Tomato Tikki

 Tomato Kebab

Ingredients

1 kg tomatoes

1 medium onion

1-2 tbsp garlic paste

1 tbsp turmeric

1 tbsp red chilli powder or according to taste

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 tbsp cumin powder

1 tbsp garam masala powder

150 gms besan

4-5 tbps cooking oil

salt according to taste

Preparation

Skin all the tomatoes and crush them in a mixer. Keep aside. Roast the beasn in a little oil till it is half cooked. (It shouldn't get brown.) Chop onions very finely.

Method

Fry chopped onions in oil in a nonstick wok till they are dark brown in colour. Mix the dhania, jeera, garam masala, haldi and mirch powder salt and garlic paste together in 2 tbsp of  water and add this paste to the wok. Fry for 2-3 minutes till oil seperates. 

Add the skinned crushed tomatoes. Keep stirring and cooking  it till this whole liquidy batter  is reduced to solid form with no water content. Please cover the wok with a plastic or metal net sieve which will allow the steam to pass out without letting the batter to splutter everywhere. You cannot cover it completely with the lid as the steam will not allow the mixture to dry effectively. 

Take off the flame and mix the roasted beasn thoroughly into it while it is still hot. The quantity of basan can be increased or decreased. Now oil both your palms and taking small lumps shape themt into a tikkies.

Heat a flat tawa and fry these tikkies on both sides in little oil till they become crisp and  brown.

Tastes best when served hot with chappatis, dal, plain rice and onion salad with lemon juice and green chilli.
Can be eaten as curry substitute in lunch or dinner or appetizer as well as a tea time snack.
Makes perfect burgers and sandwiches too !