Aloo Tikki

• 4 medium potatoes, washed with skin on
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2-3 chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp ginger, grated (3cm piece)
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• handful of fresh coriander, chopped

Batter

• 100g KTC gram flour, sieved
• water
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• rapeseed oil for deep frying

Method

1. Place potatoes with the skin on into a pan and cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and leave to cook gently until soft. Drain and cool.
2. Once cooled, peel the skin off with your fingers and discard. Grate the potatoes into a bowl and add the salt, garam masala, chilli, coriander, grated ginger, chilli powder and mix together.
3. Wet your hands, to stop the mixture sticking to your fingers and take a ball of the potato mixture. Shape into small patties or tikki, roughly 5cm in diameter and about 3cm thick.
4. Begin to heat the oil in a wok or a small pan.
5. In a separate bowl, sieve in the gram flour and gradually pour in a little water to make a thick batter then add the cumin seeds
6. Test the temperature of the oil by dropping in a little batter, if it sizzles and rises immediately then it is ready.
7. Dip one aloo tikki into the batter until it's covered and then carefully place it into the hot oil. Cook until golden brown (2-3 minutes)
8. Remove using a slotted spoon and set on kitchen paper. Repeat with the rest.

Served with

I like these with either a fresh zingy mint chutney on a warm sunny day or a warming chilli tomato chutney on a cosy cool evening.