Aloo Tikki Chaat is among the most popular dishes of numerous Indian street chaat food. This is delicious, slightly crispy, and full of flavours. It will make you crave more. The chaat is more prevalent in Northern India but is still loved by others.
The Tikki or patty is the main part of the dish. The patty is made using potatoes, spices, and herbs. Some people like to have them as it is with tomato ketchup and green or sweet chutneys. But this is more fun to have it like a chaat.
A person with even basic cooking knowledge can cook a dish. However, you will observe the difference between a dish cooked by a novice and someone who is a pro at it. We, too, have some key points to offer to get the best results, like a pro chef from this dish.
This chaat recipe is widely popular all over India. Hence you can experience variations to this chaat even if the overall recipe remains the same. Significant differences lie in the stuffing of the tikki. But other variations are possible as well. So let’s have a look at them.
We already know this is an extremely loved dish in the North side of India. But it is more popular in Delhi, and it is not surprising given the love for the chaats of its people. They make the Tikki with the dal stuffing called pithi. The dal is soaked overnight to soften without boiling and not lose its crunchiness. Very little water is in use while cooking the dal with spices, so there is a crunch in it.
This stuffing is famous for the majority of the year. However, fresh green peas are used to make stuffing in winter as they are readily available. Sometimes, white matar is also in use.
You can either use moong dal or chana dal in this stuffing. Delhites prefer moong dal, whereas chana dal usage is more prevalent in UP. Along with spices, raisins or dates are used for some sweetness in the mixture. Besides that, before adding the moong dal, cumin seeds, Hing, ginger, and green chillies are sauteed in ghee/oil. Aloo also contains roasted cumin powder and salt, along with cornflour.
You often love to eat such chaat dishes but cannot because it’s not the most healthy option and you are worried about your fitness. If so, then you don’t have to worry anymore. You have the chance to enjoy this delicacy and still stay fit.
To do that, you have to air fry the patties instead of frying them in oil. This will reduce the fat quotient immensely, as oil usage is a bare minimum. Apart from dal, some people also use peas, yam, or taro in the stuffing. If you think it suits you better, then go ahead with that. Keep in mind the yam and taro are sticky. So you’ll need to add breadcrumbs to soak that and keep it crunchy.
This is also a popular version in Punjab for this chaat. It is not just the patty that takes the spotlight here, though. Chole will have its part.
To make this version you will need to soak the chickpeas overnight. After that, boil them with salt, broken green chillies, black cardamom, some black peppercorns, cloves, garlic cloves, and roughly chopped ginger in the water. Also, if you want, add cooking soda.
Crushing ginger, garlic, and green chillies with salt for chickpea gravy would be best. Heat ghee in a vessel and add bay leaves, dry red chillies, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and crushed mixture. Temper them. Add water once the tempering is done.
Drain the chickpeas and put them in the vessel. Add degi mirch, turmeric powder, asafoetida, and coriander powder, and cook everything. Add water, tamarind pulp, and jaggery to the chickpeas. The patty or Tikki will be plain/without stuffing and just salt in it. All the taste will be in chickpeas.
Add chickpeas gravy over the patty and chopped onions, green chutney mixed with curd, spice mix, pomegranate, and coriander to serve. It is ready.
The serving of the chaat is easy, and you can do that. One option will be to serve it like how we have. If you do not want that, there is another option for you.
You can serve this chaat without curd. Place the patties on a plate. Sprinkle some lemon juice and spice mix/ chaat masala powder. Add green chutney, sweet chutney, chopped onions, coriander, beetroot, ginger juliennes, and chopped green chillies. This is ready to serve.