Ragda Patties

           Who would have thought that fast food could be healthy and taste this good? Ragda Patties is now on my 'love it' list. It is easy to make, tastes good, kids love it and it's healthy. Is it even real you ask? It is. I remember eating this first years back in Wadala Mumbai, made lovingly by a Gujju neighbor. After that I didn't get to taste this or make this until recently. I have often seen recipes of Ragda patties in many blogs and my friend makes this on a regular basis. I had in my memory the glorious first time experience in Mumbai. With that in mind, I decided to go with the flow and make it to suit my family's taste. It is quite a filling dish and although it is usually served as a snack food. It makes for a great dinner too.

Ragda Patties
Ingredients:
Ragda:
White vatana/ pigeon peas dried whole yellow peas 2cups
onion     1 big
cumin-corinader powder 1 1/2 tsps
turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
chilli powder   1 tsp
salt to taste
jaggery  1/2 tsp
Oil  1 tsp

Patties:
potatoes  3 big
3 slices of whole wheat bread
salt to taste
Oil for shallow frying


Condiments:(store bought)
Tamarind-date chutney 1/2 cup
green chilli chutney    2 tbsps or per taste
garlic chutney (optional)/tomato-mint chutney as needed
fine sev for crunch  1/2 cup
Coriander leaves chopped  1/2 cup

Method:
Ragda:
1. Soak the peas / vatana at least 5-6 hours in water. Rinse and cook in a pressure cooker with water,turmeric powder and a little salt.
2. In a deep pan, heat a little oil and saute onions till translucent. Add the cooked peas, add the other ingredients for the Ragda and let cook together for 3-4 minutes. Take off heat and set aside.

Patties:
1. Dip the slices of bread in water and squeeze out the water completely.
2. Boil the potatoes along with the vatana / peas but separately. Peel and mash the potatoes.
3. Knead the potatoes and bread together, add salt as needed .
4. Make medallion size patties with this mixture.
5.Heat oil in a shallow frying pan ,shallow fry the patties on both sides till they are crisp on the outside and hold firm. Drain and  place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Assembly:
Place about 3-4 patties on a plate. Ladle a big spoonful of Ragda on each patties. Add a spoon full of tamarind date chutney,green chilli chutney and  garlic chutney. Finally top it with some crunchy sev, finely chopped coriander and serve. Susvaad.