Potato cakes are quick vegan appetizers. These are crispy, delicious snacks that are kids' friendly as well. You can pan-fry/ shallow fry or bake the potato cakes or patties. In India, this street food is popular as "Aloo Tikki."
You name this appetizer in whatever name you like, i.e., potato cakes, potato patties, aloo tikki; I'm sure you can't deny that this is one of the most delicious lip-smacking mouth-watering appetizers.
This is dairy-free and gluten-free. This is made with mashed potatoes, spices, and gluten-free flour like rice flour and cornstarch. No refined flours, no milk products. It tastes best when pan-fried, but if you want to make this oil-free, you can indeed bake them to crispy in an oven or an air fryer.
I would not suggest deep frying unless & until you are using the proper binding agent/ flour to the patties. Otherwise, it will split open in hot oil and spoil your hard work.
So, if you are not allergic to gluten and are not looking for gluten-free potato cakes, you may also coat the tikkis with a slurry of refined flour and cornstarch.
How to Serve Potato Cakes (Serving Ideas)?
This is a versatile dish that can be served in different ways.
1. As an appetizer/snack with green cilantro dip
2. Use as kofta for curries (like Coconut Kofta curry)
3. Make burger like McDonald's Aloo Tikki Burger
5. Make Delhi Street Style Aloo Tikki Chaat (like Spicy Potato chaat)
How to make crispy potato cakes or aloo tikki from scratch?
This is a quick recipe with minimal ingredients. There are no fancy ingredients required for these delicious potato cakes. It can be made with regular pantry staples at home within 30 minutes.
This recipe made 10 potato cakes.
Ingredients:
1. Potatoes - No doubt, without potatoes, we can't make potato cakes ( )
2. Flattened Rice (Optional) - this will make the patties crispier.
3. Rice Flour - Add 2 tbsp rice flour/ cornstarch to the mixture for binding. I have added rice flour as it will make the tikki crispy.
4. Spices - Cumin powder, garam masala (all spices), and paprika (optional for spicy). Also, consider adding green chilies if you love spicy ones. Otherwise, skip them. Chopped coriander leaves for flavor.
5. Oil - This is required for greasing your hands to shape the cakes and for shallow frying. I added 2 tbsp oil to the potato mixture, which was very dry to bind. However, that is optional. You can cool potatoes and add 2 tbsp cornstarch, too.
Instructions:
Step 1: Perfect boiled potatoes
Boil potatoes till it's cooked. If you use a pressure cooker (as in India), 3 - 4, whistles will be suitable for medium to large-size potatoes. Don't overdo it. Wait for the pressure to release naturally before opening the lid.
If you use a saucepan/ pot, peel the skin first and chop it into equal-sized pieces. Then add water to the pot and bring it to a boil till potatoes are fork tender only. You can also use an instant pot to boil your potatoes.
Once the potatoes are cooked, cool them completely. Even if you can use the pre-boiled and refrigerated ones, that would be an added advantage for binding. Also, if you are making hot/ warm potatoes, you will add cornstarch. It will be slimy and sticky. So cool the boiled potatoes before mixing other ingredients.
Step 2: Preparing Mixture
Mash potatoes after peeling skin. Now add all spices, rice flour, and soaked flattened rice. Squeeze lemon juice. Mix it well. Grease palms with oil. Take out a small ball-size mixture and give it the shape of patties. Make sure to pat the sides lightly, giving this a proper shape.
Now keep it in the refrigerator for 1 hour. You can also freeze in ziplock bags for future use. This is freezer-friendly.
Step 3: Shallow Fry/ Bake
Heat oil generously in a frying pan. Fry the tikki or patties till golden and crisp. Don't overcrowd the pan. Take 3 - 4 patties at a time.
To make the tikki extra crispy, Double-fry them. i.e., after removing the tikki from hot oil, let it cool for some time. Then again, fry them. Or even bake the tikki for an extra 15 - 20 minutes.
Aloo Tikki Recipe
Vegan Potato Cakes (Indian Aloo Tikki)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large potatoes boiled
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ยฝ tsp red chilli powder (paprika / cayenne pepper)
- 1 tsp garam masala (allspices/ curry powder)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste (or freshly minced ginger and garlic)
- 3 - 4 tbsp flattened rice flakes (poha) (soaked) (optional)
- 3 tbsp rice flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 green chillies (optional)
For Serving Aloo Tikki Chaat
- curd to taste
- sweet tamarind cutney
- green cilantro chutney
- onion finely chopped
- tomatoes finely chopped
- cilantro/ coriander leaves finely chopped
- chaat masala to taste
- ground roasted cumin to taste
- chilli powder to sprinkle
Instructions
- Boil Potatoes till it's fork tender.
- Once potatoes are cooked, cool them completely.
- Mash potatoes once cooled completely.
- In the meanwhile, take 3 - 4 tbsp flattened rice in a large sieve.
- Wash it thoroughly and keep it for later use.
- Don't use any additional water to soak the flattened rice.
- Now in a mixing bowl, add mashed potatoes, ground spices (mentioned above in ingredients list), ginger garlic paste, rice flour, cornstarch, and soaked flattened rice.
- Add salt to taste.
- Squeeze lemon juice (ยฝ lemon).
- Mix it nicely.
- Grease palms with oil.
- Divide the mixture into equal sized balls (portions). (It will make 8 - 10 balls with this measurement)
- Take out a portion mixture and make smooth balls first. Then press it gently making a shape of patties.
- Make sure to pat the sides also lightly giving this a proper shape and ensure no cracks on sides of cakes.
- Now keep it in the refrigerator for 1 hour. However you can directly fry also now.
Pan Fry / Shallow Fry
- Heat oil in a frying pan.
- Place 3 - 4 cakes in hot oil. Don't overcrowd the pan.
- Flip to the other side carefully using a spatula.
- Each side won't take more than 2 - 3 minutes to get crisp.
- Fry the Tikki or patties on medium - high heat till golden and crisp.
- Remove from oil and place on kitchen napkin to get rid of extra oil.
- To make the tikki extra crispy, you may bake the fried tikkis for more 20 minutes in convection oven for 15 minutes more at 180 - 200 degree C.
- Or double fry the tikkis for 2 more minutes.
Baked Potato Cakes
- Preheat oven at 200 - 220 degree C.
- Line the baking tray with parchment paper.
- Brush the tikkis with lil oil on all sides.
- Place them on baking tray.
- Now bake the potato cakes for 20 minutes.
- Flip the cakes in between and bake for 10 more minutes.
Making Tikki Chaat
- In a plate take tikki or patties.
- Pour in curd, green chutney, sweet tamarind chutney.
- Spinkle pinch of chaat masala, cumin powder, red chilli powder (optional).
- Lastly, sprinkle some finely chopped onions, tomatoes and coriander leaves.
- Popular aloo tikki chaat is ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Cool the potatoes completely before adding anything to it.
- Preferably take cold potatoes for the best results.
- Flattened rice flakes are good for binding potatoes and add crispiness. However if you don't have that in pantry, replace it with additional 2 tbsp rice flour + 1 tbsp cornstarch.
- You can also add some green peas and carrots to the patties to make it healthier for kids.
- After shaping the patties, keep in refrigerate so that it will set well and will be crispier.
- You can also freeze the patties in ziplock bags (airtight boxes) for future use. This is freezer friendly.
- While frying, take oil generously in the pan (if not deep frying) for crispy aloo Tikki.
- To make it crispier, double fry the potato cakes or 1st pan-fried + 2nd baked for 15 minutes
Nutrition
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