Welcome to the post about a famous street food in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Although, dried white peas is a common ingredient in making some of the iconic dishes in different Indian regional cuisines, in Maharashtra, a famous dish named ragda is made with it. So basically, Ragda is a mushy preparation of dried white or yellow peas. And this Ragda Chaat made with ragda, spices and herbs is just as tasty as is any other chaat in any other part of India. Also, just like all the siblings in the chaat family, this one is delicious too. This recipe is also vegan.
About Ragda Chaat
In Mumbai, ragda is prepared and served in a range of forms – from an individual dish and clubbed with crispy potato patties in Ragda Patties to this Ragda Chaat, all usually popular chaat dishes popular as street food. In fact, the ragda patties is as common as the Bhel Puri, Sev Puri, Misal Pav or Pav Bhaji.
My mother used to make this Ragda Chaat for us, as an evening snack during our growing up years. So, quite obvious, that I have got this particular simple and tasty recipe from her. You can make this chaat as a quick snack or even for your house parties or get-togethers.
Kids also like this Ragda Chaat. You can pair this chaat along with Aloo Tikki, Samosa or can also relish as dahi ragda. If you are a Mumbaikar (a person staying in Mumbai), then you can even have the ragda with pav (dinner rolls).
If you have boiled the ragda from before, then this Ragda Chaat can be made in less than 5 minutes. Assembling the chaat is quite fuss-free and easy-peasy. If you skip the puri and sev, then this chaat is not just scrumptious but healthy too.
The Ragda Chaat tastes amazing. Thus, literally disappears quickly! You can serve the chaat hot or warm. It tastes good both ways.
You can even perk up the chaat by adding crispy sev, puri and tangy chutneys like sweet Tamarind Chutney and this Green Chutney.
Why this recipe works
I hardly know of any Indian (in fact, many non-Indians too!), who would say ‘no’ to a chaat or are not that fond of this quintessential street food category of savory snacks.
Sometimes, I really feel that a ‘chaat’ is as integral as any other classic dish in the Indian food repertoire. Be it any variation, we Indians had and will always love our chaats.
The same goes with this Ragda Chaat too. Though I have kept this recipe basic and not jazzed it up like the other usual preparations, it still strikes that perfect chord with the palate.
However, you can always make things extra by adding other chaat essentials in this dish and make it all about the mélange of sweet, sour, salty, spicy and tangy flavors. All, at once.
With a burst of flavor profiles, umaminess, beautiful textures and more; this Ragda Chaat is so good.
How to make Ragda Chaat
Soak and Pressure Cook White Peas
1. Pick and rinse 1 cup dried white peas (safed matar). The color is slightly creamish or creamish-yellow in color.
2. In a large bowl or pan, soak the dried white peas in enough water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours.
3. Next day, you will see the white peas beautifully doubled in size. Drain all the water.
4. In a 3 litre stovetop pressure cooker, add the soaked white peas.
5. Add 2 to 2.5 cups water.
6. Pressure cook for 10 to 12 minutes on medium heat. When the pressure settles down naturally, then only open the lid and check if the white peas are cooked.
7. Sometimes dried white peas take a longer time to cook. In case they are not cooked, pressure cook for 7 to 8 minutes adding more 1 to 1.5 cups water. The peas should be cooked till tender, soft and mushy.
Prepare Ragda
8. Take the boiled white peas in a pan. Then, keep the pan on low heat.
Here I used a separate pan for further cooking, but you can continue to cook further in the pressure cooker itself.
9. Then, add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) and salt as per taste.
10. Stir and mix very well.
11. Pour ¼ cup water or as required. Only add water if needed.
12. Stir and mix well.
13. Simmer the ragda on low heat for 4 to 5 minutes.
14. Keep stirring the ragda, so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
15. Soon the ragda will begin to thicken. The consistency of the ragda should not be very thick or watery. Switch off the heat. The ragda will thicken as it cools down.
Make Ragda Chaat
16. Now, measure all the ingredients and keep ready for making the chaat.
17. Take ½ cup ragda in serving bowls. You can take more or less, if you want.
18. Sprinkle a few pinches of roasted cumin powder and chaat masala powder on top of ragda.
19. Add some finely chopped onions.
20. Next, add some chopped green chilies. For small kids, you can skip green chilies. Instead of green chilies, you can also sprinkle 1 pinch red chili powder.
21. Sprinkle black salt or regular salt as required.
22. Drizzle some lemon juice as required.
23. Add some chopped coriander leaves.
24. Mix well.
25. Top with sev and some crushed papdi. You can add less or more, as per your taste. You can also sprinkle some more chaat masala powder, roasted cumin powder and salt, if you want.
Serve some lemon wedges and chopped onions along with the Ragda Chaat. Garnish with few coriander leaves.
If you are planning to serve the chaat later, then do not add the sev and papdi, as they turn soggy.
26. Serve Ragda Chaat immediately.
Expert Tips
- Sometimes, the dried white peas may take a longer time to cook. In that case, you can pressure cook further for 7 to 8 minutes adding 1 to 1.5 cups more water. Make sure to cook the peas until soft and mushy.
- Ensure keeping the consistency of the ragda as not very thick or too thin and watery. Also, on cooling down, the ragda thickens further. So, adjust the water accordingly.
- If you are preparing this Ragda Chaat for small kids, then you can skip the green chilies. Also, instead of green chilies, you can add about a pinch of red chili powder.
- Toppings, chaat masala, roasted cumin powder and salt can be added more or less, according to what you prefer.
- If you are planning to serve this chaat later, then do not add the sev and papdis, as they turn soggy.
More Chaat Recipes To Try!
Indian Street Food Recipes
Indian Street Food Recipes
Gluten Free Recipes
Indian Street Food Recipes
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Ragda Chaat
Ingredients
For soaking & pressure cooking peas
- 1 cup dried white peas (safed vatana or safed matar)
- 2.5 cups water – for pressure cooking
For cooking ragda later
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ cup water – to be added later
For assembling and topping ragda chaat
- 1 onion, – medium to large, finely chopped
- 2 to 3 green chilies – chopped finely
- ¼ cup coriander leaves – chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or add as required
- 2 teaspoons roasted cumin powder
- ¼ cup sev (fried gram flour vermicelli), add as required
- 5 to 6 papdi – broken or crushed into small pieces
- black salt or regular salt, as required
- 3 to 4 lemon wedges – optional
Instructions
Soaking and pressure cooking dry white peas
- Pick and rinse the dry white peas a few times in water.
- Soak the dried white peas in enough water overnight or for 8 to 9 hours.
- Next day you will see the peas doubled in size. Drain all the water. You can even rinse the peas once or twice.
- In a 3 litre pressure cooker, add the soaked peas along with 2.5 cups water.
- Pressure cook for 10 to 12 minutes on medium heat. When the pressure falls on its own, then only open the lid and check if the peas are cooked.
- Sometimes these peas take a longer time to cook. In case they are not cooked, pressure cook further for 7 to 8 minutes adding 1 to 1.5 cups more water. The peas should be cooked till tender, soft and mushy.
Preparing ragda for ragda chaat
- Take the cooked ragda in a pan. Keep the pan on a low heat.
- Then add turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt to the ragda. Stir and mix well.
- Pour ¼ cup water or as required only if needed. Mix again.
- Simmer the ragda for 4 to 5 minutes on a low heat.
- Keep stirring the ragda so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Mix well. Soon the ragda will begin to thicken. The consistency of the ragda should not be very thick nor watery. Switch off the heat. As the ragda cools it will thicken.
Assembling and making ragda chaat
- Take about of half a cup of ragda or as needed in serving bowls.
- Sprinkle a few pinches of roasted cumin powder and chaat masala.
- Then add some finely chopped onions, green chilies. Sprinkle a bit of black salt or regular salt as required.
- Drizzle some lemon juice as required.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Then mix well.
- Top it with as much sev you want along some crushed papdis. You can also chaat masala, cumin powder and some salt for seasoning.
- Serve with a side of some lemon wedges and chopped onions with the ragda chaat. Garnish with few coriander leaves.
- Serve ragda chaat immediately.
Notes
- Remember to use dried white peas which are in their shelf-life. Older peas will take more time to cook.
- Adjust the spices and seasonings according to your preferences.
- The recipe can be scaled easily.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Ragda Chaat from the blog archives, first published in August 2017 has been republished and updated on December 2022.
