Ragda Pattice - Street Style

Step 1: Prepare White Gram and Potatoes

Take 1.5 cups of white gram (safed vatana) that has been soaked overnight. Transfer it into a pressure cooker. Add two medium-sized chopped raw potatoes. Add 3 cups of water, ensuring the water level just covers the ingredients. Add 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder. Mix well. Cover the pressure cooker and cook until 4-5 whistles.

Step 2: Check and Mash the Gram Mixture

Once the pressure is released, open the cooker and check. The grams should be cooked and mashed well. Mash the mixture slightly with a ladle to achieve a creamy texture. Set aside.

Step 3: Prepare the Ragda Tempering

In a kadai (wok), heat 1 tbsp of oil. Once heated, add 1 tbsp of cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add a little asafoetida (approx. 1/4 tsp), 2-3 chopped green chillies, and 1 tbsp of finely chopped ginger. Toss everything well for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Step 4: Sauté Onions and Tomatoes

Add 1 finely chopped onion to the kadai and toss until it softens and turns translucent (about 3-4 minutes). Then, add 1 roughly chopped tomato and toss again until it softens and reduces (about 3-5 minutes).

Step 5: Add Spices to Tempering

Add 1/4 tsp of turmeric, 1 tsp of red chilli powder, 1 tsp of coriander powder, 1/2 tsp of cumin powder, and 1/4 tsp of garam masala to the sautéed mixture. Mix and cook everything well for 2-3 minutes until the masalas are fragrant and the oil separates.

Step 6: Combine Ragda and Simmer

Add the boiled white gram and potato mixture to the kadai. Mix and cook. At this stage, the consistency will be thin. Let it cook on a low-medium flame for at least 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mash and stir to further reduce the potatoes and thicken the ragda.

Step 7: Finish Ragda

After 6-7 minutes, the ragda should have thickened nicely. Adjust salt by adding about 1/2 tsp more if needed. Squeeze in some lemon juice (approx. 1 tbsp) and sprinkle with fresh coriander (approx. 1 tbsp). Give it a good mix. Your tempting ragda is ready. Set it aside to rest while preparing the patties.

Step 8: Prepare Potato Patties (Tikky)

Take 4-5 boiled potatoes. Grate them using the thicker end of a grater. Ensure the potatoes are cooled down before grating to prevent stickiness. Add 1 tsp of salt, 2-3 finely chopped green chillies, 2 tsp of crushed ginger and garlic, a bit of turmeric powder (approx. 1/4 tsp), and 3 tbsp of cornflour for binding. Add fresh coriander (approx. 1 tbsp).

Step 9: Mix and Shape Patties

Mix everything well with your hands until it comes together as one mixture. The mixture should be coarse, not entirely like a smooth dough. Grease your palms with oil or ghee, take a lemon-sized portion of the mixture, roll it into a roundel, and then flatten it gently to form a patty. Repeat for the remaining mixture. If the patties feel moist, you can dust them with a little cornflour.

Step 10: Fry the Patties

Heat a large tawa (griddle) and spread 2-3 tbsp of ghee or oil over it. Once heated, start placing the patties one by one towards the center. Leave them undisturbed for the first minute to allow them to set. After a minute, you can start flipping them. They should start getting a golden brown color. Continue flipping and cooking until both sides are golden brown and crispy. You can place the cooked patties on the sides of the tawa to keep them warm while cooking the rest.

Step 11: Assemble Ragda Pattice

Dish out a portion of the warm ragda onto a serving plate. Place 1-2 hot patties over the ragda. Top it up again with some ragda. Spread tamarind chutney and green chutney over the patties. Garnish with chopped onions, ginger julians, chaat masala, fresh coriander, a squeeze of lemon juice, and chopped green chillies. Finally, sprinkle with sev. Serve immediately and enjoy the crunchy, soft, and juicy Ragda Pattice!

• Do not add too much water when pressure cooking the white gram and potatoes; the water level should just cover the ingredients.

• Allow boiled potatoes to cool completely before grating to ensure a good texture for the patties.

• If the tikki mixture feels too moist, dust with a little extra cornflour.

• Heat the tawa (griddle) well before placing the patties to prevent sticking and achieve a crispy exterior.

• For extra crispiness, press the patties gently with a spatula while frying.

• Serve as Ragda Chat by adding thick curd, crushed puris, pomegranate seeds, and extra chutneys.

• Serve as Ragda Puri by stuffing the ragda into puris and topping with garnishes.