Ragda

Ragda.

Ragda is a popular Indian street food made with dried yellow peas. It is generally paired with potato patties for “ragda patties” or with samosa for “ragda samosa” etc. Yellow peas are pressure cooked till soft but not mushy. A gravy is prepared with onion and tomato and the peas are cooked in it to finish it off.
Makes: around 2 Cups of Ragda.

Ingredients:

• Dry Yellow Peas 1 Cup
• Onion 1
• Cashews 4
• Tomato 2
• Garam Masala 1/2 tsp
• Red Chile Powder 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder a big Pinch
• Cilantro for garnish
• Salt to taste
• Oil 3 tsps

Method of preparation:

Soak yellow peas in water overnight or for 6 – 8 hrs.
Refresh the soaked yellow peas with fresh water.
Pour fresh water to just submerge the yellow peas and pressure cook them with salt for 3 – 4 whistles.

Peel and slice the onion.
Wash and finely chop the tomato.
Wash and finely chop cilantro leaves.

Heat a tsp of oil in a pan, add sliced onion.
Fry till onion turns translucent, add cashews.
Fry till onion turns light brown around the edges, remove from heat.
Cool them to room temperature and grind the onion and cashews into smooth paste along with a tbsp of cooked peas using sufficient water.

Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan, add cumin seeds.
Add chopped tomato and cook till it softens.
Then stir in garam masala, red chile powder, turmeric powder and salt.
Add ground onion cashew paste, cooked yellow peas and a cup of water.
Boil till peas mixture thickens a bit.
Remove the radga onto a bowl, add lemon juice.
Garnish with chopped onion, chopped tomato and cilantro and serve ragda.
Notes: Make sure yellow peas are soft and cooked well before adding to the pan.

Suggestions: If the peas are not cooked properly, boil them separately by adding half a cup of water till they are soft.
Variations: You can add just green chiles for spice and no red color. Ginger garlic paste can also be added to the pan along with cumin seeds.
Other Names: Ragda.