Aloo ki tikki - The LG microwave version

Last year when my parents celebrated their golden wedding anniversary, both of my sisters wanted to gift my mother a microwave oven. But I was trying to talk them out as those two themselves were using their respective gadgets for re-heating only. So they prevailed upon the one person who will listen to them - my husband! In spite of my misgivings and to their delight (they can point out to me "we told you so"), my mom is using hers as much as I do.

That came with a very colourful instructions manual and a very interesting cookbook which I carried with me. Trust me it is a rather easy to follow book for some very hifundo recipes.

Today's weather was very dull here and with the T20 finals I was wanting to sit at home glued to the television.That's when I decided to make this popular Punjabi snack as detailed in this book. It turned out well though the oil fried version would have been succulent, this was no less in taste.

Ingredients for Tikki:

250 grams potatoes

2 tbsp bread crumbs

for Filling:

100 grams channa dhal

1/2 tsp chaat masala

1/4 garam masala powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

2-3 green chillies (chopped)

salt to taste

2 tbsps chopped coriander leaves

1 tsp oil

Cook potatoes in microwave. Peel, mash well and add the bread crumbs. Mix well and make a smooth paste.

Cook channa dhal, slightly mash it and add all the ingredients for filling except the oil.

Oil your palms slightly amd pat the potato mix well.

Put some filling in and seal with potato. Flatten slightly in your palms.

Repeat with all the potatoes and filling.

Preheat oven to 250 deg C.

Place the tikkis in an ovensafe dish. Brush very little oil on them.

Bake for about 20 minutes repositioning the tikkis once or twice at intervals so they are browned evenly on all sides.

Serve with tomato ketchup, green chutney or sonth.