Get Tikki Ready With Chef Kaviraj Khialani

Tikkis are one of the interesting concepts to prepare for a light meal, snack, or a get-together as well. It is not only easy to make many variations to tikkis but also it appeals and excites people of all age groups. Tikki is a typical Indian concept which is an age-old concept known to us and we have enjoyed the basic aloo tikkis with various variations attached to it be it with a stuffing of cheese, capsicums, or keema, etc.

Tikkis can be made in a number of ways and with inviting innovative ideas and flavors to balance the taste and texture to treat our palate. One of the most basic ingredients which come to our mind when we talk of tikkis is potato, the humble ingredient which is universally known and versatile in its uses and appeal. We love potatoes in so many ways in our foods and recipes and tikki is just one of those.

My experience with tikki treats has been very exciting and exploring from using a combination of root vegetables like sweet potatoes, beetroot, and even pumpkin and yam in combination with regular potatoes, tikkis have turned out yum! For me trying out something new and experimental recipes comes second to nature and there comes the thought of creating international fusion tikkis. A varied choice of tikkis with pasta, macaroni, spaghetti, olives to pick on Italian styles, the roasted corn and salsa tikkis, jalapeno and peri peri spiced cheese tikkis, bell pepper and corn stuffed tikkis from Mexican fusion, spring onion, and soy tikkis, Chinese shitake mushroom schezuan tikkis, Indo-Chini chicken Manchurian tikkis and more from our favorite Chinese cuisine! There is so much more to try out and offer a pleasant surprise to our loved ones and guests from a tikki platter!

“Tikkis are a great concept to innovate with and try out unusual concoctions to impress and integrate creativity on the plates to treat food lovers and offer a variety to the palate!”- Dr. Kaviraj Khialani- Celebrity Master Chef.

Here are a few easy-to-make tasty- yummy tikkis to try out!

Recipe-1 CHICKEN CHEESE TIKKIS

Ingredients

• Boiled mashed potatoes- 2 cups/ 3 -4 med sized potatoes.
• Salt to taste
• Oil-to shallow/deep fry
• Bread crumbs-1/2 cup
• Maida/corn flour- as needed for binding-1/2 cup
• Boiled chopped chicken-1/2 cup
• Chopped green chili-1 tsp
• Mixed herbs-1/2 tsp
• Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
• Grated cheese- 2 tbsp.
• Coriander leaves-2 tbsp.
• Chaat masala-1/2 tsp

To serve with Tomato ketchup/ green coriander-mint chutney/dips.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the chicken cheese tikkis.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine together the boiled mashed potatoes, chilies, cooked chopped chicken, capsicums, salt, herbs, chili flakes, chaat masala, maida, coriander leaves, cornflour, little bread crumbs and mix well.
3. Apply little oil on the hands and divide the mixture into 10-12 lime-sized equal portions and shape it into tikkis ½ inch thickness and coat with breadcrumbs/maida/corn flour water batter and chill for 20 mins.
4. Deep fry/shallow fry the chicken cheese tikkis to a nice golden crusty color and remove on a kitchen paper drain off any excess oil and serve hot with choice of chutneys/dips/sauces.

Recipe- 2 HERBED FISH TIKKIS

Ingredients

• Boiled mashed/grated potatoes- 2 cups/ 3-4 med sized.
• Boneless fish- 1 cup cooked by steaming, baking, or poaching.
• Spring onion greens-2 chopped
• Garlic-1 tsp chopped
• Dill leaves/shepu/ sua bhaji- 2 tsp chopped.
• Green chilies-1 tsp chopped
• Salt and pepper powder to taste
• Oil-2 tsp + as needed for frying
• Garam masala powder-1/2 tsp
• Coriander leaves- 2 tsp. chopped
• Maida/corn flour- 2-3 tbsp. as needed for binding
• Bread crumbs-1 cup
• Chaat masala-1/2 tsp sprinkle and serve.

To serve with: chutneys/ sauces/ dips.

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the fish tikkis.
2. In a pan heat oil and add in the garlic, chilies, onions, and saute for a few seconds.
3. Add in the potatoes, salt, pepper, spices to taste and mix well cook for 3-4 mins, add in the fish and mix it in.
4. Add coriander leaves, dill leaves, and little bread crumbs and get it all coming together with binding.
5. Apply little oil on the hands and divide the fish tikki mixture into 8-10 equal portions and shape them into tikkis, dip them in a thick batter of maida and water and coat with bread crumbs and chill for 20-25 mins then deep fry until golden brown and remove on a kitchen paper, serve hot sprinkle little chaat masala on the top and serve with sauces/chutneys.

