One of Mumbai’s most popular street food pairings is crispy, golden potato patties paired with a creamy white-pea curry, ragda pattice. The ragda pattice recipe is a blend of various textures and tastes, including soft ragda, crunchy pattice, tangy chutneys, and fresh toppings, all vying for attention on the plate. It’s substantial enough to be a meal, but light enough to be a street food item. It might seem complicated when put together, but the pieces are easy to make and a lot of the fun is in stacking them up just before serving.
What Is Ragda Pattice?
Ragda pattice is a popular street food item in Maharashtra, especially Mumbai, India. Ragda is a thick curry with mild spices, made from dried white peas, and pattice are potato patties that are shallow fried or pan fried. The potato cakes are then served on a plate and topped with hot ragda, sweet tamarind chutney, spicy green chutney, chopped onion, cilantro and sometimes sev. The outcome is soft, creamy, crispy, sweet, sour, spicy, and savory. It is often served as a snack or light meal and is particularly popular at street food stalls and informal restaurants.
Origin and History
Ragda pattice emerged from the rich street food culture of Mumbai and Maharashtra, where affordable ingredients were turned into satisfying dishes for the hustle and bustle of the city. Patties made from potato and dried peas were cheap, and chutneys and fresh toppings were added to provide flavour without adding much to the price. These elements were combined in the familiar food that is eaten today in Mumbai, the street-food capital of India. Eventually, ragda pattice gained popularity beyond Maharashtra and across India. Today, it’s served at street food stalls, restaurants, festivals and home kitchens, and often garnished with spices and toppings to suit the cook’s taste.
Are you a fan of Indian snacks? Then you may also like our dahi puri recipe, jhal muri recipe, pani puri recipe, litti chokha recipe,
Ragda Pattice Recipe Variations
The basic structure of ragda pattice is the same, but the toppings and seasonings may differ significantly. The Mumbai style is usually made with soft potato pattice topped with white-pea ragda and sweet tamarind chutney and spicy green chutney. On top are chopped onion, cilantro, sev and sometimes pomegranate seeds or other spices.
Some cooks add more water to the ragda to make it thinner and more soup-like, while others add less water to make the ragda thicker and coat the potato patties. The pattice may also vary, some are very smooth and soft inside, others are made with breadcrumbs or a small amount of cornstarch to make the crust firmer.
The potato patties, chickpeas, peas, chutneys and crunchy toppings are found in many other Indian chaat dishes. For instance, potato patties with chickpeas and chutneys are used in aloo tikki chaat, but the curry is different. Ragda pattice is unique because of its white-pea ragda and the method of spooning the hot curry directly over the potato cakes.
Why Ragda Pattice Became So Popular?
Ragda pattice shares many of the attributes of Indian street food: low cost, large portions, strong flavors, and ample opportunity for customization. Dried white peas and potatoes are cheap staples, but surprisingly satisfying when served with chutneys and crunchy toppings. There is also a contrast of textures in almost every bite of the dish, ranging from creamy ragda, soft potato to crisp sev and fresh onion. It was also very adaptable and could be easily transferred from street stalls to home kitchens. Ragda pattice is now popular as a snack and a big meal in the form of a chaat all over India.
Traditional Serving Customs
Ragda pattice is prepared just before serving, typically on a shallow plate or bowl. A good ladle of hot ragda is served under two or more potato patties, followed by sweet tamarind chutney and green coriander-mint chutney. Onion, fresh cilantro, sev and spices are often sprinkled on top. A few versions also get a spoonful of yogurt. It is typically served with a spoon, not bread or rice. Ragda pattice is particularly popular as a street food snack for the afternoon or evening, but the potatoes and peas make it a substantial meal.
Preparation Tips
- Soak the dried white peas thoroughly so they cook evenly.
- Cook the peas until completely tender; ragda should be soft rather than firm.
- Keep the ragda slightly loose because it thickens as it cools.
- Use starchy potatoes for patties that hold together well.
- Chill the mashed potatoes if the mixture feels too soft.
- Don’t make the pattice excessively thick, or the center may remain soft.
- Prepare the chutneys ahead of time to make assembly easier.
- Add sev only immediately before eating so it stays crunchy.
Serving Tips
Ragda pattice is best enjoyed hot and freshly made, when the heat of the ragda, the crispness of the potato patties, the coolness of the chutneys and the crunchiness of the toppings are at their best. For the classic sweet-sour-spicy balance, use both sweet tamarind chutney and green chutney. Onion and cilantro are finely chopped for freshness and sev for the crunch. Adding a pinch of chaat masala or roasted cumin powder can add a punch to the taste. Some versions include yogurt as an optional but popular ingredient. Ragda pattice is not usually made ahead of time as the toppings melt easily. It’s best enjoyed with a glass of cold lassi.
Keep the rags and potato patties in separate containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat the ragda on the stove and toast the patties in a pan or oven. Separate chutneys and sev until serving. The assembled dish is not very good at storing as the toppings tend to get soggy.
A Few Things You May Need
Pressure Cooker
Frying Pan
Mortar & Pestle
Ragda Pattice Recipe
In this article, we'll introduce you to the traditional ragda pattice recipe and teach you everything there is to know about this delicious Indian snack.
Ingredients
For the Ragda
- 250 g (1¼ cups) dried white peas
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 green chili, finely chopped
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 750 ml (3 cups) water, approximately
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
For the Pattice
- 750 g (1¾ lb) potatoes
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp chaat masala
- Salt to taste
- 2–3 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
For Serving
- Sweet tamarind chutney
- Green coriander-mint chutney
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Sev
- Chaat masala
- Optional: plain yogurt
- Optional: pomegranate seeds
Instructions
Make the Ragda
1. Soak the dried white peas in plenty of water for 8 hours or overnight.
2. Drain and rinse the peas.
3. Place them in a pressure cooker or large pot with fresh water and a little salt.
4. Cook until the peas are extremely tender and easily mashable.
5. Heat oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion until softened.
6. Add ginger, garlic, and green chili and cook briefly.
7. Add tomatoes, turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, and garam masala.
8. Cook until the tomatoes soften, and the spices become fragrant.
9. Add the cooked peas and some of their cooking liquid.
10. Mash a portion of the peas with the back of a spoon to thicken the ragda.
11. Simmer until creamy but still loose enough to spoon over the pattice.
12. Stir in fresh cilantro and adjust the seasoning.
Make the Pattice
13. Boil the potatoes until completely tender.
14. Peel and mash them while still warm.
15. Mix with cornstarch, cumin, chili powder, chaat masala, and salt.
16. Divide the mixture into equal portions and shape into flat round patties.
17. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
18. Cook the patties on both sides until golden brown and crisp.
Assemble
19. Place two potato patties on each serving plate.
20. Spoon hot ragda generously over them.
21. Drizzle with tamarind chutney and green chutney.
22. Add chopped onion and cilantro.
23. Sprinkle with chaat masala and a generous handful of sev.
24. Add yogurt or pomegranate seeds if desired and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 portionAmount Per Serving: Calories: 410Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.1gUnsaturated Fat: 9.9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 620mgCarbohydrates: 65gNet Carbohydrates: 53gFiber: 12gSugar: 9gSugar Alcohols: 0gProtein: 13g
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