Suvir Saran’s Palak Ki Tikki (Spinach and Potato Patties)

Name: Suvir Saran’s Palak Ki Tikki (Spinach and Potato Patties)
Total time: 50 min
Yield: Makes 10 substantial burgers (about 3 1/2 inches)
Cuisine: american, indian
Ingredients: 2 pounds red boiling potatoes, scrubbed and quartered; 4 firmly packed cups finely chopped, stemmed, washed spinach (about 3/4 pound leaves); 1 fresh, hot green chili, finely chopped; 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro; 1 teaspoon garam masala; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; Salt to taste (Suvir Saran uses about 1 1/4 teaspoons); 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 1 cup panko or chickpea flour (you will not use all of it); 2 tablespoons grape seed oil

By Martha Rose Shulman

Updated Jan. 24, 2022

Suvir Saran’s Palak Ki Tikki (Spinach and Potato Patties) — Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Total Time: About 50 minutes, plus 1 hour’s chilling
Rating: 4(1,040)
Comments: Read comments

These are adapted from Suvir Saran’s potato patties called palak ki tikki, from his lovely cookbook “Masala Farm.” They are a striking green because of all of the raw spinach that gets packed into them. The big, spicy burgers are incredibly easy to put together and to cook. Suvir serves them with chutney, either green or tamarind, but we both agree that they’re delicious with plain old ketchup. I made a quick raita to serve with the burgers by stirring sweet pickle relish into plain yogurt.

Featured in: Summer Burgers, Hold the Meat

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Ingredients

Yield:Makes 10 substantial burgers (about 3½ inches)

2pounds red boiling potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
4firmly packed cups finely chopped, stemmed, washed spinach (about ¾ pound leaves)
1fresh, hot green chili, finely chopped
¼cup chopped fresh cilantro
1teaspoon garam masala
½teaspoon cayenne pepper
½teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt to taste (Suvir Saran uses about 1¼ teaspoons)
2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1cup panko or chickpea flour (you will not use all of it)
2tablespoons grape seed oil

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Steam potatoes over 1 inch of boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wide bowl and mash with a fork. Add remaining ingredients except panko or chickpea flour and oil and mix well with your hands, squeezing the ingredients together. There will still be small chunks of potato and potato skin in the mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Step 2
Scoop out about ½ cup of the spinach-potato mixture, roll it with the palm of your hand to make a ball, and coat with panko or chickpea flour. Then press down to flatten to a 3 to 3½-inch cake. Continue with remaining mixture. Chill for at least 1 hour.
Step 3
When you’re ready to cook, place a rack over a sheet pan. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Swirl pan to coat with the hot oil. Lower heat to medium. Place 4 to 5 patties in the pan (do not crowd), and cook until well browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown for about 4 more minutes. Remove to the rack. Heat remaining oil in pan and cook remaining patties. Keep patties in a low oven until ready to serve. Serve with a salad and your choice of toppings, such as the usual (ketchup, mustard, relish), or yogurt raita, garlic yogurt, or chutney.

Tip

Advance preparation: You can form the patties and keep them refrigerated for up to 2 days, or cook them all the way through and keep them refrigerated for 2 or 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a low oven for 10 to 15 minutes. The patties freeze well. Thaw completely before reheating.

Ratings

4 out of 5

1,040 user ratings

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Comments

Pudovkin7 years ago

Made pretty much as written, but used pre-washed baby spinach that I didn't bother to chop, just mushed it right in, and used curry powder instead of garam masala. Really delicious! Reminiscent of the inside of a vegetable samosa. What's not to like about that?

Liz7 years ago

It means: place a rack over a sheet pan. You need to know what a rack is and what a sheet pan is and then know what placing something over something is. You are giving up too easily.

Kait5 years ago

I love these guys and make them often. It is a forgiving recipe. I don't listen to the measurements as far as spices go and just taste as I go. Tonight my adjustments were red kale instead of spinach, extra lemon, way extra garam masala and a jalapeno. Eat it as a burger, eat it with eggs, eat it with apple sauce like a latke. Tonight I ate them over greens with roasted beets with ground coriander, chopped almonds, and made a quick sauce with some yogurt and tamarind chutney.

Shawn2 months ago

The flavor was good, but it was very hard to keep the patties together while cooking. I wish there were more protein in these.

Jeremy10 months ago

Used lambs quarters and a hot red pepper and yellow potatoes. Had to add a little water /flax to bind the mixture together. Flavors and cook time were spot on. This could be endlessly adapted, and will be!

Rainy1 year ago

Good with any green vegetable or greens.

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