RAG Demo

Tag: Party starter

  • Aloo Tikki Chaat

    Aloo tikki is the heart of Delhi chaat. Vendors in Chandni Chowk, Lajpat Nagar and every neighbourhood market cook big potato patties slowly on wide, shallow iron tawas, pressing them flat until a thick crust forms. They are then broken open on a leaf plate and loaded with toppings in a rapid, practised sequence.

    The tikki should be crisp and golden outside and soft inside, with a lightly spiced potato filling. The toppings bring every taste at once: sweet tamarind chutney, spicy green chutney, cool sweetened curd, warm chickpea ragda, crunchy onion, sev and pomegranate. Chaat masala and roasted cumin tie it together. Nothing is subtle about it.

    It is an evening snack, eaten standing at a stall or made at home for parties. Some versions stuff the tikki with spiced chana dal or peas for extra texture. The tikkis and ragda can be made in advance, and the toppings laid out so everyone can build their own plate. A wide, heavy tawa and a little patience are the only secrets to a crust as good as a street vendor's.

    At a glance

    RegionDelhi
    CuisineDelhi street food
    DietVegetarian
    CourseStreet food
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time60 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspotato / white peas / curd / tamarind chutney

    Ingredients

    For the tikki

    • 5 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and grated
    • 3 tbsp cornflour or arrowroot
    • 1 green chilli, finely chopped
    • 1/2 inch ginger, grated
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
    • 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
    • 1/2 tsp chaat masala
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • Oil or ghee for shallow frying

    For the ragda

    • 1 cup dried white peas (safed matar), soaked overnight
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
    • 1/2 tsp chaat masala

    For topping

    • 1 cup thick curd, whisked with 1 tbsp sugar
    • 1/2 cup tamarind-date chutney
    • 1/2 cup green chutney
    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • 1/2 cup fine sev
    • 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
    • Chaat masala, roasted cumin powder and red chilli powder
    • Chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the soaked white peas with turmeric, salt and 2 1/2 cups water for 3 whistles until soft. Mash a few peas, add cumin and chaat masala, and simmer 5 minutes to thicken.
    2. Mix the grated potatoes with cornflour, green chilli, ginger, coriander, cumin, chaat masala and salt. Knead into a smooth dough.
    3. Divide into 8 portions and shape into patties 1.5 cm thick with smooth edges.
    4. Heat a heavy tawa on medium and add 3 tbsp oil or ghee. Place the tikkis on it and cook without moving for 6 to 8 minutes until a deep golden crust forms.
    5. Flip carefully, add a little more oil around them and cook the other side for 6 to 7 minutes, pressing gently with the spatula. They should sound crisp when tapped.
    6. To assemble, place 2 tikkis on a plate and press them open slightly. Spoon ragda over them, then curd, tamarind chutney and green chutney.
    7. Top with onion, sev, pomegranate and coriander, and finish with a sprinkle of chaat masala, cumin and chilli powder. Serve at once.

    Tips

    • Use floury, older potatoes boiled a few hours ahead; fresh waxy potatoes make sticky tikkis.
    • Low, steady heat builds the crust; high heat burns the outside before it crisps.
    • Assemble only when ready to eat, or the tikkis lose their crunch.

    Serve with

    Extra chutneys on the side and a cup of masala chai.

  • Papdi Chaat

    Papdi chaat is one of the oldest and most loved chaats of Delhi, sold from carts and halwai shops all over the city. Its origins are often linked to Mughal-era Delhi, where chaat (from chatna, to lick) was believed to be a tasty remedy for the city's heavy food. Today it is the standard order alongside dahi bhalla and aloo tikki.

    The base is papdi, thin flaky crackers of maida flavoured with ajwain and fried crisp. They are topped with diced potato, boiled chickpeas, whisked sweetened curd and two chutneys, then showered with sev, onion, pomegranate, coriander and chaat masala. The magic is the contrast of crisp and soft, cold and spicy, sweet and sour.

    It is eaten as an afternoon or evening snack and is a fixture at weddings and parties. Assemble just before eating; papdi softens quickly under the curd. The papdis, chutneys and boiled potatoes and chickpeas can all be prepared in advance, so the final plate comes together in two minutes. Adjust the balance of sweet and green chutney to suit your taste, and do not forget the final shower of chaat masala.

