Aloo tikki firecrackers
Medium
20–30 minutes, plus 10 minutes’ resting time 
15–20 minutes “Aloo tikki firecrackers are crispy potato patties that bring the vibrant flavours of Indian street food right to your kitchen with minimal effort. Growing up, these crispy potato patties were a favorite treat – we’d sneak into the kitchen and tinker with our mom’s recipe. The magic lies in perfectly cooked and mashed potatoes mixed with aromatic spices and herbs, coated in a light chickpea flour crust for added crunch. It’s quick to prepare and the ingredients are easy to find. Luckily you don’t need exotic ingredients – aloo tikki can be made with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.” - Hitesh Panchal of Kapoochka
Ingredients
Method
- 4 large waxy potatoes, peeled and boiled
- 2 t cumin seeds
- salt, to taste
- 2 bread slices
- ½ t ground black pepper
- ½ cup fresh coriander
- 3–4 green chilies (optional)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ½ cup chickpea (besan) or rice flour, for dusting
- ghee or oil, for shallow frying
- 2 green peppers, to decorate
- 2 red peppers, to decorate For the green chutney:
- 1 t cumin seeds
- salt, to taste
- 2 cups coriander, washed
- 1 cup mint, washed
- 8–10 green chillies
- ½ t black salt
- 2 T Ginger chopped
- 8 garlic cloves
- 2 T sugar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 4 Ice cubes
- 2 T raw peanuts
Method
Ingredients
1. In a large mixing bowl, mash the potatoes well. Add the remaining ingredients except the ghee, chickpea flour and peppers and mix well until you have a uniform, dough-like mixture.
2. Shape spoonfuls of the potato mixture tikkis (round, flat patties).
3. Dust the tikkis in a mix of chickpea and rice flour. Chill for at least 15–20 minutes to firm – this helps them hold their shape when frying.
4. Place a pan over medium heat and add enough ghee or oil to shallow fry. Carefully place the tikkis in the pan and shallow fry on both sides until crisp and golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.
5. Cut the red peppers into small triangular shapes (the “nose cone”). Cut the green peppers into small rocket shapes to make the tail/base.
6. Thread onto wooden skewers into this order: tail, tikki, nose cone, so that the tail is at the base. Repeat for as many rockets as you wish to present.
7. Cover a raw potato with aluminum foil. Press the finished aloo tikki skewers into the potato. This will keep them upright, creating a striking “rocket launch” display on your table. Serve with the green chutney.
8. To make the chutney, blend all the ingredients until smooth.
Cook's note:
- Substitute regular potatoes with sweet potatoes for a sweeter and healthier twist.
- You can add finely chopped peas or corn to the mix for extra texture and colour.
- For a gluten-free option, use besan (chickpea flour) only or a mix of rice flour for binding.
- Serve with tangy tamarind chutney, mint yogurt dip, or spicy garlic sauce for variety.
Videographer: Barry de Villiers
Photographer: Jan Ras
Food Assistant: Bianca Jones
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