Tandoori Aloo Tikka

What is Tandoori Aloo Tikka

‘Aloo’ is the Hindi name for potatoes, and ‘Tikka’ in Hindi means something that is grilled in a clay oven called ‘tandoor.’ 

This recipe of Indian-style grilled potatoes features baby potatoes that are steamed and softened to make them ready for the recipe. They are now marinated in a mix of yogurt and flavorsome spices. 

These marinated potatoes are threaded onto skewers and cooked until perfectly golden and crispy to create this crispy tandoori delicacy.

Traditionally, aloo tikka is prepared in the tandoor, but you can prepare it over the stovetop, in an air-fryer, or even in an oven. 

However, if we prepare this Indian aloo tikka recipe in an oven or a pan, we need to adopt the dhungar way of rendering it the much-loved smoky flavor.

Reasons You’ll ♡ Tandoori Aloo Tikka

This delicious Aloo Tikka recipe is loved by all age groups. There are several reasons to fall in love with this delicacy —

• Quick, easy, and awesomely delicious
• A perfect crowd-pleaser
• Packed with spicy and smoky flavors, and
• Great to pack in the lunch boxes!

Perfectly crispy from the outside with a melt-in-mouth texture inside, this dish is a kid-friendly recipe that is entirely mess-free and, therefore, easy to carry.

You can prepare tandoori aloo tikka to serve your family or a large party crowd.

Tandoori Aloo Tikka Ingredient List

Baby Potatoes — These form the main ingredient for this Indian tandoori appetizer recipe. Baby potatoes do not lose their texture or structure during baking and are preferred over other potato types for this recipe.

Mustard oil — This is used for brushing the potatoes. 

Ginger-garlic paste — The intense flavors that make the recipe irresistible are rendered by the ginger and garlic paste.

Spices — Kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, garam masala turmeric, and tandoori masala are magical spices that deliver incredible flavors and aromas to the recipe.

Roasted besan — This is added to the marinade to allow it to coat the potatoes properly.

Kasoori methi — This gives the recipe superb flavors that take it to another level! But, always make sure to add kasoori methi in a moderate amount as more of it will turn the recipe bitter.

Curd — Thick, hung curd or yogurt is preferred for the marinade as it helps it stick properly to the potatoes.

Bell peppers and onions — Cut into cubes; bell peppers and onions are used for threading in between the potatoes.

Ghee — Ghee is needed for brushing the potatoes before baking. It renders the potatoes a rich, earthy flavor that makes them taste fantastic.

Recipe Tips and Variations

Size of the potatoes — Uniform-size potatoes are quick to cook and speed up the process of making this recipe.

Use baby potatoes — They retain their texture and structure during baking and do not get mushy. Therefore, always use baby potatoes for the tandoori aloo tikka recipe.

Steaming the potatoes — Steamed potatoes become soft upon cooking and are easy to thread into the skewers. Therefore, it is essential to boil them so that they get perfectly cooked.

Mustard oil for intense taste — It will deliver a robust and somewhat peppery taste to the potatoes; therefore, use it for optimum flavor.

Use hung curd for marination — Thick hung curd or yogurt allows the marinade to stick properly to the potatoes and prevents them from falling off during baking. Watery curd used for marination will not let the marinade stick to the potatoes and proves to be a failed attempt. Therefore, always use thick curd and avoid watery curd for marination.

Add roasted besan to the marinade — Roasted besan acts as the binder and helps the marinade to coat properly over the potatoes. As it is so essential, please make sure to add it to the marinade. Before adding, ensure it is well roasted and has a slightly smoky flavor to it, with the raw taste eliminated. 

Taste the marination mix — To check if the marinade has robust tandoori flavors and the desired spiciness, you should taste the marinade mixture after you mix it. If you feel it lacks flavor or spiciness, you can conveniently fix them. 

Adjust the spiciness — This recipe, as written, is moderately spiced. However, you can adjust the spice level to your liking by adding more or fewer chilies and spices.

For proper infusion of flavors — Marinating helps adequate infusion of flavors into the ingredients; therefore, always marinate the potatoes for at least an hour before threading them on wooden skewers. Marinating for a longer time ensures the deepening of flavors too. 

Marinate any veggies of your choice — You may add any veggies of your choice to the marinade, and they will make a great tandoori bite. I have used the standard ones like onion and peppers, while you can consider mushrooms too, which make a great addition!

Cut thick cubes of onion and peppers — As onions and peppers cook faster and may get easily burnt, make sure to cut them into thick cubes to avoid burning or overcooking.

Choice of skewers — Wooden or metal skewers work great for baking the tandoori aloo tikka. However, you need to be a little vigilant when using wooden ones. Make sure to dip the wooden skewers in water for an hour before baking to avoid burning. If you are baking the potatoes in an Air-fryer, you may use small metal skewers (that fit in your air fryer) to save the hassle. 

Baking without skewers — These potatoes do not necessarily need to be baked on skewers. You can also bake them without the skewers. Just arrange the marinated potatoes in an air-fryer or baking tray, and bake them as mentioned.

Not a fan of smoky flavor? You can skip the dunghar method that adds a smoky flavor to the tandoori potato recipe if you are not a fan of the smoky flavor. The rest of the recipe instructions remain the same.

Bake it as you like — This recipe can be prepared over the stovetop, in the oven, and over the grill too. So, you may resort to any method of cooking you like.

Turning it vegan is easy — Swap the regular milk yogurt with any plant-based yogurt like coconut milk yogurt or almond milk yogurt, and you have a vegan recipe to relish upon!

To speed up the process — You may use the store-bought tandoori masala to speed up the process, and it will taste just as great!

Let me know what you think!

This recipe of Aloo Tikka appetizer is a delicious dish that can be served at parties and get-togethers, and it makes a winning appearance on the party table.

So, if you are wondering how to make it, follow the recipe instructions, and you will carve out a lip-smacking bowl of Aloo Tikka to relish in a few moments. 

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Should you make this Tandoori Aloo Tikka recipe, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below. 

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