Ingredients:

• To make besan tikkis or gatta:
• 2 medium-sized cups – gram flour (besan or Chickpea flour)
• 2 tsp – khuskhus (poppy seeds)
• 3 – Green chillies (finely chopped)
• 6-7 – crushed anardana (dry Pomegranate seeds)
• A pinch of Soda bicarb (meetha soda)
• Coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp – cumin powder (optional; you can also use cumin seeds)
• 2 tsp – oil
• Salt as per taste
• A little water to make a stiff dough and boil tikkis
• Oil for frying
• For curry/gravy:
• 2-3 – Onions
• 1 large – Tomato
• 2-3 – Green chillies
• 1 inch – Ginger
• 1/4 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp – coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp – Garam Masala powder
• Salt
• 1 tbsp – oil
• 1/4 tsp – kitchen king powder (optional)
• 1 tsp – kasuri Methi powder (optional)

Method:

1. Mix gram flour, salt, khuskhus, green chillies, meetha soda, oil, turmeric powder (optional), cumin powder (again optional) adding very little water at a time.
2. Knead to a hard but manageable dough; make a roll of it.
3. Now grease a flat surface like the back of a thali or a clean kitchen platform or chakla (rolling board) and place the roll and tap a little to flatten the roll.
4. Now cut the roll into pieces, about 2 inches each.
5. Meanwhile keep some water for boiling in a pan and when it reaches boiling point, immerse the tikkis in water.
6. Let the tikkis boil for about 1-2 minutes, remove the tikkis from water and let it dry a bit at room temperature.
7. This is to ensure that wet tikkis when deep fried do not make the oil splutter.
8. In a frying pan, deep fry the tikkis till light golden brown and bit hard.
9. Let these rest on a tissue paper to drain out excess oil.
10. Meanwhile, take 1 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker, add chopped onions and saute on low to medium heat till translucent.
11. Raise the heat and saute, till the onions turn dark in colour.
12. Keep stirring at regular intervals so as to avoid charring of onions.
13. This method of cooking onions gives fabulous taste to the gravy.
14. Quickly add chopped/grated tomatoes, stir well, add salt, turmeric powder, green chillies and ginger, and keep stirring for a while.
15. Add coriander powder and let the mixture cook till tomatoes are cooked properly and rawness of masala is gone.
16. Add garam masala powder, kasoori methi and kitchen king (strictly optional) and add some water, say about 2 small cups and close the lid of the pressure cooker.
17. Cook up to 4 whistles and let it cook for 1-2 minutes on low flame.
18. Turn off the gas and let the pressure reduce.
19. Whisk the gravy with a wooden churner (mathni).
20. This kind of gravy is not as smooth as the regular gravy; the chunkiness of onions is what imparts a subtle, sweet and light flavour to the gravy.
21. Adjust the consistency of gravy and check for seasoning.
22. Just before serving, boil the gravy and add the tikkis.
23. Let it boil for another 2-5 minutes or till the tikkis turn a little soft and absorb the flavour of gravy.
24. Depending upon the quality of gram flour and the stiffness of dough, the tikkis may take anywhere between 2 to 10 minutes to soften.
25. So keep a check.
26. Garnish with some coriander leaves and serve hot with roti (chapatti).

Recipe courtesy of Alka. Dk