Most people typically talk of their love for chicken tikka and galouti kebabs, but my absolute favourite is tikkis. Be it Aloo Tikki, Dal ki Tikki or Corn Tikki, I love them all. The snack, which is popular around the subcontinent, is usually made of boiled potatoes, vegetables and curry spices. This recipe is different because it uses rajma. Treasured by my family, it is easy to make and doesn’t require special equipment. What I like the most about it is the restrained use of spices. It is crispy golden on the outside and soft and tangy on the inside. A great appetiser to start your dinner party with.

Ingredients

  • 900 gm rajma, soaked overnight
  • 200 gm potatoes, diced
  • 100 gm roasted chana powder
  • 70 gm cheese
  • 70 gm ghee
  • 30 fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 30 gm salt
  • 15 gm garam masala
  • 15 gm red chilli powder
  • 10 gm ginger, finely chopped
  • 10 gm green chillies, finely chopped
  • 10 gm cumin powder
  • 6 gm black salt
  • 3 gm black cardamom

Preparation

  1. Boil the soaked rajma in a handi. Once done, drain the excess water and set aside in a bowl to cool.
  2. Heat ghee in a pan and fry the diced potatoes. Let them cool for some time.
  3. Crush the rajma and potatoes with a masher in a large bowl and add chopped ginger, green chillies, red chilli powder, cumin powder, salt, black salt and garam masala. Keep aside.
  4. Next prepare the stuffing by grating the cheese. Add chopped green chillies and use a mincing machine to get rid of any chunks.
  5. Take a portion of the rajma-potato mixture and flatten it into a round patty. Sprinkle roasted chana powder, place in the stuffing, and fold the patty over the stuffing.
  6. Heat oil in a skillet over medium flame. Slowly slip in the patties in batches and fry them until they are crisp and golden brown.
  7. Transfer them to a plate and garnish with coriander leaves.
  8. Serve hot with any chutney or sauce of your choice.
Written by

Jatin Gautam

Jatin Gautam is an experienced chef with a successful career in the hospitality industry. He is a strong operations professional with a Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from the Institute of Advanced Management, Goa. Jatin has worked in iconic restaurants at Hyatt Regency, Imperial Hotel and Oberoi Hotels & Resorts. Currently, he is the Chef De Cuisine at Paasha, JW Marriott Pune.

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