Crispy Aloo Tikki Recipe (Indian Potato Patties) - Pan-Fry & Air Fryer
Easy 25-minute recipe for Aloo Tikki, a popular north-Indian street food! Mashed potato and peas are formed into patties then pan-fried until golden brown and crispy.
Servings: 8 Tikkis
Calories: 191kcal
Equipment
- Frypan
Ingredients
Aloo Tikki Base
- 3-4 boiled gold potatoes 2 cups grated potato
- ½ cup green peas
- ½ cup chopped onion 1 small white or red onion
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 serrano chili finely chopped (remove seeds for mild heat)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
Spices
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt or ¾ teaspoon regular salt
- ½ teaspoon dry mango powder
- ½ teaspoon chaat masala
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 teaspoons for dusting or rice flour
- ½ cup avocado oil for frying or any clear oil
For serving:
- Cilantro chutney
- tamarind chutney
- seasoned yogurt
Instructions
- Prepare Potatoes: Boil them on the stove, in the Instant Pot (my preferred method, or in the microwave using the "potatoes" preset. Once they are fork-tender, cool completely, then grate them to make 2 cups.
- Steam Peas: If frozen, thaw the peas overnight in the fridge, or in the microwave. Add ½ cup water to a frypan and bring it to a simmer. Add peas, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the peas are steamed. Alternatively, sprinkle some water over them and microwave in 30-second increments, until thawed.
- Assemble: In a large mixing bowl, add grated potatoes, peas, chopped onion, cilantro, grated ginger, and all the spices. Mix well.
- Add cornstarch: Now add 2 tablespoons cornstarch (or rice flour) and mix again until fully integrated.
- Form Patties: Divide the mixture into 8 portions. Apply a little oil on your palms and shape each portion into a round patty, about ½-inch thick. Repeat this process to form all the tikkis.
- Dust Patties (optional step): Rub 1 teaspoon rice flour or cornstarch in your hands and lightly dust each patty with it. Wipe off any excess using a kitchen towel. Dusting dries up any excess moisture on the surface and seals the patties, resulting in a crispier tikki. This step is optional though.
- Shallow Fry: Add oil to a large frypan and heat it on medium-high heat. Check the temperature of oil by dropping a small crumb. If it starts sizzling, the oil is ready. Discard the crumb and add the tikkis without overcrowding the pan.
- Cook till Golden Brown: Cook till the base of the aloo tikki turns golden brown, takes about 4 minutes. Carefully flip the patties and cook on this side until golden brown. Flip them again if needed to brown them evenly.
- Cool and serve: Remove fried aloo tikkis on a kitchen towel-lined plate. Cool for 5 minutes, then serve with cilantro chutney and tamarind chutney. You can also make Aloo Tikki Chaat by adding seasoned yogurt.
Alternative Method: Air Fryer Aloo Tikki
- Follow steps 1-6 for form patties. Preheat the air fryer to 375ºF and spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Place the patties in a single layer in the basket, brush them with oil, then air-fry for 4 minutes. Flip, brush with oil, and air-fry for another 4 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
Video
Notes
- Steam vs. Boil: Steaming potatoes in the Instant Pot prevents water-logging as compared to boiling them in water.
- Don't overcook the potatoes: Cook the potatoes only until fork-tender. Over-cooked potatoes can become mushy, and you won't get that crispy texture you want for these patties.
- Let the potatoes cool. I tested these tikkis with freshly boiled and completely cooled potatoes, and the result was crispier with cooled potatoes. The reason: Excess moisture evaporates while cooling, and the starch molecules realign, resulting in crispier results.
- Grease your hands. This makes the potato mixture much easier to work with.
- Patty thickness: I make my aloo tikki patties about ½-inch thick. This is the perfect thickness for a balanced, crispy-creamy bite.
- Make sure the oil is hot. The oil should be hot before you add the patties. If it's too cold, you'll just end up with soggy tikki. To check the oil temperature, drop a small crumb into the pan. If it starts sizzling right away and quickly floats to the top, then the oil is good to go.
Nutrition
Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 296mg | Potassium: 312mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 113IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg