Ragda Patties - Street Style

Step 1: Prepare White Gram for Ragda

Take 1.5 cups of white gram and soak them overnight to soften nicely. Transfer the soaked gram into a pressure cooker.

Step 2: Add Potatoes and Water

Add two medium-sized raw potatoes, cut into cubes, to the pressure cooker with the gram. Pour in 3 cups of water, ensuring the water level is just above the ingredients.

Step 3: Season and Cook Gram Mixture

Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder to the gram and potato mixture. Mix everything well. Cover the pressure cooker and cook until 4-5 whistles.

Step 4: Check and Mash Cooked Gram

Once cooked, open the pressure cooker and check the gram and potatoes. They should be nicely cooked and mashed. Set this aside.

Step 5: Prepare Ragda Masala Base

In a Kadai, take 1 tablespoon of oil and heat it. Once heated, add 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds, a pinch of asafoetida, 2-3 chopped green chillies, and about 1 tablespoon of finely chopped ginger. Toss everything well for a minute.

Step 6: Sauté Onions and Tomatoes

Add 1 finely chopped onion to the Kadai and toss until it softens. Then, add 1 roughly chopped tomato and toss again until the tomatoes and onions have reduced slightly.

Step 7: Add Dry Spices to Masala

Add about 0.25 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon of coriander powder, 0.5 teaspoon of cumin powder, and 0.25 teaspoon of garam masala. Mix and cook everything well until the masalas are fragrant and the oil separates.

Step 8: Combine with Gram Mixture and Simmer

Pour the boiled gram and potato mixture into the Kadai with the cooked masala. Mix everything thoroughly. The consistency will be thin at this stage, so let it cook on a low-medium flame for at least 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mash and stir to reduce the potatoes further.

Step 9: Finish Ragda

After 6-7 minutes, the ragda should have thickened nicely. Adjust salt to taste, add about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and garnish with 2 tablespoons of fresh coriander. Give it a good mix. Your tempting Ragda is ready.

Step 10: Prepare Potatoes for Tikki

Take 4-5 boiled potatoes. Grate them using the thicker end of a grater. Ensure the potatoes are cooled down before grating to achieve a good texture.

Step 11: Season Tikki Mixture

To the grated potatoes, add 1 teaspoon of salt, 2-3 finely chopped green chillies, 2 teaspoons of crushed ginger and garlic, and about 0.25 teaspoon of turmeric powder. Add 3 tablespoons of cornflour for binding and 2 tablespoons of fresh coriander.

Step 12: Mix and Shape Tikkis

Mix everything well with your hands until all ingredients come together as one. The mixture should be coarse, which is desired. Grease your palms with a little oil, take a lemon-sized portion of the mixture, roll it into a ball, and then flatten it into a round patty shape. Repeat for the remaining mixture.

Step 13: Fry Aloo Tikkis

Heat a large tawa (griddle) and spread 2-3 tablespoons of ghee or oil over it. Once heated, start placing the shaped tikkis onto the tawa, one by one. Leave them undisturbed for the first minute to allow them to set. After a minute, flip them over. Continue cooking and flipping until they are golden brown on both sides. Once cooked, move them to the sides of the tawa to keep them warm.

Step 14: Assemble Ragda Patties

Pour some warm Ragda into the center of the tawa to warm it slightly. Dish out a portion of the warm ragda onto a serving plate. Place a freshly fried Aloo Pattie over the ragda. Top it up again with more ragda.

Step 15: Garnish and Serve

Spread some tamarind chutney and green chutney over the pattie and ragda. Garnish with chopped onions, ginger julians, a sprinkle of chaat masala, fresh coriander, a squeeze of lemon juice, and chopped green chillies. Finally, add some sev. Serve immediately and enjoy the crunchy yet soft and juicy Ragda Patties.

Step 16: Prepare Ragda Chaat (Variation)

To make Ragda Chaat, start with a base of Ragda. Add some green chutney, tamarind chutney, and a generous dollop of thick curd. Top with chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, chopped green chillies, red chilli powder, and cumin powder. Crush a few puris over the top, add sev, and garnish with fresh coriander and pomegranate seeds (optional).

• Soak white gram overnight for best results.

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

• Allow boiled potatoes to cool completely before grating to prevent stickiness and achieve a good texture for the tikkis.

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

• Heat the tawa (griddle) thoroughly before adding ghee and tikkis to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.

• For extra crispy tikkis, move the cooked ones to the cooler sides of the tawa to keep warm while others cook.

• Ragda Chaat: Serve ragda with crushed puris, curd, chutneys, and toppings.

• Ragda Puri: Stuff ragda into puris with desired toppings.