Beetroot Tikki

(Vegan, GF). Serves 4-6.

Recipe originally adapted from Tickling Palates website. These tasty and super healthy beetroot tikki (beetroot chops) are based on a Bengali, Indian recipe. They packed with flavour and provide lovely red polyphenols and prebiotic fibres to support a healthy happy gut. Beetroot is especially good for sluggish bowels. These tikki are high in plant-based protein and iron making it a virtual super food for vegetarians and vegans. A dinner party favourite or a healthy snack for the kids lunchbox, these delicious beetroot yummies are sure to be a crowd pleaser.

You can substitute besan/chickpea flour for whole wheat or gluten free flour and use fine polenta to coat the tikki in for a crispier finish.

Ingredients

Beetroot – 2

Potato – 1

Onion – 1

Green chilies – 1 (optional)

Red chili powder – ½ teaspoon (optional)

Coriander powder – ½ teaspoon

Garam masala powder – ¼ teaspoon

Chaat masala powder – ¼ teaspoon

Coriander leaves – 2 tablespoons chopped

Besan or chickpea flour - 4 tablespoon (or sunstitute)

Salt – to taste

Olive oil – 4 tablespoons

Method

1. Wash the beetroot and potato and cut off any roughage. Roughly chop into big chunks. Cover with water and boil for 30-40min or pressure cook on high for 15min. Mash them well with a potato masher and keep aside.

2. Heat a pan with 2 teaspoon oil. Add finely chopped onion and green chilies. Sauté till the onions turn pink. Now add red chili, coriander & garam masala powder and mix well.

3. Add the mashed beetroot-potato mixture, finely chopped coriander leaves, 2 tablespoon gram flour (Chickpea flour), chaat masala powder, salt and mix till everything comes together as a ball.

4. Let the mixture cool completely. Make small balls (about a heaped tablespoons worth) and flatten them between your hands. Place remining flour in a bowl, drop patties/tikki in the into the bowl for dusting and shake off excess flour.

5. Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil. Place the patties in the pane leaving some space between them.

6. Fry both sides until lightly crispy and serve hot with tomato or coriander/mint chutney (see recipe on my website).