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    Snack
    Laal shaak
    Bengali cuisine
    Intermediate
    For 5 people

    Laal Shaaker Tikka: Crispy Red Spinach and Lentil Patties


    A creative twist on traditional Bengali laal shaak preparations, these Laal Shaaker Tikka are crispy, flavourful patties made with red amaranth greens, dal er bori, poppy seeds, nuts, and spices. Shaped and pan-fried to a golden crisp, they're a delightful vegetarian snack. Despite a few components, these tikka are quite easy to make.

    Ingredients

    • Laal shaak (red amaranth greens, cleaned, chopped)

      350 g

    • Dal er bori (sun-dried lentil dumplings)

      8 pieces

    • Refined oil (for frying and cooking)

      5 tbsp

    • Dried red chillies

      3

    • Garlic (finely chopped)

      4 cloves

    • Onion (finely chopped)

      1 medium

    • Sunrise Haldi Powder (turmeric)

      1 tsp

    • Salt

      to taste

    • Sugar

      1/2 tsp

    • Sunrise Posta seeds (poppy seeds)

      2 tbsp, plus extra for topping

    • Cashews (chopped)

      12

    • Maida (all-purpose flour)

      2 tbsp

    • Water

      1-2 tbsp, as needed

    • Green chilli (chopped, optional)

      1

    Sunrise tip: For a nuttier crunch, swap chopped cashews with coarsely crushed peanuts.

     

    Steps

    Step 1: Fry the dal er bori

    Time: 3 minutes

    Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Fry the dal er bori until golden brown and crisp. Remove, let cool, then break into large chunks. Set aside.

     

    Step 2: Temper the oil

    Time: 2 minutes

    Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same pan. Tear the dried red chillies in half, add to the oil and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant. Remove and set aside on a plate.

     

    Step 3: Sauté aromatics

    Time: 5 minutes

    Add another 1 tbsp oil to the pan. Sauté the chopped garlic and onion until the onions turn translucent and the garlic is lightly golden.

     

    Step 4: Add spices and laal shaak

    Time: 8 minutes

    Stir in the Sunrise Haldi Powder. Add the chopped laal shaak, mix well. Cook covered on low heat for 5-7 minutes until the greens wilt and release some water.

     

    Step 5: Season and add nuts

    Time: 3 minutes

    Season with salt and sugar, mix thoroughly. Stir in 2 tbsp Sunrise Posta seeds and the chopped cashews.

     

    Step 6: Mix in dal er bori and flour

    Time: 4 minutes

    Add the broken fried dal er bori and the fried red chillies, coarsely crushing the chillies as you add them. Sprinkle in the maida and mix well. If the mixture looks dry, add a splash of water to help bind it.

     

    Step 7: Cool and shape patties

    Time: 8 minutes

    Remove the laal shaak mixture to a large bowl and let it cool for a few minutes. Mix well with your hands, then portion and shape into flat, round patties. Sprinkle some extra Sunrise Posta seeds on top of each.

     

    Step 8: Pan-fry the tikka

    Time: 10 minutes

    Heat a large flat griddle or tawa on medium heat. Grease with a little oil. Gently place the patties on the griddle and cook until the bottom turns crisp and golden. Flip and cook the other side until equally crisp and done.

     

    Step 9: Serve hot

    Time: 2 minutes

    Remove the tikka onto a serving plate. Serve hot with your favourite dip and a fresh kachumber salad.

     

    Goes Best With

    • Dip: Mint-coriander chutney, Tamarind chutney

    • Salad: Kachumber salad, Onion-tomato-cucumber salad