Ragada Patties

 

Ragda patties is a popular Indian fast food or snack which forms part of the famous street food of Mumbai, India. This snack is usually served at fast food restaurants that offer Indian fast food along with other dishes available through the day

Ingredients:
For Ragda (White Peas Curry):
1½ cups dried Green or White Peas, soaked overnight
1 large Onion, finely chopped
1 large Onion, finely chopped
2 large Tomato, finely chopped
1 tsp Ginger Paste or 1 heaped tsp grated fresh Ginger
3-4 Green Chillies, finely chopped (as per taste)
1½ tsp Tamarind Paste or 1 large marble sized Tamarind Pulp soaked in ¼ cup of hot water and juice extracted
½ tbsp Jaggey (Optional but recommended)
2-3 heaped tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Spices Used for Ragda:
½ tsp Haldi/Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Dhania/Coriander Powder
½ tsp Jeera/Cumin Powder
½ tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder/Paprika
1 tsp Garam Masala

For Tadka/Tempering:
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
½ tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
Few Curry Leaves (Optional)
¼ tsp Hing/Asafoetida
1 tbsp Oil

For Patties (Potato patties):
3 large Potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
½ - ¾ cup Bread Crumbs (read notes)
1 heaped tbsp Corn Flour
Salt to taste
Oil for shallow/pan frying

Spiced Used for Patties:
½ tsp Haldi/Turmeric Powder
½ tsp Dhania/Coriander Powder
½ tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder/Paprika
½ tsp Garam Masala (Optional)

Other Ingredients Need:
½ - 1 cup Sweet Date and Tamarind Chutney
½ - 1 cup Green Coriander and Mint Chutney
1 cup Sev/Deep fried crunchy gram flour noodles (easily available in any Indian grocery store)
1 cup Onion, finely chopped
1 cup Tomato, finely chopped
½ - ¾ cup Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
Lime wedges

Method:

Prepare the Ragda (Peas Curry):

    Pressure cook soaked white/green peas with enough water (approx 3 – 3½ cups) and a pinch of turmeric powder for about 10-12 minutes or 2 whistles on high flame. Reduce the flame to low and let it cook for another 7-10 minutes. The peas should be cooked thorough, soft to touch and should mash easily when pressed between a thumb and index finger. Let the pressure release completely before opening the lid. Keep it in side until needed.
    Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds to it. When mustard starts to crackle and pop, add cumin seeds, hing and curry leaves. Saute for few seconds till cumin seeds too crackle and change colour.
    Add finely chopped onions and sauté until the edges starts to brown, about 2 minutes, on medium flame.
    Mix in ginger paste, finely chopped green chillies and cook till the raw smell disappears, about 1 minute.
    Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder and garam masala and cook them for few seconds. Make sure that you don’t burn the spices as they will impart bitter taste to the gravy!
    Next add finely chopped tomatoes and cook them till they turn pulpy and release their juice, about 3 minutes.
    Add cooked peas, jaggery and salt to taste and mix them well. Pour in about 1-1½ cups of water and mix them well. Cover the lid and let it cook for 7-8 minutes.
    Remove the lid and add tamarind paste. Mash the peas roughly with the back of the ladle. Add little water if you find the gravy too thick and also adjust the seasoning as per taste. Let it cook for 5 more minutes for all the flavours to blend well.
    Turn off the gas and mix in finely chopped coriander leavers. Keep it aside until needed.

Prepare the Patties:

    You can cook the potatoes on previous night if you are short of time and keep it ready for the patties. Make sure that the potatoes are cooked through by testing by inserting a knife. The knife should cut through easily. The best patties are made when potatoes are cooked thoroughly. Let them cool slightly before peeling them. Please don’t dump the potatoes in a bowl of cold water to cool them fast as it will make the potatoes soggy!
    Peel the skin when they cool enough to handle and mash them thoroughly. Make sure that they are lump free!
    Take the mashed potatoes in a large bowl and mix in bread crumbs, corn flour, all the spice powders listed above and salt to taste. Mix them well so that all the spice powders and other ingredients are distributed uniformly.
    Pinch medium lemon sized mashed potato and rolls them into round balls using palms. Press them gently and shape them in to circles or ovals (about 1 inch thick) as shown in the photograph. Place them in a large plate until needed.
    To shallow fry or pan fry these patties, heat about a tbsp of oil in a tawa/griddle and arrange 5-7 patties in a single row. Add about 1 tsp of oil for each patty and cook them on medium to low flame till the side turns golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip them gently to other side and cook it for another minute or two by drizzling little oil.
    Repeat for the same for remaining patties and place them in a plate lined with paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Alternatively you can bake them in an oven at 170 deg C for about 15 minutes, flipping it once in between to cook on both the sides.

Ragda Patties Method:

    Place 2-3 Patties in an individual serving plates or bowls. Pour 1½ - 2 ladleful of hot Ragda on top.
    Drizzle a tsp or two of sweet date and tamarind chutney and spicy mint and coriander chutney.
    Next add about 1 tbsp of finely chopped onion, tomato and coriander leaves and top it with a spoonful of crispy sev.
    Serve this absolutely delicious Ragda Patties hot with lime wedges and just enjoy every spoonful of sweet, spicy, and spicy goodness playing magic on your taste buds!