170. ragda patties

street food

 I remember my mum and Nunu would make ragda pattis using dry peas or vatana. In India most street food sellers and in most fast food restaurants, the ragda is made from white chickpeas. I prefer the one made from  peas and I like the home version as its not extremely spicy. I hate eating very chilli food. It only helps to clear out my tear glands, get a runny rose and clear the sinuses but am left with a burning tongue and dead taste buds. I would prefer to taste the other spices.I made ragda patties after a long time. Its a dish you don't really want to make for just 2, you want to share it with more. I invited Ajay's mama and his family and served them ragda pattis. Difficult to get this dish ready made in  Mombasa. The very few Indian restaurants stick to the more famous idlis, dosas, pani puri, dahi puri and pav bhaji. Ragda is the pea curry and patties are made of potatoes. This dish is served with chutneys and thin sev, made out of chickpea flour. Some also add potato crisps and chevdo. I bought ready made sev which is readily available in most indian grocery or confectionery shops. Perhaps at a later time I may blog the recipe for home made sev.

RAGDA PATTIES
 12 to 14  servings

 For the ragda :

500g dry yellow or green peas (vatana)
4 tbsps oil
2 cups finely chopped onions
1 tbsp garlic paste
2 tsps ginger paste
1 to 2 tsps green chilli paste
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
½ tsp carom seeds (ajmo, ajwain)
3 tsps salt
1 cup tomato puree
2 tsps garam masala
2 tbsps grated jaggery or brown sugar (gur)
3 tbsps tamarind paste or pulp
5 cups water plus water for soaking and pressure cooking the peas
¼ cup chopped fresh coriander

For the patties : 
makes about 30 to 35 patties

12 medium size potatoes
2½ tsps salt
½ tsp turmeric powder ( haldi)
1 tsp coarse black pepper powder
3 tsps sugar
pinch of asafoetida (hing)
2 tsps ginger paste
1 tsp chilli paste
4 tbsps cornflour
½ cup chopped fresh coriander
2 tbsps lemon juice
¼ tsp clove powder
½ tsp cinnamon powder

Oil for frying and for greasing your hands

To serve :

250 g thin sev
about 2 cups of date chutney
about 2 cups of green chutney

Preparation of the ragda :

1. Soak the peas in warm water for 8 to 10 hours.
2. Wash the peas and put them in a pressure cooker.
3. Add turmeric powder and enough water to cover the peas.
4. Close the lid and pressure cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 whistles.
5. If the peas are not done let it cook further for 2 more whistles.
6. Heat oil in a large pan. When it is hot add mustard, cumin and carom seeds.
7. When they begin to splutter, add the asafoetida and onions. Stir fry the onions till they become light brown in colour.
8. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli paste. Stir fry for 30 seconds or so.
9. Add the cooked peas with any remaining water plus the 5 cups of water and salt.
10. Let the curry simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
11. Add tomato puree, garam masala, jaggery, fresh coriander and tamarind pulp. Mix and let the curry simmer for a further 10 minutes. Switch off the heat and leave the ragda on the side till required.

Preparation of patties :

1. Wash and boil the potatoes.
2. When they are done, drain out the water and let them cool for a while.Don't let them get completely cold.
3. Peel and mash the potatoes. 
4. Add all the remaining ingredients for the patties. Mix the potato mixture very well.
5. Grease a large tray and your hands. 
6. Take about 2 tablespoonful of the potato mixture (or the size of a table tennis ball) and roll it into a ball. Flatten it and shape it into a round flat disc. Put it on the greased tray.
7. Repeat with the remaining potato mixture.
8. Heat the oil for frying in a big wok or karai. Drop a small piece of potato mixture into the oil. If it comes up within a few seconds then the oil is ready.
9. Slowly lower a patti at a time into the hot oil using a slotted or wooden flat spoon. Be careful that the oil does not splatter on your hands.
10. Can fry about 6 to 8 at a time depending on the size of the wok. Let the patties fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
11. Then turn each one and fry till they become golden brown.
12. Put the fried patties in a colander. 

To serve :

1. Heat the ragda if it has become cold.
2. Place 2 patties in a wide bowl or a soup plate. 
3. Pour the ragda over it.
4. Put spoonfuls of both the chutneys.
5. Sprinkle with sev and serve.

Tips :

• A great party dish as everything can be made ahead. Make the chutneys 2 days before. Roll the patties a day ahead and keep it in the fridge. Put it in a greased tin and cover.
• Leftover ragda can be eaten with chevdo and chutneys.
• Can shallow fry the patties if you don't want to deep fry them.
• Instead of garam masala use ready made chole masala.
• If the ragda becomes too thick add a bit of water when you heat it up.
• This recipe is enough for about 8 to 10 people as a main dish, as some may go for 2nd helping. This is just a rough estimate as some may prefer more ragda or more patties.