    At a glance

    RegionDelhi
    CuisineDelhi street food
    DietVegetarian
    CourseStreet food
    Prep time30 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsmaida / curd / potato / chickpeas / tamarind chutney

    Ingredients

    For the papdi

    • 1 cup maida
    • 1/2 tsp ajwain
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp oil or ghee
    • About 1/4 cup water
    • Oil for deep frying

    For the topping

    • 2 potatoes, boiled and diced
    • 1 cup boiled kabuli chana
    • 1 1/2 cups thick curd, whisked with 2 tbsp sugar and a pinch of salt
    • 1/2 cup tamarind-date chutney
    • 1/3 cup green chutney
    • 1 onion, finely chopped
    • 1/2 cup fine sev
    • 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
    • Chaat masala, roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder
    • Chopped coriander

    Method

    1. Mix maida, ajwain and salt. Rub in the oil until the flour looks like breadcrumbs and holds when pressed.
    2. Add water gradually and knead into a stiff dough. Rest 15 minutes.
    3. Roll the dough thin, about 2 mm, and cut into 5 cm discs. Prick each disc several times with a fork so it does not puff.
    4. Heat oil on medium-low, around 150 C. Fry the papdis in batches for 4 to 5 minutes, turning, until crisp and pale golden. Low heat keeps them flaky. Drain and cool completely.
    5. Season the potatoes and chickpeas with a little salt, chaat masala and cumin.
    6. To assemble, arrange 6 to 8 papdis on a plate. Top with potato and chickpeas, then pour over generous spoonfuls of curd.
    7. Drizzle with tamarind and green chutneys, scatter onion, sev, pomegranate and coriander, and finish with chaat masala, cumin and chilli powder. Serve immediately.

    Tips

    • Papdi keeps for 2 weeks in an airtight jar; make a big batch.
    • Whisk the curd until completely smooth and chill it – cold curd over crisp papdi is the point.
    • Add boiled moong sprouts for extra crunch and protein.

    Serve with

    A cup of masala chai or chilled nimbu pani.

  • Paneer Tikka

    Paneer tikka grew out of the tandoor culture of Punjab, as vegetarian diners wanted something to match chicken tikka. Today it is the default starter at Indian weddings, restaurants and house parties, served on sizzling platters or straight off skewers, and home cooks make it in ovens, air fryers and on gas-flame grills.

    The marinade is thick hung curd with ginger-garlic, Kashmiri chilli, roasted besan, ajwain, kasuri methi and a little mustard oil, which gives that dhaba-style pungency. The besan helps the marinade cling and form a light crust. Paneer cubes stay soft and juicy inside while the edges char, and onion and capsicum add sweetness and crunch.

    At a glance

    RegionPunjab
    CuisinePunjabi
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSnack
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientspaneer / hung curd / capsicum / onion

    Ingredients

    For the tikka

    • 400 g paneer, cut into 3 cm cubes
    • 1 large capsicum, cut into 3 cm squares
    • 1 large onion, quartered and layers separated
    • 1 tomato, deseeded and cut into squares (optional)

    For the marinade

    • 3/4 cup hung curd (thick yogurt drained for 2 hours)
    • 2 tbsp besan (gram flour), dry-roasted until fragrant
    • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 1/2 tsp ajwain
    • 1 tsp kasuri methi, crushed
    • 1 tsp chaat masala
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 2 tbsp mustard oil
    • 1 tsp salt

    To finish

    • 1 tbsp melted butter
    • Chaat masala and lemon wedges

    Method

    1. Roast the besan in a dry pan on low heat for 2-3 minutes until it smells nutty. Let it cool.
    2. Heat the mustard oil until it just smokes, then let it cool slightly. Whisk it into the hung curd with the besan and all the remaining marinade ingredients to a thick, smooth paste.
    3. Gently fold in the paneer, capsicum, onion and tomato so everything is coated without breaking the paneer. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours in the fridge.
    4. Thread the paneer and vegetables alternately onto skewers (soak wooden ones in water for 20 minutes first).
    5. Preheat the oven grill to 230 C. Place the skewers on a rack over a tray lined with foil.
    6. Grill for 8-10 minutes, then turn, brush with melted butter, and grill another 6-8 minutes until the edges are charred in spots. Alternatively, cook on a hot greased tawa or grill pan, turning every 2 minutes.
    7. Sprinkle chaat masala and squeeze lemon over the tikkas and serve hot.

    Tips

    • Watery curd makes the marinade slide off – always use well-drained hung curd.
    • Soak store-bought paneer in hot water for 10 minutes before marinating to soften it.
    • For a smoky dhungar flavour, place a hot coal in a small bowl in the marinated paneer tray, drizzle ghee on it and cover for 2 minutes.

    Serve with

    Mint-coriander chutney, sliced onion rings and lemon wedges.