Stuffed Aloo Tikki Chaat

About this recipe

Stuffed aloo tikki is the street food that teaches you that vegan eating doesn't mean deprivation—crispy potato patties on the outside, a warming center of black chana and mango tang on the inside, all coming together on a chaat board where yogurt, chutneys, and pomegranate bring cooling brightness. The potatoes are boiled until completely soft, mashed while still warm so they hold together, then bound with ground poha (puffed rice) and chaat masala. At 420 calories and 13g protein, this is substantial snacking, the kind that keeps hunger at bay for hours. The filling is where magic happens: cooked black chana (chickpeas) seasoned with amchur (dried mango powder) that brings tangy sourness, garam masala for warmth, and a whisper of ginger and green chilli for heat. The chana should be cooked until completely tender, then seasoned while still warm. Mash it coarsely so it holds together when you bite into the tikki but doesn't turn into a paste. The construction requires care: flatten a portion of potato mixture, place a spoonful of chana in the center, gather the edges and seal completely, then flatten gently into a thick patty. If the seal breaks, your filling leaks out during cooking. Pan-frying on a tawa (griddle) means you use less oil than deep-frying while still achieving that crispy, golden exterior. Heat the tawa until a drop of water sizzles immediately, then pan-fry the tikkis four minutes per side until deeply golden. Too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks through; too cool and they absorb oil and taste greasy. The trickiest part is the flip—a sturdy spatula and gentle pressure are your friends. Once both sides are golden, the tikki is done; resist the urge to cook it longer hoping for more crunch. Assemble the chaat just before serving: tikkis on a plate, swirl of plant yogurt on top, tamarind chutney drizzled, mint chutney drizzled, crispy sev scattered, pomegranate seeds for brightness, and fresh coriander scattered over. Serve immediately while the tikkis are still warm and the sev is still crispy. The uncooked tikkis can be shaped ahead and refrigerated for up to four hours; cook fresh when you're ready to serve. Cooked tikkis don't reheat well—they lose their crispness—so cook to order if possible.