VEGAN Aloo Tikki Burger – with a delicious potato and green pea patty seasoned with spices, crumb coated and deep-fried to a sinfully crisp decadence.
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by The Idaho Potato Commission. All opinions, as always, are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that support Love is in my tummy.
Whenever I hear ‘vegan food is boring’, I’m like…“hmm.. have you eaten any? Also, do you know potatoes are vegan? :)”.
Take this completely VEGAN Aloo Tikki Burger for instance – made with Idaho® Russet potatoes and peas, the patty is seasoned with onions and spices, double coated in panko-style breadcrumbs (yes, double coated = a sinfully crisp crust that just won’t quit!) and stacked between homemade coconut milk buns topped with everything bagel seasoning (coz I’m now going through many, many bottles of the stuff every month!), with dairy-free cheddar-style cheese, veganaise (that’s dairy and egg-free mayo – @hellmannsmayonnaise makes a pretty good one!), adorable baby greens and other usual burger fixins! Now how is this ‘boring’?
What’s an Aloo Tikki?
When McDonalds opened all across India, they had to figure out meatless options for the largely vegetarian population, and the McAloo Tikki Burger was a hit! They even serve it with an eggless mayo! Yaay!
But Aloo Tikki’s history in India is much older than the McDonalds version. Aloo Tikki (translate: potato cutlets) are a favorite evening snack served with a mint chutney or ketchup. Delicately seasoned potato patties fried till the skin turns crisp and the insides are steamy molten soft. For the purpose of the burger, however, we’re going to invoke the ‘extra’ crispy power of the breadcrumbs. Because texture, is everything!
Make ahead!
My pantry is almost always stocked with delicious Idaho® Russet potatoes (we buy ’em by the bag here!), so on a lazy afternoon, I make these patties and freeze them in reusable silicone freezer bags. And whenever I am in the mood for a little decadence (or a quick, but super awesome dinner), I go straight for them! Because once the patties are ready, assembling them into a burger is basically something you can do blindfolded!
And the best part – no defrosting! They go straight from the freezer into the hot oil!
Deep frying vs Baking
Speaking of oil, while I try to avoid deep-frying anything (have you checked out the ‘Baked not Fried’ section on the blog?), sometimes, exceptions have to be made, and you must allow yourself a few indulgences each year. This Aloo Tikki Burger is an indulgence, hence, the deep-frying.
Can you bake this patty? Yes!!! But should you? Eh, probably not. Because the best part of this patty, is the double crumb coat: that’s when you dip the patty in cornstarch paste, then roll it into breadcrumbs, then back into the cornstarch paste, and a final roll into the breadcrumbs. Thicker crumbing = crispier crust! Why waste all that effort by baking this beauty?
Once in a while, just indulge!
When you make these VEGAN Aloo Tikki Burger (which I really think you SHOULD!), be sure to SHARE YOUR PHOTOS with me through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. I’d love to see what you cook from here!
VEGAN Aloo Tikki Burger
Ingredients
Method
- Peel and mash the potatoes until soft and free of large lumps. Set aside.
- In a skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onions on medium heat for a minute or two until they begin to soften. Add the red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste and frozen peas. Continue cooking until the peas
soften. Remove from heat. - In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, garam masala, chaat masala, salt, lemon juice and chopped cilantro. Add in the sautéed onions. Stir well to combine, using your hands if you must. Taste and
adjust seasoning, to your preference. - Scoop ½ cup of mixture and shape into patties about 3 ¾” wide. Set aside.
- In a plate, add the breadcrumbs and in another shallow bowl, add the cornstarch and enough water to make a runny paste.
- Dip patty into cornstarch mix, then into the breadcrumbs, back again into the cornstarch and then again into the breadcrumbs. This double coating gives the patties a very crisp texture that
will stay crisp for a while.
- Heat oil for deep frying in a small skillet. Place a wire rack over a baking tray. Working in small batches, deep-fry each patty on low-medium heat until golden brown all over.
- Drain on the wire, letting excess oil drip off. Alternatively, you can also use paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Assemble burger with the fried patties with your favorite burger fixings: Sesame topped burger buns, baby greens (instead of just plain lettuce), dairy-free cheese, vegan mayonnaise, caramelized onions,
red onion rings, tomatoes, pickles and ketchup.
Notes
- Ginger garlic paste is a staple in Indian cooking that adds flavor and aids digestion. You can either buy them in your local Indian/Asian store or make your own by blending equal parts ginger and garlic until smooth. Excess can be frozen in mini ice-cube trays.
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