Indian Chole Aloo Tikki

Step 1
Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and peel.

Step 2
Place cooked potatoes into a bowl and add cornstarch, ginger, cumin, cayenne, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Mash together with a fork. Oil your hands with a little vegetable oil and divide the potato mixture into 4 equal portions. Pat each portion into a potato patty about 1/3-inch thick.

Step 3
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry potato cakes until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Step 4
Grind peppercorns and cloves with a mortar and pestle.

Step 5
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in red chile peppers, cumin, bay leaves. Add onion, ginger, and garlic. Cook and stir until onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Add pepper-clove mixture, curry powder, and turmeric.

Step 6
Mix tomato paste with water. Stir diluted tomato paste and tomato into the skillet. Cook over medium heat until the tomato has softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chickpeas and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.

Step 7
Spoon chickpea sauce over the potato cakes and sprinkle with cilantro leaves.