Aloo Chop or potato chop made of boiled potatoes and various spices is a snack originating from the Indian subcontinent. Widely available in the Indian states of Odisha and West Bengal, Aloo Chop denotes small fritters or croquettes in Bengali. It is served hot and warm along with muri (puffed rice), green chilies, and sometimes sauce and salads. The recipe has simple ingredients like potato, ginger-garlic paste, onion, and a few Indian spices.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20-30 minutes
Servings: 2-3
Ingredients for Potato Chop
- 500 gm potatoes (boiled and peeled)
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 finely chopped onion
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic and green chili paste
- 250 gm minced mutton
- ½ tsp - turmeric powder
- 1 tsp east Indian bottle masala
- ½ tsp - black pepper powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp mint leaves
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves
- ½ cup fresh bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- Oil for frying
Method
- Heat oil in a pan and put in the chopped onion, saute the onion till it turns translucent.
- Add ginger-garlic and green chili paste.
- Stir for 30 to 40 seconds on high flame (till the raw fragrance disappears).
- Add minced meat, and cook the whole mix for 2-3 minutes on high flame.
- Add turmeric powder, East Indian bottle masala, black pepper powder, sugar, lemon juice, salt mint leaves, and coriander leaves.
- Stir the mixture well and cook on high flame till the meat is well done.
- Remove from heat and keep aside for cooling.
- In a bowl add boiled and mashed potatoes and add breadcrumbs plus salt, mix thoroughly.
- Make small balls (a little bigger than lemons) out of the potato mixture.
- Create a small depression in the middle of the balls using your thumb.
- Add the meat mixture and seal it the edges with the potato mixture.
- Pat gently to flatten it out and form the chop.
- Beat an egg, dip the chop into it and coat it with breadcrumbs; prepare all the chops like this.
- Cool all the prepared chops in the fridge for 15 mins.
- In a frying pan, heat oil for deep frying.
- Start frying the chops 3-4 at a time, till they turn golden brown on both sides.
- Once done, transfer to a plate with paper towels to drain excess oil
- Serve hot
In West Bengal, these are referred to as Aloor Chops. The difference lies in its method of preparation and the ingredients. Panskurar Chop uses a batter made of Khasarir Dal Besan. The Kolkata-style aloor chop is a batter of Cholar Dal besan and rice flour. Maldaia aloor chop is a batter containing corn flour and maida. The Santali aloor chop is made with Mete aloo and a large number of chilies. Found in Bankura Purulia it is served with wet puffed rice mixed with mustard oil, chilies, and onion. Aloo Bombs are a bigger-sized chop.
