Aloo Tikki Chaat (Cutlet Masala)

No. of servings:  6	Soak Time:  Overnight
Preparation Time:  20 mins	Cook Time:  50 mins

This yummy chaat can be made so easily in a pancake ball pan (paDDu or guntapaNganam or kuLipaNiyaaram or appe pan)!  It is so easy to roast whole batches at once with minimal oil in this fashion.  Nothing beats the taste of some delicious chaat made at home for a cozy evening! 

Ingredients:

For Cutlets:

• Boiled potatoes - 10
• Cashews broken - fistful
• Coriander leaves
• Red chili powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 0.5 tsp
• Salt

For Masala gravy:

• Dried peas (soaked overnight) - 2 cups
• Potato - 1 
• Carrot - 1
• Turmeric
• Onion - 1
• Green chilies - 2
• Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Chopped tomato - 1 large
• Red chili powder - 1 tsp
• Pav bhaji masala - 2.5 tsp
• Garam masala - 0.5 tsp
• Amchur powder - 1 tsp
• Fennel (saunf) powder - 1 tsp
• Jaggery (or) brown sugar - 0.5 tsp

For serving: 

• Sweet chutney
• Finely chopped tomatoes 
• Finely chopped onions
• Chopped coriander leaves
• Chili powder 
• Salt
• Fine Sev

Method:

Cutlets: 

• Place the potatoes on a wire rack in the pressure cooker and put very little water in the bottom
• Cook them tender but not too soft ('Steam' mode in Instant Pot for 8-9 min)
• Crush them roughly after the cool down well
• Roast the broken cashews in oil and put them on the potatoes 
• Add some chopped coriander, red chili powder and salt
• Mix well and make them into even-sized balls
• Roast them on a 'pancake ball pan'!  (paDDu or guntapaNganam or kuLipaNiyaaram or appe pan)
• Smear oil in each of the holes and place the balls and roast well, rotating the unroasted side down
• Set them aside when they are roasted as per preference

Masala:

• In a vessel, add the soaked peas, potato, carrot, salt, turmeric, jaggery
• Pressure cook these with enough water ('Pressure' mode for 8 mins in the IP)
• Roughly mash the vegetables and keep aside
• In another vessel, saute onions, garlic, ginger and green chilies ('Saute' mode in IP) 
• Add tomatoes and saute
• After it cools down, blend it into a smooth paste 
• Pour this back into the vessel, along with mashed vegetables
• Add lots of water 
• Add all the spices (red chili powder, pav bhaji masala, garam masala, amchur powder, fennel powder and salt)
• Mix well, cover and simmer for 20 mins and turn off the heat

 To Serve:

• Set 3-4 cutlets on a plate
• Pour the masala gravy over the cutlets
• Drizzle sweet tamarind chutney
• Top with onions, tomato, salt, chili powder and coriander leaves
• Garnish with sev and serve hot! 

Tips and Tricks:

• Roasting the cutlets in a Pancake ball pan takes very little oil, makes the job quicker and cleaner
• Adding a spoon of sugar or jaggery while cooking dried peas brings out the natural sweetness in it
• Cooking the masala on a low heat covered expedites the cooking without burning the bottom
• Add water generously before cooking. Potatoes and peas tend to thicken the masala after cooking.  Adding water later will reduce the flavors
• This masala gravy can be used for Masala Puri also 

Pictures: 

Final Outcome: