What is inside
What is inside Aloo Tikki Chaat?
Aloo Tikki Chaat is crisp pan-fried potato patties topped with chutneys, yogurt, onions and spice. Here is what is inside it, layer by layer, and why each one is there.
From the Tapri Chai kitchen · November 2026 · 3 min read
Layers
5 in all
Key ingredient
Potato patty
Heat
Mild to medium
Served
Warm patty, cold toppings
The 5 layers of Aloo Tikki Chaat
Aloo Tikki Chaat is built from 5 parts. They are listed in the order you meet them, and the numbers match the diagram.
The aloo tikki
Boiled potato mashed with spices, shaped into flat patties and shallow-fried on a griddle until the outside is deeply golden and crisp.
Spiced chickpeas
Optional, but common: warm chickpeas in a light masala spooned over the patty.
Tamarind and green chutneys
Sweet-sour tamarind and sharp mint-coriander chutneys, drizzled in zigzags over the patty.
Whisked yogurt
Cool, lightly sweet yogurt that balances the spice and ties the other layers together.
The toppings
Chopped onion, coriander, sev and chaat masala, added last for crunch and a sour, savoury finish.
01
What it is made of
The aloo tikki is a simple spiced potato cake, and the chaat is everything poured on top. The patty has to be crisp enough to stay firm under the wet toppings.
- Potato
- Bread crumbs or flour as a binder
- Cumin and coriander
- Tamarind chutney
- Mint chutney
- Yogurt
- Onion and sev
02
How the layers work together
The patty is crisp at the edges and soft in the middle, with a gentle spice. Over it come sweet tamarind, sharp mint, cool yogurt and crunchy sev. The result is a lot like a loaded potato dish, only with chutneys.
03
Where it comes from
Aloo tikki is closely associated with the street food of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, where vendors cook the patties on a large flat griddle and serve them with toppings. Aloo tikki chaat is one of the best-known chaats of North India.
04
Variations and other names
The patty and the toppings vary from vendor to vendor:
- Tikki chole: patties served with a spicy chickpea curry.
- Aloo tikki burger: a patty in a bun, popular in Indian cafes.
- Stuffed tikki: patties filled with spiced lentils or paneer.
- Ragda patties: served with a white pea curry, common in Mumbai.
05
How to eat it
Break the patty with a spoon so the toppings mix in, and take each bite with a little of every layer. Eat it while the patty is hot.
06
Aloo Tikki Chaat at Tapri Chai
Aloo Tikki Chaat is $12.99 CAD on our menu. We make it in a 100% vegetarian kitchen at 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Barrhaven, Ottawa, open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm, closed Mondays.
Questions, answered.
What is Aloo Tikki Chaat made of?
Aloo Tikki Chaat is made of potato, bread crumbs or flour as a binder, cumin and coriander, tamarind chutney, mint chutney, yogurt and onion and sev.
How many layers does Aloo Tikki Chaat have?
Traditionally 5: the aloo tikki, spiced chickpeas, tamarind and green chutneys, whisked yogurt and the toppings.
Is Aloo Tikki Chaat vegetarian?
Yes. The traditional recipe is vegetarian, and every dish at Tapri Chai is vegetarian.
Is Aloo Tikki Chaat spicy?
It is mild to medium. The patty itself has a gentle spice, and the green chutney adds most of the heat.
Where can I try Aloo Tikki Chaat in Ottawa?
At Tapri Chai, 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Barrhaven, Ottawa. Aloo Tikki Chaat is $12.99 CAD on our menu.
At Tapri Chai
Taste it for yourself.
Our kitchen in Barrhaven is 100% vegetarian. 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Ottawa. Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm. Closed Mondays.