Here's an addictive vegetarian and gluten-free street food recipe for snack time! These Aloo Paneer Tikkis are for when you get grubby at 5pm and crave something delicious that is healthy, too! Make them for the festive season or for the kids after they come back from school - they're going to love it!
It's no secret that tikkis are as rooted in my North Indian soul as samosas and Thumbs Up. Chaat is always on the menu when I visit Raipur, but this Diwali, time flew away faster than those gol gappas at the local chaat waala. So I made these healthy aloo paneer tikkis to make do.
It has been a long two weeks of first falling sick and living on khichdi and then making up for it by eating as many jalebis as I could without being called a glutton. Because my mum's crisp, hot, super thin jalebis dunked in just enough chashni (thick sugar syrup) to not make them cloyingly sweet, are the best in the world. So good that they've spoilt me for jalebis available outside.
But this isn't about jalebis. This is about these aloo paneer tikkis, which are perfect for the Diwali or the aftermath of it. Guys, I tried. I really did. To eat healthy as much as I could, and fought with myself to follow all of my 5 tips to eat healthy this festive season. But umm the jalebis are a once in a year affair and I fell quite hard for them. But you know my intentions are true and good. And these healthy aloo paneer tikkis are making me feel better. Because they are healthier. Not swimming in ghee, not fried and not as carb heavy. Am I doing tikkis a disservice? Let's not think about that.
I even stayed away from the Thumbs Up for this one, and served them with some Flavored Lemon and Honey Tetley Green Tea instead. Because I'm all about the balancing act now. And a cup or two of green tea a day definitely makes me feel all refreshed and gives me my daily dose of antioxidants. Plus I've heard they have a few new flavours now. Citrus and Spice anyone? Or maybe some Cinnamon and Honey? I'll take both please. With another batch of these healthy aloo paneer tikkis.
I know I say healthy a lot.
But let me quickly summarize why these aloo paneer tikkis are so healthy -
- I added fresh green peas and paneer for flavour and protein
- Oats and only oats (instead of flour/maida) which makes them gluten free and high fiber. If you are making this for navratri, swap this with powdered Sabudana
- Only 3 tablespoons of ghee to make 8 of these
Convinced? Saaaay yesssss! Sprinkle with some chaat masala, and serve them with some tamarind chutney or green coriander chutney for an added kick!
More Indian Snacks:
- Tandoori Paneer Tikka
- Vegetable Pakoras
- Easy Aloo Chaat
- Pani Puri (Golgappa/ Puchka) Recipe
- 14 Diwali Snack Recipes that will light up your Diwali Party
Aloo Paneer Tikki Recipe Video
P.S. The Ingredients in the above video have been tweaked slightly to make it appropriate as a fasting food for Navratri. If you aren't fasting and want to make regular Aloo Paneer Tikkis, then follow the recipe below.
Healthy Aloo Paneer Tikki
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Ghee
- 3 Potatoes boiled and mashed
- 100 grams Paneer or cottage cheese, grated
- ¾ cup steamed Green peas (optional)
- 1 Onion finely chopped (optional)
- ½ cup Instant cooking oats ground into powder (See Note 1)
- 1 inch Ginger grated
- 2 Green chilies finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Coriander chopped
- ½ teaspoon Cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon Chili powder
- 1 tablespoon Chaat masala powder
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- To begin making this Healthy Aloo Paneer Tikki Recipe, start by combining all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, except the ghee.
- Combine all the ingredients well, while mashing the green peas lightly with your hands as you mix. Check the salt and spice levels and adjust to suit your taste.
- Divide the mixture into equal size portions and shape them into ½ inch thick discs.
- Heat ghee in a large skillet or pan and shallow fry the tikkis for 8-10 minutes on each side till golden brown and cooked through.
- Sprinkle the tikkis with more chaat masala and chopped coriander, and serve hot with some spicy Pudina (Mint) Chutney and Tamarind Chutney or Ketchup.
Video
Notes
- Swap the powdered oats with 1 tablespoon sabudana that has been ground to powder in a mixie (watch video). This will make this fasting friendly.
- Swap ghee for vegetable oil or canola oil to make it vegan friendly.
- Here is a recipe for my coriander chutney which will make an amazing dipping sauce.
Claudia | Gourmet Project says
yuuuuuuummmmy! I want them, now!!!!
Nelida Parra says
I'm like you in the fact that I love to indulge in my "comfort" foods of my heritage! 🙂 These do sound amazing & so full of flavor!
Donna says
Ummm yum! These sound so so good! I love your rationalisation of your indulgences 🙂
Marisa Stewart says
Wonderful combination of flavors -- a great side with any meal.
Dan Zehr says
We will be dreaming of tikki tonight; very nicely done!
Richa Gupta says
So true Lydia, and everyone digs potatoes, plus they are so versatile!
Lydia McClister Filgueras says
What a fun recipe. It's interesting to me that so many cultures make some sort of potato cake, and why not? They're well suited for holding all the ingredients and flavorings.
Richa Gupta says
Thanks Florentine and Carolyn!
Carolyn says
Oh my word
Carolyn says
Oh my word
Florentina Lile says
These photos make me wanna reach into my screen and have some. Looks amazing !
Richa Gupta says
Thanks Sara, they are a famous Indian street food!
Sara Kellner Maniez says
These look SO delicious!
Richa Gupta says
Oh I agree, jalebis are forever my favourite! The secret to binding is oats. I use oats to bind everything I make these days, and it works beautifully!
edlyngd says
You're so funny with your jalebi story. Life's to short to worry about them though so eat as many as you like. The tikkis look yummy!! I always have a hard time getting tikki like things to hold their shape. Good job doing that!