Mumbai special - Ragda Pattice

Aaji's Thaali Mumbai special - Ragda Pattice 

Ragda Pattice! This Indian dish is extremely popular in the financial capital of the country - Mumbai ( Bombay). Another version of it called Chole Tikki is popular in North India. This type of food is categorized as  Chaat/ Street food/ Common man's food because of the usage of easy-to-get ingredients. For most tastebuds outside India, this is exotic both to look at and in terms of the flavours. There are multiple layers to this dish and most chefs have different techniques to make and then to dress up this delicacy.

My version is a stress-free one which allows you to mingle with your guests without being in the kitchen constantly. Two out of three elements can be made in advance. The pattice too can be made hours before and then everything can be assembled when the guests arrive. Assembling doesn't take more than 8 minutes when you have everything ready.

This dish suits both the vegetarians as well as the non-vegetarians because of the myriad flavours it has. In itself, it is a filling dish and can easily be served as a main course dish along with yet another dish like Biryani for a party of four.

I have made this over and over again for friends and colleagues.  Everyone who has had it has enjoyed it so I figured this site would be a good way for me to share this recipe with not just my friends but also all of you.

It might seem complicated as you read it and it might look like it has many elements but like I mentioned earlier most of these elements can be made in advance and then put together when you want to eat. So, let's start! Here's the grocery list you will need to make this delicacy.

Indian store shopping list -                                                                           
Tamarind paste
Green Chilies
Coriander
Mint
Jaggery
Cumin seeds
Cumin-corriander powder
Dessicated Coconut
Haldiram's Plain Shev
Yellow peas
Mustard seeds
Asafoetida
Turmeric powder
Mild red chili powder
Rice Flour


Regular shopping list -
Dates
Potatoes
Salt
Yoghurt
Pomegranate
Regular Onions
Red onions
Lemons
Tomatoes
Olive oil
Sunflower oil

Now that you have all the groceries let's start cooking! 

Step 1
Make chutney. 
What is a chutney? Chutney is a thin paste, almost like a sauce that is used as an accompaniment to add flavour to something that could be bland in itself. For eg. In South Indian cuisine, Dosas (a type of a rice pancake) have Red/coconut chutney. The Bombay chaat,  Shev Batata Puri also needs chutney. You can find the recipe for this delicacy here. Many people make two different chutneys for their ragda pattice. One is sweet and the other is pungent but I make just one because it's easier to store and convenient to make.

Method:
Take a  small bunch of coriander leaves (15 grams), wash them well, drain them and then chop them.

Soak 2 cms of tamarind paste in 3 tablespoon warm water  for 20 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind to extract all juices. Discard any stringy pulp and use the water.

Take 8 mint leaves and tear them up.

Now, in a wet grinder add the above, along with 4 seedless Dates (pre-soaked  for 20 minutes in warm water), one teaspoon Cumin seeds and one tablespoon Jaggery (available at a Thai or Indian store).

Now comes the important part - green chilies. These can be fiery and if you are not used to working with them, please exercise caution. If you have bought these chilies from an Indian/Thai/ Indonesian store, they are going to be pungent so chop 2 of them and put them in the grinder. Before you do anything else, stop and wash your hands with soap and warm water and then dry them before you continue.

Next, add half a tablespoon of desiccated coconut. This is optional but it gives a great flavour to the chutney and this multi-purpose chutney is not only great for this dish but also other dishes that I will cover  later like Dosas, Fried Idli etc.

Now, add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon olive oil and 7 tablespoon water and grind. Make sure it's fine ( a sauce consistency) without any bits and pieces of dates remaining. Add more water if it's too thick. You should have a consistency that is easy to pour but not too watery. Taste this chutney and if you find it less pungent, add another chili. Same goes for salt. Taste and then decide if you need any more. It is always better to add less at the start and then slowly add more based on your personal preference.

Store it in a glass container or box and refrigerate it if you are making it a day in advance. 
This chutney can also be frozen so if you don't intend using it for over two days after making it, then please freeze it as soon as you make it. 

