more oil (if needed) and increase the heat to high about a minute. Then reduce the heat to medium-low once again and cook until the second side is golden, about 4 to 5 minutes. Lower the heat and push the patties to the sides of the pan until they are well browned and a have a thick, crispy crust. Turn a few times, as needed.

5.
Alternately, deep-fry the patties in hot oil and then finish cooking them on a tava-griddle. (If, when you deep-fry, the patties seem to open up or disintegrate, make a paste with
¹
⁄
₄
cup all-purpose flour and
¹
⁄
₄
cup water and coat remaining patties in it before deep-frying.) Serve hot.

Tofu and Potato Patties

Tofu-Aalu ki Tikkiyan

Makes 8 to 10 pieces

Tofu, truly a versatile food, combines well with potatoes and takes on the flavor of the spices and herbs while lending a lovely smoothness and a nutrition boost to the snack. This recipe is an inspiration from Lalit Pant, a friend and poker partner.

1 large russet (or any) potato

1 fresh green chile pepper, such as serrano, stemmed

2 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger

1 (10
¹
⁄
₂
-ounce) package firm tofu, crumbled and dried well on paper towels

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

¹
⁄
₄
cup peanut or vegetable oil

1.
Cook the potato in lightly salted boiling water to cover until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, let cool, peel, place in a medium bowl, and mash.

2.
In a food processor, process together the chile pepper and ginger until minced, then add the tofu and pulse a few times until smooth. Add the tofu mixture to the potatoes, along with salt and black pepper and, with clean hands, gently mix everything together. (Don't use the food processor for this; over-mixing will result in glutinous potatoes.)

3.
With lightly greased hands, divide the mixture into 8 to 10 portions and shape each one into a smooth 1
¹
⁄
₂
- to 2-inch patty and cook as you would
Basic Mashed Potato Patties
, starting from Step 3.

Variation:
For more flavor, along with the tofu, mix in 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoon dried mint leaves, and
¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground cumin. You can also mix in about
¹
⁄
₂
cup minced fresh spinach leaves.

Basic Stuffed Potato Patties

Bhari hui Aalu ki Tikkiyan

Makes 8 to 10 pieces

These delights are the beginning of an entire genre of beloved
tikki
patties. You bite into them expecting just potatoes. Instead, you are rewarded with a colorful, tasty surprise tucked into their centers.

2 large russet (or any) potatoes (about 1 pound)

2 slices white bread, crusts removed

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 recipe
Tikki Filling

1
¹
⁄
₂
to 2 cups peanut oil for deep-frying

1.
Cook the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, then peel and mash or grate. Soak the bread in water to cover, about 2 minutes. Squeeze out all the water from the bread, tear it into tiny pieces and place them in a large bowl. Add the potatoes and salt, and with clean hands, gently mix everything together. (Don't use a food processor; over-mixing will result in glutinous potatoes.)

2.
With lightly greased hands, divide the potatoes into 8 to 10 equal portions and do the same with the tikki filling. Working with each portion separately, flatten the potatoes into a 4-inch round. Place one portion of the tikki filling in the center of the potato round. Bring the edges together and pinch to seal, then press down the pinched top to form a smooth round or oval.

3.
Cook as you would the
Basic Mashed Potato Patties
, starting from Step 3.

Variation:
For a more formal presentation, dip each patty in beaten egg whites, coat well with plain or seasoned bread crumbs, and deep-fry.

Fillings for Potato Patties

Tikkiyon Mein Bharnae ki Cheezain

Makes filling for 8 to 10 pieces

Many ingredients can be used as
tikki
fillings. Just pan-cook some onions, add the filling, then finish with the classic seasonings of cilantro, ginger, and chile peppers.

1 tablespoon olive oil

²
⁄
₃
cup finely chopped onion

Any of the following:
²
⁄
₃
cup
Paneer Cheese
(or store-bought), grated;
²
⁄
₃
cup soaked and drained dried yellow mung beans (dhulli mung dal) or red lentils (dhulli masoor dal);
²
⁄
₃
cup frozen petite peas, thawed; 1 cup minced carrots, green beans, zucchini, or cauliflower;
²
⁄
₃
cup minced chicken tenders, cooked until opaque inside

¹
⁄
₄
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced with seeds

Heat the oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onion, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the paneer cheese or other filling, cilantro, salt, and black pepper, and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Mix in the ginger and chile peppers and set aside to cool. The stuffing is ready to use.

Sourdough Bread and Potato Ovals

Aalu Double-Roti ki Tikki

Makes 15 to 20 pieces

Made with crusty sourdough bread rolls instead of white bread and fresh seasonings, these
tikkis
have an entirely different texture and taste. Serve them with any puréed green chutney or yogurt chutney.