Alur chop (Potato Fritters)

Durga puja is just over a week ago, I am away from Kolkata with lots of memory. Puja means a lot to us. Shopping, Pandal hopping, eating street foods, and “ADDA”. Every Bengali grow up with Adda. I miss it all. In our college days, we couldn’t even think about going to any expensive restaurants or shopping plazas for eating snacks with friends. Pizza, Burger or KFC chicken was not so famous at that time. Other than eating puchka, egg roll we loved to eat “tele bhaja” (beguni, alur chop etc.) I can remember there was a shop near to our college called “Niramish Choper Dokan” (Veg Chop Shop). My favorite is alur chop. Smells of freshly fried chops bring cravings even if you are not hungry. At weekend Baba(dad) gives me money to buy chop from a roadside shop in our neighborhood. Waiting in a long queue and watching the unique technique of chop making is unforgettable. Here in Michigan, you can find samosa in food shop but alur chop impossible. Now we have lots of health restrictions to avoid oily food. But remembering those days once in a blue moon eating alur chop is ok. It need a few preparations but it is easy.

Serves- 4

Preparation time – 25 minutes

Cooking time – 12 minutes

Ingredients:-

2 medium potatoes (boiled and mashed)

2 green chilies chopped

1 pinch hing/asafoetida

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp kasuri methi

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 dried red chili

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 cup besan (chickpea flour)

1 tsp chat masala

2 tbsp rice flour

1 tsp red chili powder

Salt for seasoning

Vegetable oil for frying

Method:-

Heat oil in a frying pan, add dried red chili, cumin, and fennel seeds, when it crackles add hing powder, stir then add mashed potato, stir it well then add green chili, red chili powder, coriander powder, salt and ginger paste. Stir a little bit mixing it well when it well-mixed add Kasuri methi. Remove from gas and let it cool.

After the potato mixture gets cool make small balls and press a little bit it in a round shape. Keep aside.

For batter take a medium bowl to add besan, rice powder, salt, red chili powder. Start with adding little water and make a smooth paste. Then add baking soda mix well and keep aside for 10 minutes.

Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan. Dip flattens potato balls in batter coating evenly in both sides and fries in medium heat until golden brown.

Before serving sprinkle some chat masala over it.

Happy cooking:)