Recipe- Popular Street Food Ragda Patties

Ragda Patties is popular street food from the state of Maharashtra and Gujarat in India.

Potato patties are served with a spicy white pea curry and garnished with chutneys, cilantro and sev! The first time I heard about ragda patties was from my friend Deepa who is from Maharashtra.

She made ragda patties for my birthday party when I used to live in Scotland.

I had not heard of this dish before. A similar counterpart- aloo tikki and chole is pretty popular in northern India.

But Ragda Patties was new to me. I remember being very excited about the dish while Deepa was making it.

Thank you Deepa for making them for me and introducing me to this wonderful dish.

Ingredients

1.5 cups dried white peas (safed matar), 300 grams, soaked in 4 cups water overnight
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
4 cups water 32 oz
1 tablespoon oil 15 ml
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon hing asafoetida
4-5 large garlic cloves crushed using mortar-pestle
1.5 inch ginger crushed using mortar-pestle
1-2 green chilies crushed using mortar-pestle
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
2 teaspoons jaggery powder
2 teaspoons tamarind paste
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
3-4 medium potatoes around 650 grams
3/4 cup poha (flattened rice), soaked for 5-10 minutes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1-2 green chili finely chopped
1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
3-4 tablespoons oil to fry the patties, I used vegetable oil to fry the patties
cilantro chutney to garnish
sweet tamarind chutney to garnish
chopped onion to garnish
chopped tomato to garnish
chopped cilantro to garnish
nylon sev to garnish
chaat masala, kala namak (black salt), cumin powder to sprinkle on top

Method

* Soak dried white peas (white matar) overnight in enough water. In the morning, drain the water and transfer the soaked peas to pressure cooker.

* Pressure cook with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 4 cups of water for 2 whistles on high heat.
* Then lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more. Let the pressure release on its own. I like the peas to be soft for this recipe. If you want them firm, pressure cook for little less time.

* If using an Instant Pot: do high pressure for 20 minutes with natural pressure release.

* Once the pressure releases naturally, open the cooker and mash some of the peas with a potato masher or using the back of your spoon. Set it to simmer on low while you make the tempering.

* To make the tempering for the ragda, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds.

* Let them sizzle for few seconds and then add hing.

* Then add the crushed ginger-garlic-green chili. Saute for 1 minutes until it starts changing color.

* Then add the coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder.

* Also add 2 tablespoons of water along with so that the spices don't burn. Cook the spices for 30 seconds and then transfer the tempering to the simmering ragda.

* Also add the jaggery powder, tamarind paste and 1/2 teaspoon more salt (adjust to taste).

* Mix and let the ragda (peas curry) come to a slow boil. Turn off the heat.

* The curry is now done. Set it aside.