Kozhi pattice a la Victoria

Victoria's chicken patties

By: Cyrus Todiwala
From: Mr Todiwala's Bombay
Makes: 8-10
Photographer: Helen Cathcart

Simple potato cakes filled with spices and chicken mince are a very common part of the menu in many Parsee and Christian homes and were popular in Irani and Goan restaurants at one time. They are still popular in the small bars dotting ‘older’ Goa. The were traditionally made with leftover chicken, pork, beef or lamb. Victoria is the cook who visits two homes in my sister’s building, cooking for both the families and we simply love her chicken patties, so this is her recipe.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
2-3	waxy potatoes
2-3 tablespoons	sunflower or rapeseed oil
4	red onions, finely chopped
5 cm piece	fresh ginger, very finely chopped
5-6	garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 teaspoon	ground cumin
1 1/5 teaspoon	ground coriander
1 teaspoon	chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon	ground turmeric
100ml	water
1-2	tomatoes, chopped
400g	minced chicken
1-2	green chillies, seeds removed, if liked, and very finely chopped
1 tablespoon	coriander leaves, chopped
1 sprig	mint, leaves picked and chopped
2	white bread slices, crusts removed
	oil, for shallow-frying
	salt, to taste

To serve

Quantity	Ingredient
	mint yoghurt dressing

Method

Peel and cut the potatoes into thick slices wash well and keep soaking in water for 1–2 hours or, even, overnight.
Drain then boil the potatoes in fresh water for 6–10 minutes until just tender. Drain, return to the pan and dry, stirring with a wooden spatula, over a low heat. Mash well or pass through a ricer (ideally). Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and sauté 3–4 minutes, until soft but not brown. Add the ginger, garlic and the ground spices. Stir then add the water and continue cooking until you can see the fat releasing, then add the tomato. Simmer until the tomato is pulpy.
Next stir in the mince and cook, stirring over a low heat until browned and all the grains are separated. Turn up the heat and sauté until the mince is cooked through and dry. Add the green chillies, coriander and mint, stir well and season to taste. Soak the bread slices in a little water and squeeze dry. Beat this well into the mashed potato and check the seasoning.
Divide the potato mixture into 8 or 10 equal-sized balls and divide the mince into the same number of portions.
Flatten a potato ball on the palm of your hand and spoon a portion of the mince in the middle, fold over the potato to encase the mince completely. Form into a thick cake. Repeat with the remaining portions of potato and mince.
Chill any leftover mince to serve another time.
Either griddle or shallow-fry the cakes until golden brown, about 3 minutes each side. You may dust with cornflour before shallow-frying or, even, egg and breadcrumb them then deep-fry.
Parsees and Indian Catholics alike enjoy these with a mint yoghurt dressing or a dollop of tomato ketchup.