Step 2
Ragda 
I use whole Yellow Peas for this. You can find them at an Indian/Asian store in your area.

Take two cups of these Yellow Peas and soak them overnight in water.

The next morning, rinse them and pressure cook them with a bit of salt till they are soft.

Now in a vessel, you add a tablespoon oil. I use sunflower but you can also use olive oil if you prefer.

Now when the oil is favourably hot, you add a teaspoon each of mustard and cumin seeds.

Next add, one-fourth teaspoon of Asafoetida. This is a spice that is used to reduce flatulence. In this case given that you are using potatoes and Yellow Peas, it is advisable.

Now add one sliced onion and  fry it till the onion gets transparent and begins to turn slightly brown.

Add the peas next along with 1 teaspoon turmeric powder and  1 teaspoon red chili powder -mild ( we have used Chilies in our chutney so please use this to suit your comfort levels).

Next add two and a half glasses of  water and salt.

Cover this and let the yellow peas cook for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, take off the cover and check the peas. You should be able to mash them with the back of your spatula. If you can do that, you are done. Add salt. I never add more than a teaspoon. Since it's going to be all layered and everything has a little bit of salt, it's just better to keep it at one teaspoon. It's your choice, of course. Take it off the heat. Keep this Ragda at the side.

Again, this can be refrigerated if you do not intend using it on the same day  and also frozen if you intend using it later. 

Step 3
Pattice
This is by far the easiest part and something most of us have made atleast once.
We get several kinds of potatoes in Holland. I generally prefer to use a mix of Kruimig  and Vastkokend which is essentially a mix of potatoes grown for mashing and potatoes used for stir frying. I find using just kruimig makes my pattice too creamy and difficult to set into pattice.

So, take 6 big potatoes and boil them.

After they are cool enough to handle, peel and put them in a big bowl.

Add one teaspoon salt, a pinch of Asafoetida, a pinch of red chili powder, a teaspoon of cumin-coriander powder and a teaspoon of lemon juice.

Mash the whole mix.

Now, add a tablespoon of rice flour to this mix and mix well again.

Clean your hands and oil them.

Next, make flat pattice out of this mix. You can make them in the size you are comfortable with. Make sure they are flat enough without being too thin or too thick.

Now place them in a plate, cover with a cling film and refrigerate them till you are ready to use later in the day.

Step 4
Frying
An hour before you want to serve  Ragda Pattice, take a plate and add some rice flour on it.

Potato pattice being shallow fried on a low flame

Coat all the pattice with this flour on both sides and then shallow fry them.

You can also choose to fry them in advance and then warm them in a preheated oven before you are ready to serve them.

Alternately, you can keep them in their fried form in the same pan and then simply heat the pan on low, fifteen minutes before you start assembling.


Step 5
Garnish
Chop one big red onion roughly (small slices/pieces), one big tomato into small blocks, chop a small bunch of coriander leaves finely and cut a lemon into two. Keep them ready on a plate.

Take a bowl and add half a cup of thick yoghurt to this. Add a tablespoon of Cumin powder, half teaspoon of sugar and some salt and mix well.

Break open a pomegranate and take out some seeds for garnish. Keep them in a bowl. Alternately, you can buy a small box of seeds from the fruit store if you don't want to bother peeling or don't have the extra time.

Open the bag of Haldiram's Plain Thin Shev

Step 6
Assembling
Take a deep broad plate.

Add two pattice.

Now, add the ragda and its curry over these pattice. Not too much. About 4 tablespoons in total. The pattice should be moist, not completely drowning in them.

Now, you have to work quickly.
Sprinkle over this, a teaspoon each of of chopped onions, tomatoes and coriander. Now, add a tablespoon of chutney over it and squeeze some lime juice.

 Put some  Haldiram's Plain Shev on top.

Then add a teaspoon of the spiced yoghurt.

Garnish with the Pomegranate seeds and serve!

Enjoy Ragda Pattice!