When I think of aloo ki tikki, I remember the Pakistani dishes of my childhood: the comforting daal and chawal my mother made, and the tender, flavourful cutlets I used to sneak from trays when guests arrived. I always knew there would be some for me later, but patience was never my strong suit.
After marriage, my early attempts at making aloo tikkis were disastrous. The cutlets fell apart while flipping, were far too soft to hold their shape, or burned on the outside while still raw inside.
After asking my mother and aunts, and practising many times, I realised I was making several avoidable mistakes. Below I’ve included an “Aloo ki Tikki 101” troubleshooting section to help anyone struggling for the first time so they can skip the frustration I went through.
These aloo tikkis should have a crisp exterior and a delectably soft interior.
The secret to getting a crispy Aloo Tikki?
Cook the tikkis on medium-to-low heat, leaving them undisturbed for about 5 minutes before flipping. This ensures a firm crust forms and prevents the cutlets from breaking. Also, use a fair amount of oil for shallow frying — not deep frying, but enough oil to allow good browning and crisping. If you prefer minimal oil, the tikkis will still cook, but won’t achieve the same crisp exterior.
What is Aloo Tikki?
“Aloo” is the Urdu word for potatoes. “Tikki” refers to a small disc or patty, so aloo tikkis are essentially potato discs — similar to a shallow-fried potato kebab.
Aloo tikkis are a popular vegetarian street food across Pakistan and India, and they’re often served at home alongside meals or as part of snack spreads.
How to cook the potatoes for Aloo Tikki
Cook the potatoes until just tender by any method you prefer: boiling, steaming, microwaving, or roasting. Leftover mashed or roasted potatoes also work well.
Avoid overcooking if you boil or steam, since overcooked potatoes absorb more water and become harder to bind. Roasted potatoes retain less moisture and are ideal; microwaving is a quick and reliable alternative that also prevents excess moisture.
More Aloo ki Tikki tips:
- Feel free to add low-moisture extras like boiled peas, sweetcorn, crumbled paneer, chopped boiled egg, or drained chickpeas. Avoid wet ingredients that will make the mixture soggy.
- If you want a shortcut, instant mashed potato mix (like Smash) can be used in a pinch.
- These tikkis are great to prep ahead: shape them, line them on greaseproof paper, cover, and refrigerate. Dip in egg and fry just before serving.
- You can freeze shaped tikkis. Fry them from frozen (coated in egg) without allowing them to fully defrost for best results.
How to serve Aloo ki Tikkis
These cutlets are perfect alongside rice and tadka dal — a classic pairing. They also complement most rice dishes such as pilau, and work well in street-food style spreads with chana chaat, samosas, or dahi bhallay.
They make a great filling for a quick sandwich too — add cheese and green chutney for a satisfying snack.
Aloo ki Tikki 101 – Troubleshooting Problems
1. Potato mixture isn’t binding: This often happens when the potatoes have become too moist. Add a little flour, cornmeal or gram flour (besan) until the mixture holds together. Chill the mixture in the fridge to help firm it up. To prevent excess moisture, avoid overcooking when boiling or steaming.
2. Cutlets break while flipping: Let the cutlets cook undisturbed until one side forms a solid crust from the egg coating. Also ensure the mixture is not too wet (see tip 1).
3. Outer layer burns while inside stays cold: The heat is too high. Reduce to low or medium-low and cook more slowly so the inside heats through without burning the exterior.
4. Tikkis don’t develop a brown, crisp coating: The pan may not be hot enough, or there may not be enough oil. Shallow frying in a little extra oil helps create that desirable crust; drain excess oil on paper towel if needed.
If you have questions or encounter other issues, leave a comment and I’ll expand this troubleshooting guide.
Enjoy!
📋 Recipe
Aloo Tikki | Aloo Kabab | Aloo Ki Tikki
Ingredients
- 2 medium potatoes, raw (about 500g or 1.1lb)
- ½ small onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander powder
- 1.25 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 0.5 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 0.5 teaspoon chat masala optional, adds a slight tang
- 0.5 teaspoon garam masala optional, adds richness
- 1 small handful chopped fresh coriander
- 1 teaspoon butter or ghee optional
- 1 egg for shallow frying
- oil for shallow frying
Instructions
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Cook the potatoes by your preferred method (boil, steam, roast, or microwave). Avoid overcooking if boiling or steaming.
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Peel and mash the cooked potatoes until smooth.
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Mix in the remaining ingredients (except egg and oil), ensuring the spices are evenly distributed. Hands work well for mixing.
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Form the mixture into 6 equal-sized cutlets (tikkis).
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Chill in the refrigerator for a few hours if possible; this helps them firm up and reduces the chance of breaking while cooking.
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When ready to fry, beat the egg in a bowl and heat a pan over medium heat with enough oil for shallow frying.
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Dip each cutlet in the beaten egg, place in the pan, and cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes. Gently flip and cook the other side for another 4–6 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed until both sides are golden and crisp.
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Serve the aloo tikkis hot with rice and lentils, chutneys, or enjoy them on their own.
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