Alloo Tikki -Bittoo Tikki Wala (BTW) Ishhtyle! (Potato Kebabs)

Memories are enough to drive you nuts! Especially cravings!

This is the BTW outlet...Pitampura,Delhi.

Every once in a while I get these mad cravings for Gol Gappas, Papri Chaat and Alloo Tikki. If you’ve spent a large amount of your life in a place like Delhi, you’ll understand my cravings. The crisp Gol Gappas filled with the tangy water made with tamarind and mint. The crisp Papri dunked in sweetened dahi/curd and served with boiled chickpeas and slivers of ginger (they already know you’ll get the “gas”- the ginger is to protect the ones around you). And best of all, the crisp, hot FRIED Alloo Tikki served with Imli ki Sonth, Pudine ki Chutney and cold dahi/curd …topped of course with the ubiquitous slivers of ginger. If your taste buds are tingling right now… go to Delhi!

Sometimes I feel that the Chaat sellers must add something addictive in their Chaat. Despite the muck and filth that surrounds them- not to mention their dirty hands, one still loves the Chaat. I know there are outlets that sell stuff made with bisleri (could be distilled water –for all they are advertising), and servers wear gloves- the stuff just doesn’t taste the same.

Sick , I know, but when you sit in the comfort of an AC outlet and eat Tikki on a Styrofoam plate, don’t you miss the Tikki from a roadside vendor….the heat of his stove, the buzz of people around the vendor, the being greedy and asking for more chutneys….

I was lucky. The parents live in Shalimar Bagh, which has its share of roadside vendors. But we also have BTW! Bitto Tikki Wala. He who started from a humble cart selling Tikki and now runs a catering business from Netaji Subhash Place in Pitampura.

Missed the Tikki last visit to Delhi, and the craving for BTW’s Tikki was almost driving me insane…finally managed to get the spice mix right.

Between sweet child and me, we made a dinner of 8 Tikki. The only thing missing were the Cholas (Dried peas in spicy gravy) and the pollution and dust that is Delhi. I couldn’t wait to post this. There have to be more “Chaat”manics like me on the World Wide Web, so this BTW special is dedicated to them.

For the

Alloo Tikki -Bittoo Tikki Wala (BTW) Ishhtyle! (Potato Kebabs)…

You need

500 Gms potatoes-boiled

3-4 tbsp corn starch/ Corn flour (bread crumbs will not do, I use Brown and Polson’s Corn flour)

½ cup Chana Dal/ Bengal Gram

A pinch asafetida

½ tsp cumin seeds/jeera

 A pinch of turmeric

½ tsp coriander powder (optional)

Red chili flakes to taste

½ tsp Amchur/Dried Mango powder

½ tsp finely chopped g ginger

2-3 tsp chopped fresh coriander/cilantro

3-4 tsp desi ghee/clarified butter (Nothing else will do)

After many tries, I finally got the taste right. So if you are a purist, I suggest using the desi ghee and only the desi ghee (or desi khyo!)!

Start with the boiled potatoes.

If you have a potato ricer, wow! Time to use it. Peel and rice the potatoes. If not, like me you’ll need to grate the boiled potatoes and then mash to get a fairly smooth mash. If you do this while the potatoes are hot, you won’t have to work too hard.

Now add the cornstarch and blend well. It’s a messy job, but someone’s got to do it. Let this rest awhile.

Wash and soak the dal in some water for at least half an hour.

In a saucepan place the dal and some water along with half a tsp of salt. Boil 6-10 minutes till the dal is just cooked. If you cut into a grain of dal with your fingernail, there should be some resistance and it should taste just a bit underdone. Now drain this dal and spread out on a plate.

In another pan place ½ tsp of the ghee. Add to this the pinch asafetida and the cumin seeds.

Put in the ginger and let it just shrivel up. 

Now add the dal and stir. Turn off the heat; add the salt, red chili flakes, a pinch of turmeric and the coriander if you are using it. Also add the dry mango powder.

Add the chopped fresh coriander/cilantro and Mix well.

Now place your non stick pan on low heat and pour up to 2 tbsp of the ghee.Thats the rested potato mash...

With wet hands, take a small fistful of the potato mash,

Press a little and place a spoonful of the dal mix in the centre.

Try and seal the dal in. no worries if you have gaping holes in your Tikki/kebab.

Wet hands again, a bit of the mash again and fix the holes. Gently does it now…

Lightly shape the Tikki and place it on the pan, in the ghee.

Don’t disturb it till it is ready to move itself.

Same way, make all the Tikki, you will have some dal left over, munch on it or you can stuff a parantha- flatbread.

By the time you’ve done all the Tikki, The base will be cooked.

Ever so gently with a flat spatula flip the Tikki over. You may need to add more ghee.

Gorgeous golden color….no it’s not done. Once you cook the Tikki, you’ll need to refry them. Same pan, just cook on a little higher heat, with a wee bit more ghee.

Done…ta da….

Served with green chutney made with coriander, lemon juice, onion, salt, sugar and green chilies.

And...Imli ki Sonth….I’m off on a vacation in a couple of days…so was not keen to replenish the LOW supply of Tamarind. Whatever I had (about 1 tsp) soaked in water and strained, and mixed with 2 heaped tbsp dry mango powder, topped up with hot water to make 1 cup.

Now, ½ tsp mustard oil/any veg oil in a pan….hot! Pop in some cumin seeds(less than ½ tsp) ...

And pour the liquid mix. Let it come to a boil. 

Add the sweetener. I used jaggery (Khajur / date palm jaggery), salt and red chili flakes.

Let it simmer 5 minutes 

And it’s done.Thats cheating for you.

And also accompanied with some sweetened yogurt and sliced onions.The spices in the small bowl are salt, red chili flakes and cumin powder.

This is how the Tikki is supposed to be eaten. Drenched in the chutneys and the yogurt and the Imli ki Sonth, topped with sliced onions.

Indulge and enjoy.
A word of caution. If you are unfamiliar with the sourness of Imli ki Sonth, Be CAUTIOUS!
And whatever you do, don’t drink water straight after you finish the Tikki. Your throat will not forgive you.
We indulged today; coz sweet child is finally free of the Sixth Grade!!!
You can, of course bake these, but one misses the taste of the open fire.
Those of you who love Bittoo Tikki Wala (BTW), try this and the only thing you’ll miss is the taste of the dirt and the sight of dirty hands.

So what are you baking today???