Dried pea soup (Ragda)

"Ragda Pattis" is a typical hot-spicy-filling and nutritious appetizer found in Bombay. The street vendors sell the best kind if your stomach can take it! Its also popular as a weekend brunch dish in many homes, mine for sure.

Ragda is a white or green dried pea and Pattis is a potato cutlet. You have to soak the peas 4-5hrs ahead, I usually soak them overnight. Make sure to use a large container because the peas will bloat. You can find these peas at an Indian grocery store.


For the Ragda (1 cup):

• After the overnight soak, pressure cook for 3 whistles, with 1.5" of water above the peas.
• Blend 1/2 large tomato, 1 small yellow onion, a large galic pod and 2 green chillies.
• In a pot, take 2 tbsp of oil, let it heat for 30secs.
• Now add in 1tsp mustard, wait till they splutter, then a pinch of asafoetida, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp red chilly pwd and the above blend.
• Cook the blend till it reduces to a semi-dry paste.
• Add in the pressure cooked peas, water to make it soupy.
• Salt to taste, 1 tbsp lemon juice and boil for 5-7mins.
  

For the Pattis:
This time in the interest of a growling tummy I just bought some hash, cooked it crisp on a skillet with some oil, salt and paprika.
But if you want to do it how its done then:

• Boil, peel and mash potatoes
• Mix in blend of garlic, ginger, green chilly
• Bind everything with salt to taste and lemon juice
• Make little cutlets and cook on a non stick till golden brown

To put it all together:

• Layer the hash in a wide bowl
• Pour desired amount of ragda
• Garnish with cilantro chutney, tamarind or cranberry chutney, dried garlic chutney and sev (If you had to have one thing for garnish at home to make this dish a hit, get the tamarind chutney from an Indian store, or make the cranberry chutney at home)
• Top it off with some chopped onion and cilantro
• I also get soft rolls from my local bakery to wipe out the remaining ragda

You can even skip the potato pattis and just serve piping hot ragda with bread rolls. Have it whichever way you please and I promise you'll be satisfied!