These Matar (pea) cheese tikkis are small bite sized appetizer made of a delicious pea mixture with melted cheese inside. The pea mixture has delicious flavors from Indian spices, ginger and chili. These are perfect appetizers for get togethers and parties. The spiciness from the pea mixture pairs so well with the cheese. They are so easy to make and you can prep them from before hand. Its a perfect finger food recipe that adults and even kids love! Cheese and peas go well together and giving it an Indian twist is so good! The pickled onions on top give it a delicious tangy flavor.

Happy Cooking!

Servings: 10-12 small tikkis

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 20-30 mis

Time taken: 30-40 mins

Ingredients: 

• 180g Green Peas

• 2 tbsp Onion cut in pieces

• 1.5-2 inch Ginger cut in pieces

• 1-2 small Green chili (depending on the spice you like)

• 1.5 tbsp ghee 

• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds 

• 1/2 tsp Nigella seeds

• 1 tbsp Chickpea flour

• 1/2 tsp Hing powder

• 1/2 tsp Red Chili powder

• 1/2 tsp Coriander powder

• 1/2 tsp Cumin power

• 1/8 tsp garam masala

• 1/8 tsp amchur powder

• 10-12 - 1 inch mozzarella or Amul Cheese cubes

To serve and garnish:

• Pickled onions

• Coriander-yogurt chutney

• Ketchup

• Spicy garlic dipping sauce
   

Directions: 

1. If you are using fresh green Beas, boil them till soft and strain. If you are using frozen green peas, thaw and strain.

2. In a food processor, add peas, ginger, onions and green chili and grind to a smooth paste with no lumps.

3. In a pan add ghee and when warm add cumin and nigella seeds. Let it crackle.

4. Turn the heat on low and add the red chili powder, hing powder, chickpea flour, cumin powder, garam masala and amchur powdered cook for 1 minute stirring continuously. Make sure not to burn the spices and this helps remove the raw taste of the chickpea flour.

5. Add the ground paste and mix well.

6. Turn the flame to medium and keep cooking the mixture till it thickens. You would need to cook for 5-8 minutes till it holds it’s shape.

7. Let the mixture cool till it’s easy to handle.

8. Divide the mixture into 10-12 divisions.

9. Flatten a piece and put a piece of the cheese cube in the middle. Close the cheese cube with the pea mixture, enclosing it.

10. Put a griddle on medium heat and put some oil on it.

11. Place the tikkis on the middle and cook. Flip over till both sides are well cooked and brown.

12. I like to cut the pickled onions into smaller pieces for the tikkis. Top with pickled onions.

13. Serve with coriander yogurt chutney or ketchup.

Notes/Tips:

• Make sure the pea mixture cooks well so its malleable and can be shaped.

• You can make the tikkis from before and cook before serving. Keep in the fridge and take it out 10-15 mins before before cooking to thaw.

• It stays well in the fridge for 2 days and freezer for 2-3 months.

• Mozzarella cheese gives the best cheese pulls!

• Ghee gives it an amazing flavor so don’t skip that!