Sunday, July 25, 2010

Ragda Patties



I've been meaning to make Ragda patties since forever but somehow it didn't happen till this morning. All charged up since soaking for the ragda last night, I couldn't wait for this morning to come. Does that say how much I love chaat.. The chaat place near my home in India used to deliver at home only after 4 p.m and I was always their first customer calling to place an order on the dot at 4. Me and my brother used to order our usual favorites and I am so glad that itty bitty place is still around and every time I go home, I enjoy my chaat like I never left.Sigh, I so miss home.

Ingredients:

For the Ragda:
3/4th cup white vatana (dried white peas)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida/hing
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Oil

For the patties:

2 cups boiled, peeled and mashed Potatoes
2 tsp cornflour
1/4 tsp Turmeric
Salt to taste
1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste ( I ground 3 green chillies and a small chunk of ginger in the spice mixer)
2 tsp ghee for cooking

Dry Red Masala:
2 tbsp chilli powder
3 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp black salt
1 tbsp salt
Mix together in a bowl

For serving
3/4 cup meetha/sweet chutney
1/3 cup teekha/spicy chutney

4 tsp Wet Garlic chutney (geela lasoon chutney):
1 cup peeled and coarsely chopped garlic
3 tbsp red chilli powder
salt to taste.Makes 3/4 cup.

1 tsp dry red masala (recipe above)
8 tbsp nylon sev (available in the Indian stores)
4 tbsp finely chopped onions

For the garnish:
4 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Method:

For the ragda:
Soak the white peas overnight or at least 6-8 hrs.


Drain the peas and add 2 cups of water.
Pressure cook for 5-6 whistles.

Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
Add the hing, turmeric, peas, salt and 1 cup water and mash the peas lightly, using the back of a spoon.

Simmer for 10 mins or till it thickens and keep aside.

For the patties:
Combine the potatoes, cornflour, turmeric and ginger-green chilli paste and salt in a mixing bowl.Mix well.

Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and shape each into a flat round.


Cook each patties on a griddle using 1/4 tsp ghee till they turn brown on each side.




How to serve:
Place 2 ladles of hot ragda on a plate.
Add 3 tbsp meetha chutney, 1 tbsp teekha chutney.
To that sprinkle 1 tsp lasoon chutney and 1/4 tsp dry red masala and mix lightly.

Flatten 2 patties and place on the ragda mixture.

Sprinkle 2 tbsp sev, i tbsp onions and serve immediately with 1 tsp coriander.


Enjoy !