Delicious Aloo Chop recipe: Mastering the Bihar-style crunchy snack

New Delhi: Aloo Chop is a beloved Bihari snack that combines crispy fried potato balls coated in flavourful gram flour (besan) batter infused with various aromatic spices and herbs. It is a popular street food delight palate across Eastern India such as Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and some parts of Uttar Pradesh. The main appeal of Aloo Chop lies in the perfectly balanced flavour which is achieved by mixing boiled potatoes with onions, tomatoes, and a hint of herbs and spices. The gram flour batter that is mixed with turmeric, red chilli powder, and some baking soda, adds a delightful crunch to this dish. Aloo Chop is typically served with tangy and sweet coriander, mint, or tamarind chutney.

While preparing the Bihari-style Aloo Chop, it is very important to have a well-balanced idea for the potato stuffing and the batter. The thickness of the batter must be perfect – not too runny and not too thick. The stuffing needs to have a delicate balance of spices and herbs to get that authentic flavour of Bihari style. In this recipe, uncover the secrets to preparing the perfect Aloo Chop, a snack that’s both familiar and new.

Bihar-style Aloo Chop recipe

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to prepare authentic Bihari-style Aloo chop:

Ingredients

For the potato filling

• 4 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1/2 inch ginger, grated
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• Salt to taste
• Oil (for sautéing and frying)

For the batter

• 1 cup gram flour (besan)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda (optional, for extra crispiness)
• Salt to taste
• Water as needed

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix the mashed potatoes, chopped onion, garlic, green chilli, mustard oil, red chilli flakes, salt, lemon juice, and coriander leaves to make a flavourful paste.
2. Mix gram flour, salt, baking soda, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and water to prepare a thick and flowy consistency batter.
3. Divide the prepared aloo mixture into small ball shapes.
4. Dip each potato ball into the prepared gram flour batter and coat evenly.
5. Deep-fry these potato balls into hot oil until they turn golden brown.
6. Serve hot and enjoy Aloo Chop with coriander chutney, mint chutney, tamarind chutney or ketchup.

Bihari-style Aloo Chop is a crispy, flavorful snack that displays eastern India’s culinary richness. With perfectly balanced potato stuffing and flavourful crunchy gram flour batter, this recipe delivers nothing but authenticity.