Celebrate the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus with Red Heart Tikkis

Velany Rodrigues shares an Indian recipe for vegetable patties that can be made in the shape of a heart for all kinds of celebrations. Download our printable recipe card!

[Editor's Note: Today is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and as a solemnity is not a Meatless Friday.]

I first stumbled upon these heart-shaped beetroot patties at the hospital canteen when I was expecting my second child. Needing the hemoglobin boost, I tried one and was surprised at how delicious it was!

When I make these at home, I keep the spices to a minimum because after some experimentation, I’ve found that my family loves the taste of these tikkis with just a lil’ pinch of turmeric.

(Tikki is the Indian word for a vegetable patty made from a mixture of mashed potato, veggies, and spices.)

Red Heart Tikkis

Yield: 15-18 small heart-shaped tikkis

Ingredients

2 medium beets, peeled
1 medium carrot, peeled
6 medium potatoes, peeled
½ tsp turmeric powder
Semolina or breadcrumbs, for coating
Vegetable oil, for frying
Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Cube and boil the potatoes till they are fork-tender. Once done, drain and mash them with a potato masher. Set aside in a large bowl.
2. Grate the carrots and beets. Using a muslin cloth or a fine-mesh strainer, drain the juices from the grated carrots and beets. This is important to ensure we don’t end up with a sticky patty mix.
3. Add in the grated and drained carrots and beets to the potato mash.
4. Tip in turmeric powder and salt, and mix well till you get a uniform dough.
5. Shape the dough into heart-shaped patties. A cookie cutter works well here.
6. Coat the patties on both sides with semolina or breadcrumbs.
7. Heat oil in a shallow pan and fry the patties till they are golden brown. The red color from the beets will come through as you cool them down on a tissue-lined tray.
8. Serve them with lunch, between breads, or with a dip of your choice.

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Copyright 2026 Velany Rodrigues
Images: copyright 2026 Velany Rodrigues, all rights reserved.