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Recipe-3 MUSHROOM MASALA TIKKIS

Ingredients

• sweet potato-2 cups boiled, grated/mashed
• oil-2 tsp + as needed for frying.
• Jeera-1/2 tsp
• Ginger-garlic- chili paste- 1 tsp mix
• Capsicums-2 tbsp. chopped
• Mushrooms- 4-6 no chopped
• Grated cheese- 2 tbsp.
• Red chili powder-1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder-1/4 tsp
• Coriander leaves-2 tbsp.
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Mixed herbs-1/2 tsp
• Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
• Maida/ corn flour- 3-4 tbsp. as needed for binding
• Bread crumbs- 1 cup

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the mushroom masala tikkis.
2. In a pan heat oil and add the jeera, ginger- garlic- chili paste and add in the capsicums, mushrooms, salt, pepper, herbs, chili flakes, and all the masalas, add 1 tsp maida into the pan and mix well.
3. Cook the mushroom mixture for 4-5 mins on medium flame, add in the grated/mashed cooked sweet potatoes, coriander leaves, some bread crumbs, cheese and mix well, turn off the flame, remove the mixture into a thali and allow to cool a little.
4. Apply little oil on the hands and divide the tikki mixture into 10-12 equal portions and shape them into small bite-sized tikkis and allow to chill for 20 mins.
5. Prepare a thick coating batter of maida and water and coat the tikkis with it and then with bread crumbs and deep fry on a medium-hot flame until nice and golden crispy. Remove on a kitchen paper and drain excess oil and serve hot.

Recipe-4 SPINACH AND COTTAGE CHEESE TIKKIS

Ingredients:

• Potatoes- 2 cups/3-4 med sized, boiled, peeled, grated.
• Oil-2 tsp
• Ginger-garlic paste-1 tsp
• Green chilies- 1tsp chopped
• Onion-1/2 small chopped
• Spinach leaves-1/2 cup blanched, finely chopped
• Paneer-1/4 cup grated.
• Cheese-2 tbsp. grated
• Roasted crushed peanuts-2 tbsp.
• Mint and coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. chopped
• Garam masala powder-1/2 tsp
• Chaat masala powder-1/4 tsp
• Maida/corn flour/bread crumbs as needed for binding and coating.

To serve with: chutneys/ sauces/ dips.

Method:

Prepare all the ingredients for the spinach and cottage cheese tikkis.

Heat oil in a pan add in the ginger, garlic, chilies, and saute for a few seconds add in the spinach, potatoes, salt, and all powder masalas and mix well, cook for 3-5 mins on a low flame and add paneer, cheese, coriander, roasted crushed peanuts, mint leaves and mix.

Remove the mixture onto a plate add little bread crumbs and check for binding. Apply oil on the hands and divide the mixture into 10-12 equal portions and shape like tikkis. Coat them with a little cornflour or maida and shallow fry with little oil on a non-stick tava and serve hot with chutney/sauce.

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Recipe-5 VEG KEEMA TIKKIS

Ingredients

• Oil-2 tsp
• Butter-1 tsp
• Jeera-1/2 tsp
• Garlic-1 tsp chopped
• Ginger-1 tsp chopped
• Green chilies-1 tsp chopped
• Onion-1/2 small chopped
• Soya keema/granules-1/2 cup soaked in 2 cups warm water and 20 mins.
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Red chili powder-1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder-1 tsp
• Garam masala powder-1/4 tsp
• Chaat masala-1/4 tsp
• Coriander-2 tbsp. chopped
• Boiled mashed potatoes-2 cups
• Maida/corn flour/bread crumbs as needed for binding
• Oil to deep/shallow fry.

To serve with: chutneys/sauces/dips

Method:

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the veg keema tikkis.
2. Heat oil in a pan add in the jeera, ginger, garlic, chili, onions, and saute for a few seconds.
3. Add in the soaked drained soya keema, salt, masalas, and bhunao for a few mins, add in little water around ¼ cup and cook the soya keema for 8-12 mins on low flame. Add in the coriander, mashed potatoes, and mix well.
4. Remove onto a thali and add bread crumbs and mix well and make it shape up like a dough texture to prepare tikkis.
5. Apply little oil on the hands and divide the veg soya keema mixture into 10-12 equal portions and shape them into tikkis and let them chill for 20-25 mins in the fridge.
6. Coat them maida/cornflour and shallow fry on a non-stick tava with little oil to a nice golden color and remove and serve hot with chutneys/ dips.

Celebrity Chef Kaviraj Khialani has varied experience with hotels and airlines. He is also a consultant, food designer, and food stylist. For more recipes from the expert, stay tuned!