AI-generated image
Bangladeshi aloo chop
Spiced potato patties
আলুর চপ (alur chop): spiced mashed-potato patties in a crisp gram-flour coat
Every chop-shop on a Dhaka street corner, and every iftar spread in the evening during Ramadan, has a tray of aloo chop: flattened ovals of mashed potato fried with onion, ginger and green chilli, dipped in a gram-flour batter and fried until puffed and golden. The inside is soft and fragrant with roasted cumin and coriander leaves, the coat thin and crunchy, and they are eaten hot, with a sprinkle of bit lobon (black salt), a squeeze of lime, kasundi mustard sauce or a dab of tamarind chutney, often tucked into a paper cone with muri. Watery potatoes are the commonest problem, as they make the patties split in the oil, so steam-dry them well after boiling. Chef's tip: add a pinch of rice flour to the gram-flour batter for a crisper coat that stays crunchy as it cools.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1 ⅓ lb starchy potatoespeeled and quartered
- 1 tbsp mustard or vegetable oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh gingergrated
- 2 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 1 tsp ground roasted cumin
- 1 /2 tsp red chilli powder
- 3 /4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
For the batter
- 3 ½ oz gram flour (besan)
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 /4 tsp salt
- ½ cup waterroughly
To fry
- 2 cups vegetable oilfor deep frying
To serve
- 1 pinch black salt (optional)
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (5)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Boil 1 ⅓ lb starchy potatoes in salted water for 12–15 minutes until tender, drain and leave in the colander for 5 minutes to steam dry, then mash.
15 minStep 2: Heat 1 tbsp mustard or vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry 1 onion, 1 tsp fresh ginger and 2 green chillies for 5 minutes until soft.
5 minStep 3: Add the potato, 1 tsp ground roasted cumin, 1 /2 tsp red chilli powder and 3 /4 tsp salt and stir for 2–3 minutes until well mixed and dry. Stir in 3 tbsp fresh coriander, cool, and shape into 8 flat ovals.
3 minStep 4: Whisk 3 ½ oz gram flour (besan), 1 tbsp rice flour, 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric and 1 /4 tsp salt with enough ½ cup water for a batter like thick cream.
2 minStep 5: Heat 2 cups vegetable oil to 350°F. Dip the patties in batter and fry 3–4 at a time for 3 minutes, turning, until golden and crisp. Drain and sprinkle with 1 pinch black salt.
12 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bangladeshi aloo chop take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of starchy potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Yaki onigiriGrilled rice balls
Yaki onigiri (焼きおにぎり) are rice balls grilled until they form a crisp, toasty crust, then brushed with soy sauce glaze. They are eaten all over Japan, at izakaya, at barbecues and from the freezer section, as a snack or with miso soup. The inside stays soft and steamy while the outside crackles. Best eaten hot, straight from the pan. Chef's tip: let the shaped rice balls dry for 10 minutes before they go in the pan. A drier surface forms a better crust and won't stick, and the glaze goes on only at the end so it doesn't burn.
Japanese
Taiwanese grilled corn
At Raohe and Shilin night markets the grilled-corn stalls are easy to find: look for the queue and the smoky, sweet smell. Cobs are par-cooked, then turned slowly over charcoal while the cook brushes them with a dark glaze of sacha sauce, thick soy paste, garlic and chilli, layer after layer, until the kernels are sticky, slightly charred and deeply savoury. It is eaten hot from a paper sleeve while walking the market. Sacha (shacha) sauce, a Taiwanese barbecue paste, usually contains dried fish and shrimp; vegetarian sacha is sold in Asian shops. Contains soy, wheat and fish. Chef's tip: brush thin coats and turn often; one thick coat burns before the corn chars.
Taiwanese
Doi chiraFlattened rice with curd
Nothing is cooked for doi chira, which is why it has been the breakfast of farmers and fishermen in Barisal for generations: flattened rice is rinsed, softened in thick, slightly sour curd and sweetened with jaggery or sugar, then mashed together with a ripe banana. The texture is soft and creamy with a little chew from the rice flakes, and the taste is cool, sweet and tangy. It is eaten on hot summer mornings, at village fairs and as part of the Pohela Boishakh spread, and it is a favourite of children and of anyone fasting who wants something gentle. The usual misstep is soaking the chira for too long, which turns it to paste; a quick rinse is all it needs before the curd does the rest. Chef's tip: use thick-cut chira, not the thin kind for frying, so the flakes hold their shape.
