Aloo Chup

Aloo Chup Potato Cutlet Malekhu style

I am from Malekhu, very famous for fried fish. Potato cutlet goes side by side with tomato achar with fish. Malekhu lies on Prithi high way by river Malekhu and Trishuli.

My maternal uncle Mama 1st started fried fish and Potato Cutlet business in Malekhu about 60 years ago. Everyone still call him "Chup Baje" (Potato Cutlet Granddad ).

I'm sharing his recipe.

• When the 1kg boiled potatoes are cooling, you can make the besan batter and keep it ready.?

Batter for coating

To make Gram flour besan batter,

• 500 gm besan in a mixing bowl.
• Also add 5gm baking soda
• 10gm salt ,
• 3 gm of turmeric
• 2 gm of chilli powder.
• Now add 375ml water
• Whisk to a smooth and runny batter.

Making Masala Spice Mix

• Now heat 60 ml oil in a small pan or karai. Add 200 gm of chopped onions.?
• Sauté onions on a low to medium flame till they turn really dark and add garlic and ginger paste cook until it goes golden brown then add
• 5gm cumin power,
• 7.5 gm coriander powder
• 5 gm turmeric powder and
• 5 gm red chilli powder, this is the main masala ( he is saying no one make this masala nowadays, they just sprinkle those raw spices over potatoes, short cut !!!cutting the corner)
• Now add the mashed potatoes in the masala mixture.?mix potatoes very well.
• 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves and fresh green chilli .?
• Salt to taste.
• Then make small to medium potato cutlet or patties from them. I like about 50 gm to 55 gm per patties.
• when it goes in batter and fried it comes like 60 to 65 gm each.
• Keep aside.

frying

• Heat oil for deep frying in a karai. Add a small spoon of the batter in the oil. If the batter comes up steadily on top of the oil, the oil is ready for frying.
• Dip the potato cutlet in the besan batter and coat it well with the batter.?
• Now gently slid or place the batter coated potato cutlet in the hot oil.
• This way coat more potato cutlet with the besan batter and place them in the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the karai.
• Fry the aloo chups on medium flame.
• When one side is light golden and lightly crisp, then turn them over with a slotted spoon and fry the second side.
• Again turn them over when the second side is light golden or golden.
• This way fry turning them as required so that they get evenly golden and crisp.
• When aloo chup get a nice golden color, then remove them with a slotted spoon.
• Place the fried potato chops on kitchen paper towels for extra oil to be absorbed.

Enjoy with local Tomato and Chilli Chutney.