Want to know what is aloo tikka and why is it so popular in the restaurants?
About Aloo Tikka
Aloo tikka are Indian style grilled potatoes that are marinated first with spiced yogurt and then char grilled to perfection in a Tandoor, a clay oven. So aloo tikka are nothing but Tandoori potatoes which are crisp on the outside, soft inside with a burst of Indian flavors. Aloo is an Indian word for ‘potatoes’ & tikka is any piece of food that is grilled. We have the Chicken tikka, Paneer tikka, Mushroom tikka and then this aloo tikka. All of these dishes have 2 similarities, one – the tandoori masala i.e the combination of spices and two – they are grilled. Indian restaurants are equipped with Tandoor, clay oven which none of us have at home. So we grill these aloo tikka in an oven, air fryer or in a grill pan. Making these tandoori recipes at home is easy and you will get close results of what you get in the restaurants but not the same. So for best results we smoke the foods after we grill which imparts the same restaurant smoky flavors and this step is optional. While the other tikka recipes are made by simply marinating the raw ingredients, this recipe requires precooking potatoes due to their nature. Boiled potatoes are marinated and then grilled to perfection. These tandoori aloo tikka are best served immediately with Mint chutney or this Green chutney. Kids will love these in Kathi rolls with the chutney & fresh veggies or in these Wraps with some yogurt or mayo.
How to Make Tandoori Aloo Tikka (Stepwise photos)
Preparation
- Wash and peel the 250 grams baby potatoes. Halve the big ones, to make all of them the same size. Prick each potato twice with a tooth pick so salt enter the potatoes while boiling. Add half teaspoon salt to a pot along with 3 to 4 cups water and boil the potatoes al dente, fully cooked but not mushy or too soft. Remove them and cool completely.
- Add ¼ cup Greek yogurt (thick yogurt) to a mixing bowl. Make sure your yogurt is not sour. I strained this homemade yogurt instantly and used. But this Hung curd or Greek yogurt works the best.
- Add the following ingredients:
1¼ teaspoon ginger garlic paste½ to ¾ teaspoon garam masalaSalt as required½ to ¾ teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder¼ teaspoon turmeric½ teaspoon coriander powder¾ to ½ teaspoon chaat masala ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (I had only powdered so used ¼ tsp)
- Mix all of the ingredients. Add 1 tablespoon besan or sattu (roasted gram flour) and 1 tablespoon oil. Check the consistency of the paste. If it is runny, add another half tablespoon.
- Taste test and add more salt and spices if you desire. The marinade has to be thick enough to coat the potatoes. It should not be runny.
- Add your boiled potatoes.
- Marinate and set aside for 30 to 45 minutes in a cool place. Leaving in warm place is going to make your marinade sour.
Grill Aloo Tikka in Oven
- Preheat the oven to 460 F or 240 C for about 20 mins. Thread the marinated baby potatoes on to the skewers. Shake off gently to remove the excess. Grease your tray and grill them for 15 to 25 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the skewers to the other side. Grill for another 10 to 15 minutes. The timings may vary slightly depending on the size of your aloo and the consistency of the marinade. I also like to add a few slices of onions to the tray which get charred and impart a good flavor.
- You can also grill these on a oiled grill pan or just a tawa. But the marinade sticks up a bit and but that adds aroma to the tandoori aloo. Smear some butter over the hot tandoori aloo tikka. Serve hot with onion and lemon wedges and green chutney. Related Recipes
