Rajda Patties: Heart-warming street food in Mumbai. People are often seen standing at chaat stalls on the streets of Mumbai waiting for only one thing – a hot ragda pie. The thick mixture of ragda prepared by cooking white peas with spices and potato fritters prepared by roasting them in a pan fills the stomach and gives flavour. This is why it is not just a snack but a complete meal for many people. The interesting thing is that it is made a little differently in different cities. In some places, more onions are added, while in others the sweet taste of the sauce dominates. But the basic taste remains the same – spicy, slightly sour-sweet, and a crunchy crunch on top.

The correct way to make Raghda: Raghda, i.e. spicy white pea broth, is the soul of this dish. The most important step is to cook it until it reaches the right consistency.

Preparing white peas: It is important to soak white peas in water for at least 7-8 hours or overnight. As a result, the peas are cooked quickly and the taste also improves. By adding salt, turmeric and a little baking soda while boiling, the peas become soft quickly. When the peas are well cooked, mash them slightly. This makes the gravy thick and when poured over the ragda fritters, it gets absorbed well into the tikki.

Aloo Patti: Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, the true identity of Ragda Patti is tikki. To get the same crisp street style look at home, it’s important to keep a few little things in mind.

Tikki mixture: Grating boiled potatoes is better than mashing them, as this keeps the mixture light and makes the tikki soft. Adding salt, ginger, green pepper and green coriander to it gives a light fresh taste.

Technology of frying pancakes in a pan: Pancakes should be fried in oil over medium heat. On high heat, the tikki turns brown quickly but the right consistency is not formed inside. Due to slow roasting, the outside remains crispy and the inside remains soft – the true identity of street food.

It’s the presentation style that makes Ragda Patties special. The joy of Rajda pancakes lies not only in the taste, but also in the layers. The hot ragda is first placed in the dish, then two pieces of tikki are placed on it. Next, add green chutney, sweet tamarind chutney, chaat masala, red chilli, toasted cumin, black salt and green coriander.
Adding finely chopped onions and shallots, if desired, increases texture and flavor. That’s why you experience a different taste in every bite – sometimes sweet, sometimes spicy, sometimes sour.

Many people think that the taste of street food cannot be achieved at home, but the truth is that if you pay attention to the right seasoning and texture, you can get the same taste. For example, if a little corn flour or bread crumbs are added to the tikki, a crunch can be achieved in deep frying style.
Nowadays, this dish is prepared as an evening or weekend snack in many homes. Kids also love it a lot because it has a distinct potato taste and they love the sweet and spicy balance of the sauce on top.