There are countless dishes in our global repertoire that are unapologetically vegan because they were originally crafted with plants. Cooks used what was cultivated from the Earth and the result tasted good. Everyone loved them long before 1944, when the term “vegan” was coined by Donald Watson, a U.K. woodworker and animal rights activist.
And within the cuisine of India is a wealth of vegan dishes. If I had to be a strict vegetarian or vegan, I’d mine Indian culinary traditions for ideas. Cooks from South Asia know how to build exciting bold flavors from herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, and other plant-based ingredients.
Such traditions are displayed in Joe Yonan’s latest book, Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking. Dedicated to presenting vegan cooking as a valuable, enduring cuisine, the practical tome intentionally borrows from Julia Child’s work on French cooking. Yonan wants you to make the most of the plant world for the sake of making delicious food. There’s no philosophy or politics in his take on veganism, though the book does have essays by people whose identify with a strict vegan lifestyle.
Enjoyed in northern India and Pakistan, aloo tikki are deep-fried spiced potato patties. Who doesn’t like fried potatoes? The addition of matar (peas) injects a bit of sweetness, green color, and interesting texture.
Why not peel the potatoes first?
The key to making these well is to cook the potatoes with minimal moisture. That’s why for dishes like aloo tikki and samosas, whole potatoes are boiled in their jackets, then they are peeled. That ensures a firm-soft, doneness plus good potato flavor.
Potato skins are loaded with nutrition so you can consider chopping the skin into small pieces to include with the mixture.
Bonus pointers
From Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking, some helpful tips from the recipe that follows:
Prep ahead: Assemble the potato mixture up to 3 days in advance. Ditto for the chutney. Return both to room temperature to use.
Fry ahead: Eat these soon after they’re out of the fryer for the BEST flavor. That said, you can fry in advance, cool and store at room temperature. Reheat on a rack set in a baking sheet, in a 400°F (200°C) oven until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes.
Riff: Instead of big patties, make 32 small ones as cocktail snacks. Simple portion small amounts of the potato-pea mixture.
Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking contains hundreds more recipes like this one, in addition to a thoughtful 80-page chapter of pantry items and building blocks. The book is a long-term companion for any vegetable-loving cook.
Aloo Matar Tikki with Cilantro Mint Chutney
Servings: 4
Ingredients
CILANTRO MINT CHUTNEY
- 1 bunch cilantro (4 ounces/120g), leaves and stems included, roughly chopped
- 1 bunch mint leaves (36g), roughly chopped
- 1 to 2 serrano peppers, roughly chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, peeled but whole
- ½- inch (1.3cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup (60ml) fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt plus more to taste
ALOO MATAR TIKKI
- 1 ½ pounds (680g) medium Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed
- 1 cup (170g) frozen peas, thawed
- ½ cup (24g) cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
- 1 serrano pepper, finely chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons amchur or fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground chiles, preferably Kashmiri
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed, for shallow-frying
Instructions
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MAKE THE CILANTRO MINT CHUTNEY: In a blender, combine the cilantro, mint, serranos, garlic, ginger, lime juice, olive oil, and salt and blend until smooth.
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If the mixture is a little thick, add 1 tablespoon water at a time until you reach a thick, dippable consistency. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
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MAKE THE ALOO MATAR TIKKI: Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
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Meanwhile, place the unpeeled potatoes in a medium pot and cover with 4 inches (10cm) of cold water. (Leaving their peels on for boiling keeps them from getting waterlogged.) Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high and gently boil until the potatoes are cooked through and can easily be pierced with a knife, 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain and allow the potatoes to cool for 10 minutes.
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When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them (composting the skins) and transfer the peeled potatoes to a large bowl. Mash with a fork into a rustic paste.
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Add the thawed peas, cilantro, serrano, amchur powder, salt, cumin seeds, turmeric, fennel seeds, and chile powder to the potatoes and mix well. Add the cornstarch and mix well. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
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Divide into 16 portions. With lightly oiled hands, take one portion, roll it into a ball about the size of a golf ball, and then flatten into a disk ½ inch (1.3cm) thick. Place on a sheet pan and repeat with the remaining portions.
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Set a wire rack over a large sheet pan next to the stovetop. Pour ¼ inch (6mm) oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, fry the tikki until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked tikki to the wire rack in the sheet pan and transfer to the oven to keep warm while you fry the remaining cakes, adding more oil to the pan between batches if needed.
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Serve the aloo tikki hot or warm with the chutney alongside for dipping.
