Recipe: Bethica's Makhana Millet Tikkis

Who doesn't love a crisp tikki on which chutney has been generously dribbled?

Most tikkis are made from potatoes.

And deep fried.

Bethica Das elected to make hers with makhana and millets and pan fries them in a little oil.

"Check out these shallow-fried Makhana Millet Tikkis which are worth a try and they taste absolutely yummy," Bethica says. "I have used foxtail millets. You can go in for any other millet of your choice."

The use of the healthier millets and makhana does not compromise on the taste and flavour of the tikkis, she promises.

"These tikkis are a great party recipe perfect for special occasions. You can enjoy these them as an appetiser with sweet tamarind chutney or green chutney, as a tea-time snack or as a lunch box meal in the form of a wrap."

"It is a very easy recipe. All that needs to be done is to mix all the ingredients, make tikkis and shallow fry them."

This is another recipe from Bethica's collection of simply sumptuous experimental takes on everyday dishes. Bethica lives in a Brave New World Of Cooking, dabbling about, embracing new flavours -- adding fenugreek leaves to idlis, dragon fruit to shrikhand, making halwa out of tomatoes and incorporating nutritious millets wherever she can.

Makhana Millet Tikkis

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 1½ cups makhana or lotus seeds
• ½ cup foxtail millets, cooked and ground to a paste
• 2 tbsp powdered roasted peanuts
• 2 tbsp dry roasted, powdered til or sesame seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp chopped ginger
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh green dhania or cilantro or coriander leaves and stems + reserve a sprig for garnish
• 1 tsp kalonji or nigella seeds
• Salt to taste, about 1 tsp
• ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• ½ tsp roasted brown dhania or coriander powder
• ½ tsp roasted jeera or cumin powder
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• Oil to shallow fry the tikkis
• Lemon slices, for serving

Method

• Dry roast the makhana till light golden and keep aside to cool.
  Then transfer to a mixer/blender and grind to a powder.
• In a large bowl, mix the makhana powder with all the ingredients (except the oil) and combine well.
  Make 1- inch diameter balls and give the tikkis a round shape or any shape of your choice.
• Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat and shallow fry the tikkis, few at a time, flipping, till golden brown and crisp on both sides.
  Drain onto a paper towel-lined plate and serve with sweet tamarind chutney and green chutney for a comforting evening snack.

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