These tanned, crispy potato burgers on the outside, or aloo tikki in Urdu and Hindi, take me back to my school years in Lahore. We used to line up for the aloo tikki of the school’s food store owner, Apa: each was placed neatly in the middle of a hot naan and folded for a mobile snack during recess. This street-style snack – which is enjoyed from Pakistan to India and Bangladesh – goes perfectly with a cup of chai in the late afternoon, accompanied by morning eggs (stir, fries) or a glass of sparkling wine during the hour cocktail. Scented with fresh coriander, mint and cumin seeds, dip the dumplings in the fiery (green) hari chutney to fully savor them.
This recipe calls for cayenne pepper, but if you prefer more heat, use the ground red pepper powder found in supermarkets in South Asia. It is worth buying rice flour as it provides a really incredible crunch, but the multipurpose flour will work. –Shayma Owaise Saadat