Indian cooking
Indian cooking / Dishes / Aloo Aur Anjeer Ki Tikki
Aloo Aur Anjeer Ki Tikki (Spicy Potato & Fig Cakes with Chilli, Mint & Coriander)

Aloo Aur Anjeer Ki Tikki

Spicy Potato & Fig Cakes with Chilli, Mint & Coriander
VegetarianMakes 8

Aloo aur anjeer ki tikki are crisp potato cakes with a soft, sweet-savoury fig and mascarpone filling, seasoned with chilli, mint, coriander and warm spices.

Filling spices

8 gStirred into the fig and mascarpone filling (step 1)
01
1.8 g1 teaspoon
spice
02
6 g2 teaspoons
spice
Mix into the filling until evenly combined.

Tikki spices

10 gMixed into the grated potato (step 4)
01
2.1 g1 teaspoon
spice
03
5 g1 tablespoon
spice
Stir through the potato mixture.

Everything else

01
Potato · Alooboiled, cooled and peeled
500 g
vegetable
02
Mint leaf · Pudinafinely chopped
2.4 g1 tablespoon
herb
03
1 g1 tablespoon
herb
04
13 g2 tablespoons
grain
05
to taste
salt
06
Oilfor shallow frying
to taste
oil/fat
07
Dried fig · Anjeerfinely chopped
70 g7 figs
fruit
08
42 g3 tablespoons
dairy
09
Fresh ginger · Adrakfinely chopped
10 g2½ cm
aromatic
10
Green bird's eye chilli · Kantharifinely chopped (add a little more if you prefer it spicy)
1.5 g1 chilli
vegetable
11
1 g1 tablespoon
herb

Method

  1. Mix 70 g dried fig, 44.1 g mascarpone, 5 g ginger root, 2 g green bird's-eye chilli and 1 g coriander leaf with the filling spices in a small bowl.
  2. Chill the filling in the fridge for 20 minutes.
  3. Coarsely grate 500 g potato into a large bowl.
  4. Add the tikki spices, 2.4 g mint leaf, 1 g coriander leaf, 13.2 g breadcrumb and salt to taste; mix well.
  5. Divide the potato mixture into 8 equal portions and shape each into a patty.
  6. Make a hollow in one patty, spoon in a little chilled filling, then draw the edges up and seal so the filling stays enclosed in the centre. Repeat with the rest.
  7. Heat oil for shallow frying in a large non-stick pan over medium heat.
  8. Fry the tikkis in batches for 2–3 minutes on each side, until deep golden and crisp.
  9. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with fresh chutney.

Don't have something?

Potato
  • Eggplant

    Use equal weight. Cut into large chunks; cooks down much faster (10-12 minutes) and softens into the sauce rather than staying starchy and firm.

  • Paneer

    Use 80% of the weight. Cube and add in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking; adds rich dairy protein instead of starchy bulk.

  • Dried chickpea

    Use 45% dry weight. Soak overnight and boil until fully soft before stirring into the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes.

Cumin seed
  • Ground cumin

    Use 70% of the weight; add with ground spices or sauce bases rather than hot oil tempering, where it scorches quickly and turns bitter.

  • Black cumin seeds

    Use equal weight for oil tempering. Delivers an earthy profile with an additional musky, smoky, and slightly bitter edge.

  • Fennel seed

    Use 60% of the weight for tempering; offers comparable warm aroma, but leans sweet and liquorice-like rather than savoury and earthy.

Kashmiri chilli powder
  • Dried kashmiri chilli

    Grind deseeded dried pods to an equal weight of powder; gives identical vivid red colour and gentle warmth.

  • Red chilli powder

    Use 25% of the weight mixed with sweet paprika for colour; straight red chilli powder is substantially hotter and will make the dish fiery.

  • Chilli powder

    Use one-third of the weight; the sauce will be less intensely red and notably sharper in heat.

Ground coriander
  • Coriander seeds

    Dry-roast lightly in a pan and grind to a fine powder; use equal weight (1:1). Offers a noticeably fresher, brighter citrus note.

  • Ground cumin

    Use 50% to 75% of the weight. Lacks the floral, citrusy profile of coriander and turns the gravy heavier, earthier, and darker.

  • Garam masala

    Use 50% of the weight and stir in near the end of cooking. Adds warmth and depth since it contains ground coriander, but introduces stronger spices like clove and cinnamon.

Mint leaf
  • Mint leaves

    Use the same weight; identical herb, just the plural listing.

  • Dried mint

    Use 25% of the fresh weight, about 1 g dried for 4 g fresh; crush between fingers. Flavour is stronger and slightly hay-like.

  • Coriander leaf

    Use the same weight; it gives a fresh green note but not true mint flavour.

Coriander leaf
  • Coriander

    Use equal weight finely chopped; this is the exact same fresh herb.

  • Mint

    Use half the weight finely chopped; provides vibrant green freshness, though the flavour profile becomes noticeably cooler and sharper.

Dried breadcrumb
  • Fresh breadcrumbs

    Use the same weight, but adjust liquid slightly as they are moister. Softer set; good for binding.

  • Bread slice

    Use the same weight of stale bread, whizz to crumbs and dry in a low oven. Closest texture to dried crumbs.

  • Coarse semolina

    Use about 70% of the weight and rest briefly before cooking. Grittier and absorbs more liquid; use for crunch or binding, not for coating.

Oil
  • Vegetable oil

    Use the same weight. It is neutral and behaves the same in frying and tempering; no noticeable change in flavour.

  • Corn or vegetable oil

    Use the same weight. Neutral and good for high heat; the dish will taste virtually the same.

  • Groundnut oil

    Use the same weight. It has a mild nutty flavour and is good for Indian cooking; heat until just hot, not smoking, so the nuttiness does not dominate.

Dried fig
  • Dried apricot

    Use the same weight, chopped. More tart and less seedy; adjust sugar slightly.

  • Date

    Use 80% of the weight, chopped. Sweeter and softer, so reduce added sugar.

  • Raisin or sultana

    Use the same weight. Smaller and sweeter; reduce sugar and expect less fig texture.

Mascarpone cheese
  • Cream cheese or cheddar cheese

    Use the same weight of cream cheese only; cheddar is not a good swap. It is tangier and firmer, so soften and beat before folding.

  • Clotted cream

    Use the same weight; richer and denser, with a cooked-cream flavour. Fold gently and do not boil.

  • Hung natural yoghurt

    Use 75% of the weight and hang it overnight; it is tangier and lighter. Add a little cream for richness.

Fresh ginger
  • Ginger paste

    Use equal weight. Sauté in hot fat until the raw allium smell disappears; slightly wetter, but provides identical warmth and pungency.

  • Ground ginger

    Use 20% to 25% of the weight (1 g for every 4 to 5 g fresh). Stir into the gravy; adds peppery heat and warmth, though it misses the crisp, zesty kick of raw root.

Green bird's eye chilli
  • Bird's eye green chilli

    Use the same weight; heat and flavour are very close.

  • Green chilli

    Use 1.5 to 2 times the weight; deseed for less heat. Larger chillies are more watery.

  • Fresh green chilli

    Use 1.5 to 2 times the weight; chop finely and adjust heat by tasting.

Amchoor powder
  • Ground dried mango powder

    Use the same weight; same sour mango flavour. Add early so it can soften into the dish.

  • Dried mango powder

    Grind to a powder and use the same weight. Slightly coarser unless finely ground.

  • Lemon juice

    Use 5–6 times the weight, e.g. 1 tsp powder to about 5 tsp juice; add off the heat. Wetter and fresher-tasting.

Similar dishes

Tandoori Shimla Mirch
Green Bell Peppers Stuffed with Spicy Potatoes, Chilli & Dried Mango
It tastes tangy, sharp and chilli-hot from dried mango powder and chillies, without the sweet fig, creamy mascarpone or minty note of this dish.
  • Same: Tandoori Shimla Mirch shares potato, cumin, Kashmiri chilli powder, green bird's-eye chilli, ground coriander, dried mango powder and coriander leaf with this dish.
  • Different: It uses green bell peppers stuffed with crushed potato and is grilled, while this dish is breadcrumb-coated potato cakes filled with dried fig and mascarpone and has no asafoetida or turmeric.
Bedmi Aloo
Spiced Turmeric & Coriander Potato Curry
Bedmi Aloo tastes like a lightly spicy, tangy turmeric gravy with tender potatoes, not a crisp cake with a sweet fig-mascarpone centre.
  • Same: Bedmi Aloo shares potato, amchur, green chilli, ginger, cumin, Kashmiri chilli, ground coriander and coriander leaf with this dish.
  • Different: Bedmi Aloo is a ghee-based curry with turmeric, asafoetida, tomato purée and water, while this dish is a breadcrumb-bound potato cake with an oil-fried fig-mascarpone filling and no turmeric, tomato or asafoetida.
Subz Seekh (Tandoori Home Cooking)
Potato, Paneer & Sweetcorn Kebabs
Subz Seekh is savoury and gently spiced with a soft textured centre, while this dish is crisp potato cakes with a sweet-savoury fig and mascarpone filling and chilli-mint-coriander seasoning.
  • Same: Subz Seekh shares potato, cumin, ground coriander, green chilli, dried mango powder, breadcrumb, mint and coriander with this dish.
  • Different: Subz Seekh adds paneer, sweetcorn, carrot, chickpea flour, garam masala and ground cardamom, lacks this dish's dried fig and mascarpone filling and Kashmiri chilli powder, and is griddled in sausage shapes rather than made as filled potato cakes.
Bengali Beetroot Chop
Crispy Fried Beetroot & Potato Cutlets
Bengali Beetroot Chop tastes sweet-savoury from beetroot, carrot and raisins with a warm chilli kick and crunchy outside, while this dish tastes of crisp potato around a soft, sweet-savoury fig and mascarpone centre with mint and coriander.
  • Same: Bengali Beetroot Chop and this dish are both crisp, breadcrumb-coated fried potato cakes seasoned with cumin, Kashmiri chilli, dried mango powder, green chilli, ginger and coriander.
  • Different: Bengali Beetroot Chop uses grated beetroot, carrot, raisins, chaat masala and a cornstarch-water coating, while this dish uses a dried fig and mascarpone filling with mint and no beetroot or carrot.