Aloo Tikkis are an like a potato croquette but with Indian spices. This new recipe adds a little more flavor and texture by including spinach and peanuts. The recipe is both vegan and gluten free. The next time around, I’m going to bake it to get a good crisp.

Method:

6 red potatoes, chopped into small pieces
½ onion, chopped fine
2 T ginger paste
1 t cumin seeds
1 t cumin powder
1 t coriander powder
1 t garam masala
2 oz peanuts
2oz spinach
handful of cilantro

For the coating:
½ cup corn meal
½ chickpea flour (besan)

Method:
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add in potatoes. In the meantime, in a pan, heat a touch of oil. Once warmed add in onions. Cook for several minutes and then add in cumin seeds. Cook for about 3 minutes or until they darken and you get the aroma. In a bowl, mix equal parts corn meal and chickpea flour.

When the potatoes are cooked, drain the water. Add in cooked onions, cumin seeds and all seasoning except coating. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. If the mixture is too moist add in a bit of flour to help thicken. Form into palm sized patties. Pack them tightly to ensure they hold together. This recipe will yield around a dozen depending on the size you make. Next, dip each both sides of the tikki into the coating. Add a layer of oil to a pan. Heat to medium. Once the oil moves easily on the pan, it’s warm enough. Slowly add in as many tikkis as possible. After about 5 minutes flip. Cook for another 5 minutes. Repeat till all tikkis are cooked. Serve hot with tamarind chutney or ketchup. Alternative one: If desired, tikkis can be fried in about an inch of oil or baked for about 15 minutes at 350 to get a crunchy outside.