Indian Chole Aloo Tikki

Ingredients

• 2 potatoes
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 small dried chile peppers (Optional)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 (1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger, grated
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
• 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves

Instruction

1. Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and peel.
2. Place cooked potatoes into a bowl and add cornstarch, ginger, cumin, cayenne, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Mash together with a fork. Oil your hands with a little vegetable oil and divide the potato mixture into 4 equal portions. Pat each portion into a potato patty about 1/3-inch thick.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry potato cakes until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and keep warm.
4. Grind peppercorns and cloves with a mortar and pestle.
5. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in red chile peppers, cumin, bay leaves. Add onion, ginger, and garlic. Cook and stir until onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Add pepper-clove mixture, curry powder, and turmeric.
6. Mix tomato paste with water. Stir diluted tomato paste and tomato into the skillet. Cook over medium heat until the tomato has softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chickpeas and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
7. Spoon chickpea sauce over the potato cakes and sprinkle with cilantro leaves.