Chole Patties/ Pattice – Indian Chaat

When it rains, I can’t resist the temptation to make something hot, spicy, and fried! There’s just something about the weather that calls for great snack food. All washed down with masala tea, of course. This time, I decided to make something a little more elaborate – Chole Patties. A previous dish had left me with boiled potatoes and this seemed a perfect way to use them up. As a variation, I used chickpeas (Garbanzo beans) for this recipe. Top off this easy-to-make dish with some nylon sev, finely chopped onions, and a squeeze of lime/lemon and enjoy!

Recipe Details :
Makes: 8 patties
Time: 45 mins
Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients for Chole:

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 1 tsp turmeric
• A pinch of asafoetida (optional)
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder

Ingredients for Patties:

• 4 boiled potatoes
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp dry mango powder/aamchur (optional)
• 1/2 tsp chaat masala
• 2 tbsp corn flour
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp semolina (optional)
• Oil for frying

• Soak the chickpeas overnight in water.
• Once the soak is complete, drain and add the chickpeas to a pressure cooker.
• Add salt, turmeric, asafoetida, and oil. Also add 3 – 3.5 cups of water and mix well.
• Lid the pressure cooker and let it cook on medium heat for approximately 15 – 20 minutes. (If you use the whistle method, let it sound 8 – 10 whistles)
• Once the pressure goes down, open the cooker and check the consistency. You can also use a masher to mash some of the cooked chickpeas to add some creaminess to the gravy. If you feel that it’s too thick, add some water and cook on a low flame.
• Add red chilli powder (to taste) and check the seasoning.
• Your chole is ready to serve at this stage. If you make this in advance, warm it gently before adding to the patties.

Method for Patties:

• Peel and thoroughly smash the boiled potatoes – there should be no lumps.
• Add all the spices and integrate into the mashed potatoes. Slowly dust in the corn flour and mix it into the spiced potatoes. The mixture should just come together – if it seems wet, you may need to add a little more corn flour.
• Make patties from the potato mixture and lightly dust them with the semolina. (optional)
• Shallow fry them in oil on a medium flame till golden brown on both sides. Remove and place on paper towels.
• To serve, place the patties in a bowl or a plate. Top with the chole and add toppings of your choice. Like I wrote earlier, I like the classic nylon sev, onion, coriander leaves, and freshly squeezed lime juice. The possibilities are endless – try finely cut green chilli, or diced green mango, or even some pomegranates.

Tips:

• Don’t make the chole too watery. It should have enough thickness to coat the patties.
• If in the initial cooking, the chickpeas didn’t get soft enough, just add more water and cook it a little longer.
• If you are using freshly cooked boiled potatoes, let them dry a little before you start mashing them. If they are too wet, the mixture will not come together.