Ragda Patties, and a streetfood indulgence.....

Pardon me, but I am literally drooling and salivating even while writing this post.. No no, am perfectly well, thank you! Ragda Patties,which are soooo much my favourite (call it even my one weakness in food) is making me so... I quietly tucked in two patties even as I was making them, and wish I can have it now, where the chill temperature is kind of pleasant, but still tempting me to eat this street food delight. When Anusha announced her      Street Food event, I jumped right in, having made this recently as a sinful indulgence :-) Great minds think alike, and I was missing these cute spicy patties tooo much to let go without making them. In fact, I remember having the best Ragda Patties not in Mumbai but in my ever so beloved hometown, Bangalore. And at Sukh Sagar  in Jayanagar to be precise (before it donned its new avatar). Come to think of it, even Sourabha Snacks at Jayanagar Shopping Complex (a hole in the wall which made the best masala puri in town) served this yummy dish. Now, am sooo much into the memory of these dishes we used to indulge way back home, they never seemed sinful or fattening ;-) Errr... not literally I mean.. Anyways, Ragda patties needs no introduction to die-hard street foodies, but basically it contains two parts : The tikki (patties) and the Ragda (spicy chickpea/cooked peas gravy).You may use either chickpea or peas for the Ragda.As I had soaked dried peas (Safed Vatana) specifically for this, I used it for the gravy. Without any further delay, let’s indulge...

This goes to Street Food event by Anusha as well as to my event HLI Peas, hosted by Veena as also to Colourful Palate, Valli's Kids Delight, also hosted by Veena. Also to Priya Sreeram hosting Fast Food not Fat Food, event by Priya’s Now serving

Prep time : 10 hours soaking + 30 mins

Cook time : 20 mins

Serves : 4

Ingredients:

A)   Ragda:

• Dry peas – ¾ cup
• Salt – to taste
• Cooking soda – ¼ tsp
• Oil – 4 TBSP
• Gravy ingredients:
• Onions – 2 large
• Tomatoes  - 3 medium – blanched and pureed
• Turmeric – ½ TBSP
• Dry masala (each 1 tsp) : Garam Masala, Chat Masala, Usal Masala, Red Chilli powder, Amchur (dry mango powder)
• Anardana Seeds powder – ½ tsp
• Clove powder – ¼ tsp (or roast and powder 2 /3 cloves)
• Green chillies – 2 finely chopped
• Green Chutney – 2 tsp
• Khajur / Sweet Chutney – 2 tsp
• Kasuri methi – 2 TBSP – crushed
• Garnish : chopped onions, cilantro (coriander) and lime wedges and beaten yoghurt (4–5 TBSP)

B)   Patties:

• Potatoes – 2 large
• Bread slices – 4 (or use ½ cup of bread crumbs)
• Salt – to taste
• Boiled vegetables (Carrots / beans / cauliflower) – ¼ cup (opt.)
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Red Chilli powder – ½ tsp
• Garam Masala – ¾ tsp
• Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
• Coriander leaves – a handful
• Patties Covering:
• Maida / Cornflour – 4 TBSP
• Water – little
• Salt – a dash
• Bread crumbs / Cornmeal / Roasted Sooji – for covering the patties
• Oil – to shallow fry the patties

Method:

A)   Ragda –

1. Soak the dried peas for 10- 12 hours. Drain & Pressure cook with a pinch of cooking soda and little salt for 4 – 5 whistles with adequate water. The peas must be fully cooked but not too mushy. Drain & retain the water used for cooking.
2. In a large pan, add oil. When moderately hot, add chopped onions and fry well. Add salt, turmeric and mix well. Now add the pureed tomatoes, dry masala powders, anardana powder, clove powder, chopped green chillies and give it a nice mix.
3. When the tomatoes are fully mushy, add the cooked peas and half of the water retained. Cover and simmer for 8 mins.
4. Now add the kasuri methi and check for salt / spice and adjust. Ragda is ready.

B)   Patties -

1. Boil, peel and grate potatoes.
2. Trim bread and soak in a shallow plate of water for 20 – 30 seconds. Take out and squeeze well
3. Crumble the bread into the potatoes. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix well and make into equal sized balls.
4. Flatten this potato spice into flat patties. Refrigerate for 10 – 20 mins (you can make the patties before hand or while making the ragda, simultaneously)
5. Heat a shallow frying pan and add about 6 – 8 TBSP of oil.
6. Make a slurry out of the maida / cornflour, salt and water to a flowing consistency.
7. Dip the patties into the slurry and immediately roll them in the outer covering (bread crumbs / roasted sooji / cornmeal)
8. Shallow fry in the hot pan on both sides till done.
9. Drain on absorbent towels and repeat till all patties are fried.

To serve:

1)    Arrange 2 on a plate (if you are as greedy as me, make that 3 or even 4 J)

2)    Spoon in a ladle of the hot ragda. Top with green chutney, sweet chutney, chopped onions, a dash of lime juice, cilantro and a tsp of beaten yoghurt. If also desired, top with a dash of chaat masala and red chilly powder

3)    Serve immediately and indulge your senses to an olfactory explosion J 

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