House Special Platter Recipe

Prepare mixture

Place minced chicken in a bowl. Add bread crumbs, grated onion, green chili, chopped cilantro, garlic paste, ginger paste, garam masala, ground cumin, chili powder, salt, and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly until you have a cohesive mixture. If too wet, add a little more bread crumbs.

Shape and cook

Divide mixture into 4 equal portions and shape into flat round patties (tikkis). Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tikkis and cook 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp 165°F/74°C). Drain on paper towels and keep warm.

Make batter

In a bowl combine chickpea flour, rice flour, ajwain (or cumin), turmeric, red chili powder, salt, ginger-garlic paste. Gradually add about 1/2 cup water and whisk to a thick, smooth batter that will coat chicken pieces. Batter should be thick enough to cling without dripping excessively.

Coat and fry

Toss chicken pieces in the batter until well coated. Heat oil in a deep pan or skillet to 350°F (175°C) or medium-high heat. Fry in batches 3–5 minutes until golden brown and cooked through, turning as needed. Remove to drain on paper towels.

Prepare dough

In a mixing bowl combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt (included in the dough salt component). Rub the oil into the flour until crumbly. Add about 1/4 cup water gradually and knead to a firm but pliable dough. Cover with a damp cloth and rest 15 minutes.

Prepare filling

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle 10 seconds. Add chopped onion, green chili and grated ginger; sauté 1–2 minutes until translucent. Add diced boiled potatoes and green peas. Stir in coriander powder, garam masala, amchur (or lemon juice) and 1/2 tsp salt. Mash lightly and cook 2–3 minutes to combine flavors. Remove and cool slightly.

Shape and fry samosas

Divide dough into 6 equal balls. Roll each into an oval about 5–6 inches long. Cut each oval in half lengthwise to make two semi-ovals. Take one semi-oval, fold into a cone sealing the edge with a little water. Fill cone with 1–2 tablespoons potato filling and seal the top edge using water to form a triangular samosa. Repeat. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C) and fry samosas in batches until golden brown and crisp, about 4–6 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Make mixture

Place boiled mashed potatoes in a bowl. Add mashed peas (if using), chopped green chili, chopped coriander, chaat masala, roasted cumin powder, salt and 2 tablespoons cornstarch or breadcrumbs. Mix well and divide into 4 equal portions. Shape into flat round patties about 3 inches in diameter.

Pan-fry

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry tikkis 3–4 minutes per side until golden and heated through. Press gently with a spatula to get even browning. Drain briefly on paper towels.

Prepare batter and vegetables

In a bowl combine chickpea flour, rice flour, turmeric, red chili powder, ajwain (or cumin) and salt. Add about 1/2 cup water gradually and whisk to a thick batter. Add sliced onions, cauliflower florets and thin potato slices to the batter and toss until each piece is well coated.

Fry pakoras

Heat oil in a deep pan to 350°F (175°C) or medium-high. Drop spoonfuls of the vegetable-batter mixture into the hot oil and fry in batches until golden brown and crisp, about 3–5 minutes per batch. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Serve

Arrange chicken tikki, chicken pakora, vegetable samosas, aloo tikkis and vegetable pakoras on a large platter. Add small bowls of mint-coriander chutney and tamarind-date chutney. Garnish with sliced onions, cilantro leaves and lemon wedges. Serve hot so each item retains crispness.