Ragda Pattice

 

With the unseasonal rains, paying us a visit.  Wow must say it was a slight relief from the bad summer heat.  Not to mention, I got into the mood of making a whole lotta chaats.  Rains and chaats or pakodas/fritters, go so well together.    Chaats are a tangy snacks as you all are aware of.  I had earlier posted papdi chaat.  It's been long since I posted a chaat recipe.  So when it poured yesterday, this is what I got to making.  Ragda is a gravy dish to be put over the potato cutlets (pattice), which is made with dry white peas.  By soaking the peas overnight and cooking them to perfection with minimal spices.  The outcome is just great.  A wonderful snack for the evening, dinner or just when your mood asks for one.  So here goes how I made this mouth-watering ragda pattice.

Serves: 2
Preparation time: 1 hr, plus soaking time
Cooking time: 45 mins

INGREDIENTS:

For the pattice/cutlets:

Potatoes	5 big or 6-7 medium
Salt	1 tsp
Dry bread crumbs	1/2 cup
Oil	To shallow fry

 For ragda (white peas gravy):

White peas (dry)	1 cup
Oil	2 tsp
Cumin seeds	1/2 tsp
Asafoetida	1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder	1/2 tsp
Chilli powder	1 tsp
Cumin powder	1/2 tsp
Coriander powder	1/2 tsp
Dry mango powder	1/2 tsp
Salt	1 tsp or as needed
Water	To cook the peas
Coriander leaves	To garnish

 To serve the ragda pattice:

Date & tamarind chutney	As required
Green coriander chutney	As required
Sev	As required
Chaat masala	1 tsp
Onions (finely chopped)	1 medium

METHOD:

1.       Soak the peas overnight.  Next morning cook them with enough water in a pressure cooker until soft.  (approx 5-6 whistles)
2.       Wash the potatoes and cook them in a pressure cooker until soft.  Once cool peel the skin and grate the potatoes.  Add salt and blend well.
3.       Once the peas cool down a bit.  Remove them from the cooker.   In a kadai (wok) add oil.  Once the oil is hot add the cumin seeds.  Once they puff up add the asafoetida,  add turmeric powder and chilli powder.  Sauté for just a second, not more as it will burn (all this should be done on low flame).  Add the cooked peas.
4.       Add the coriander and cumin powder.  Mix well.  Add salt and some more water, about a cup of water.  Mash the peas very lightly.
5.       Shape the grated and blended potato mixture into the desired shape for the cutlets.  I shaped them into cute hearts and tear drop cutlets.  You could make them round any shape you would like to give it.  Coat these cutlets with bread crumbs and keep aside.
6.       Heat a griddle and pour about a tbsp of oil and place the cutlets and shallow fry them till they get a golden brown colour in each side.  It should take about 5-6 mins on each side on a medium flame.
7.       Finely chop onions and keep it ready along with the chutney's. (Chutney recipe given in Papadi Chaat)
8.        To serve, place the cutlets/pattice in a plate.  Top them with ragda, add the chutney's over it depending on how spicy and sweet you like it.  Top this with the sev and onions.  Add a dash of chaat masala.  Serve hot.

You could serve it like this

 

 

Or you could serve it like it is usually served. Rustic way

 

 

Cabbage Fritters/Pakoras

Putting up back to back posts today as I felt it had been a long time since I have posted anything.  Like I said in my earlier post, just that something or the other kept me busy.  Here is a recipe that can be had even with your evening cuppa or as a side dish with your meals.  Though fried occasionally I do like to make this or any other fritters as a combination.  So here goes the recipe of fritters, which is not just easy and quick to make but also can be done with a few ingredients which are readily available at home.  All you need to have is a cabbage on hand.

INGREDIENTS:

Cabbage (finely chopped)	1 1/2 cup
Onion (finely chopped)	1 small
Cumin seeds	1/2 tsp
Coriander and cumin powder	1 tsp
Turmeric powder	1 tsp
Chilli powder	1 tsp
Green chillies (finely chopped)	2 nos
Curry leaves (finely chopped)	6-8 leaves
Ginger (finely chopped)	1/2 inch
Chickpea flour/besan	3/4 cup
Salt	1 tsp or as needed
Water	To mix
Oil	To fry

METHOD:

1.       Wash the cabbage and onion and chop them fine.
2.       In a big mixing bowl, add the chopped cabbage and onions.  To it, add the cumin seeds, coriander & cumin powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, green chillies and curry leaves, ginger and salt.  Mix well and keep for 15-20 minutes. 
3.       Add the chickpea flour and mix well.  So that the mixture is combined well.
4.       Heat oil in a frying pan.  Once hot lower the flame to a medium heat. 
5.       Fry the fritters in the oil until golden brown.
6.       Serve hot.

NOTES:

1.       Keeping the cabbage mixture for about 20 minutes, after adding the spices and salt is mainly for it to incorporate well.
2.       Add water accordingly as the mixture will let out water after adding the spices and salt.
3.       Adding ginger is optional.  I added it as it would give out a better taste.
4.       1/2 tsp each of coriander and cumin powder.

Cauliflower Rice

I feel, I myself have visited my blog after ages.  Call it being busy, lazy or just not being able to post for some or the other reason.  Nonetheless, will try and put up as many posts as I can.  So here I am, with a rice recipe which has coconut milk and gives the rice a delicious flavour also one that can be made with ease.  A recipe with just a few ingredients and that can be made in a jiffy.  So without further ado here goes the recipe. 

INGREDIENTS:

Rice	1 cup
Onions (thinly sliced lengthwise)	2 big
Cloves	4 nos
Caraway seeds (shahjeera)	1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds	1/2 tsp
Cinnamon	1 inch
Salt	As per preference
Cauliflower	10-12 florets
Coconut milk	1 cup
Red chillies	3 nos
Oil	1 tbsp
Ghee	11/2 tbsp

To grind:

Cloves	4 nos
Green cardamom	3 nos
Cumin seeds	1/2 tsp
Caraway seeds (shahjeera)	1/2 tsp

METHOD:

1.       Grind the spices, given under table "to grind" into fine powder.  Wash the rice and soak it for half an hour.  Keep aside.
2.       In a cooker add oil and bring it to heat.  Add the cloves, caraway seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon and red chillies. Sauté for a minute.
3.       Add the thinly sliced onions and sauté till they turn translucent.  Drain the water from the rice and add it to the onion mixture.  Sauté it for 2-3 minutes on medium high flame. 
4.       Add the cauliflower florets and stir well.
5.       Add coconut milk and water as required.  Ratio usually being 2 cups water to 1 cup rice. 
6.       Add salt and the ground spice powder and stir well.  Close the lid of the cooker and let it cook up-to two whistles.
7.       Once cooked lightly fluff up the rice with a fork. Garnish with coriander leaves.
8.       Serve hot with raita or salads of your choice.

NOTES:                                                

1.       You can use ready-made coconut milk or grind coconut and extract the milk.
2.       Cook the rice as you would normally cook with the proportion of water to rice.
3.       Add salt as per your preference.  I had just about a tsp of salt the above measure.
4.       If cooking in a wok or without whistles, please lower the flame once the water comes to a boil.
5.       I have served the rice with cabbage fritters/pakoras and onion salad