Dimer alur chop – Bangladeshi potato and egg croquettes

Name: Dimer alur chop – Bangladeshi potato and egg croquettes
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 3 large eggs; 3 large floury potatoes, such as Desiree or Maris Piper; 2 tbsp of oil; 1 tsp panch poran, (Bengali five spice); 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper, crushed; 2 green chillies, finely chopped; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp chilli powder; 1/2 tsp garam masala; 1/4 tsp ground turmeric; 2 tbsp of chopped coriander; 8 Rich tea biscuits; 75g of fresh breadcrumbs; 50g of plain flour; 2 large eggs; vegetable oil, for deep-frying

by Dina Begum

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Snack
easy
12
60 minutes

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Dina Begum shares her recipe for dimer alur chop; a spiced potato and egg croquette. A popular street food in Bangladesh served with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and chilli sauce. You can make up a big batch in advance, then deep-fry before serving. Although better fried fresh, they can be reheated in the oven– do not use a microwave, as the boiled egg might explode!

First published in 2020

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Growing up, aloo chops or potato croquettes were always on our teatime table - a quintessential Bangladeshi nasta, or snack item. Sometimes the golden, crispy exterior encased a simple spiced potato mixture, sometimes the potato revealed minced lamb or fish and, quite often, a wedge of hard-boiled egg. The egg version is in my opinion the most versatile and perfect as a light bite.

The coating mixture is a little different here with the addition of rich tea biscuits – something I learned from my aunt, who’d picked up the tip from a visit to Bangladesh. You really don’t taste any sweetness but rich tea biscuits do add a deliciously smooth shell in terms of texture. Serve your aloo chops with ketchup or a chilli dipping sauce as a starter, or for afternoon tea the Bangladeshi way – with a cup of spiced dhood cha (spiced milk tea).

Ingredients

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Imperial

For the potato base

3 large eggs
3 large floury potatoes, such as Desiree or Maris Piper
2 tbsp of oil
1 tsp panch poran, (Bengali five spice)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, crushed
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp of chopped coriander

For the coating

8 Rich tea biscuits
75g of fresh breadcrumbs
50g of plain flour
2 large eggs
vegetable oil, for deep-frying

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Method

Peel and chop the potatoes into large chunks and place in a saucepan along with the 3 eggs. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil, then simmer on medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Check on the potatoes and make sure they are cooked through by piercing with a fork. Continue to cook a couple of extra minutes if the potatoes aren’t cooked through

Take off the heat, rinse with cold water and drain in a colander. Remove the potato chunks and transfer to a mixing bowl and mash thoroughly

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the panch phoron. Stir for 5 seconds until the spices pop, then add the garlic and onions. Stir in the salt, pepper and the green chillies. Sauté until the onions are soft and translucent – around 3 minutes

Add the ground spices and cook for a minute, then add the mashed potato. Mix everything together until well combined and add the chopped coriander. Check the seasoning at this point and adjust if necessary. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow to cool for 10–15 minutes

While the potato mixture is cooling, peel the hardboiled eggs. Quarter them lengthways so that you have four equal wedges for each egg. Set aside

Prepare the coating mixture by blitzing the biscuits in a food processor until you have fine crumbs, then transfer to a deep dish. Mix in the breadcrumbs and set aside

Next, whisk the eggs in a bowl. Place the flour on a separate plate and line these all up ready to begin to assembling your aloo chops

To make the aloo chops, divide your mixture into 12 even portions. Roll each into an oval shape and make a hollow in the centre. Add a wedge of hard-boiled egg and close up with the mixture, making sure the egg is fully covered, then gently form into a barrel shape. Place on a baking sheet and continue preparing the rest of the croquettes

Roll each aloo chop in flour, shake off any excess and dip into the egg, ensuring you have coated it all over, then roll in the biscuit and breadcrumb mix

Heat the oil in a wok or karai over a medium-high heat – you want it to be about 7cm in depth. Fry the aloo chop in batches, turning once or twice, for 2–3 minutes, until golden all over. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and drain on kitchen paper. Serve hot, with lime wedges and chilli sauce

First published in 2020

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Dina Begum

Dina Begum a cookbook author and writer who is passionate about highlighting the recipes and food traditions of Bangladesh.

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