These Indian chickpea patties or chana tikki, also called chana kababs or chana cutlets are so easy to make, absolutely delicious, and filling. Learn this foolproof recipe with tips and tricks to make the best tikkis.
If you're using canned chickpeas, skip to the next step.
If you’re using dried chickpeas, rinse and soak ¾ cup for about 8 hours or even overnight if possible. It will plump up to 2 cups when soaked.
Drain and add 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt.
Instant pot
Pressure-cook for 12 minutes at high pressure.
Wait for natural pressure release. Drain and let the chickpeas cool down.
Pressure cooker
Cook on high flame for 2 whistles, reduce to low flame, and cook for 10 minutes (or up to 5 whistles).
Turn off the flame and let the pressure release naturally. Drain and let them cool.
Cooking pot
Chickpeas can also be cooked without a pressure cooker or instant pot. Ensure that you soak them overnight or even up to 12 hours.
Cook them in an open deep pot on the stovetop. For ¾ cup of dried chickpeas, use 5 cups of water.
Bring the chickpeas with water to a boil on high flame. Once it boils, reduce the flame and cook on low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chickpeas are completely soft.
For quicker results, cook chickpeas with ½ teaspoon of baking soda.
Blend (note 3)
Place the cooked chickpeas in a food processor jar. Add the onion, garlic, spices, salt, and lemon juice. Process until you get a coarse paste. (note 2)
1 large onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Roughly chop all the herbs and add to the processor jar. Pulse until combined.
¼ cup coriander leaves, 2 tablespoons spring onions, ¼ cup mint
Add all-purpose flour and mix well. (note 8)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Pan-fry
Divide the chickpea mix into small balls. Flatten them into ½-inch thick rounds.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and pan-fry the chana tikkis in batches. Do not overcrowd the pan. (note 7)
Flip and continue cooking on medium heat until both sides are golden brown.
Add 2 tablespoons of oil and repeat with the rest of the mix.
Or make the easiest lemon yogurt sauce: Whip up 1 cup of yogurt with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves, ¼ teaspoon each of chilli flakes, cumin, pepper and pink (or regular) salt.
Video
Notes
Canned chickpeas: A 15-ounce/ 400-gram can of chickpeas gives 250 grams of drained chickpeas. This recipe requires about 2 cups or 340 grams of cooked chickpeas. So you'll require roughly about 1 ⅓ cans for this recipe.
Blending the chickpea mix: DO NOT blend very smoothly. You need a little bit of texture in the patties.
No food processor/blender? These chickpea patties can also be made without a blender or food processor. Mash the chickpeas with a potato masher. Make sure that you finely chop the onions and herbs and mince garlic before adding to the mashed chickpeas.
Herbs: The secret to this recipe lies in the abundance of fresh herbs used, especially mint. Try not to skip it.
Citrus flavor: Add a teaspoon of lemon zest if you like more citrus.
For more texture: Add a few roughly chopped roasted cashews to the mix for more texture and flavor.
Frying the patties: Chana tikkis absorb a lot of oil. So do not add all of the oil, to begin with. Divide the oil (not more than 2 tablespoons per batch of 7 or 8) and add before frying each batch of cutlets.
Trick to reduce oil: Mix 1 or 2 teaspoons of hot oil into the mix before shaping them into patties. This will reduce the amount of oil absorbed by the tikkis.
Chili powder: I’ve used regular chili powder for a hint of heat and Kashmiri chili powder for the color and flavor. They can be substituted with cayenne pepper and paprika respectively. If you don't want the heat, leave out the chili powder/cayenne.
Oil: Peanut oil is great for frying, but if you don’t have it, use other cooking oils like sunflower or olive oil.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Chickpea Patties | Chana Tikki
Amount per Serving
Calories
83.1
% Daily Value*
Fat
4.3
g
7
%
Saturated Fat
0.7
g
4
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
1.5
g
Monounsaturated Fat
1.8
g
Sodium
161.9
mg
7
%
Potassium
122.4
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
9.3
g
3
%
Fiber
2.2
g
9
%
Sugar
1.6
g
2
%
Protein
2.4
g
5
%
Vitamin A
125
IU
3
%
Vitamin C
2.3
mg
3
%
Calcium
19
mg
2
%
Iron
0.9
mg
5
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.