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Ragada Chaat Bowl

Appetizers & Chaats

Protein
White Peas
Complete the plate
A full plate on its own
Serves
4
Hands-on · total
20 min · 68 min (est.)
Walk-away
No

Plan ahead: soak white peas overnight.

Ragada Chaat BowlFrom my
kitchen
White Peasalso called vatanamedium effortprotein-forwardhigh-fiber

- Cook this meal

Ingredients & method

Prep

20 mins

Cook

48 mins

Total

68 mins

Serves

4

Ingredients

Dry Peas

1 cupsdry yellow peas or green vatanaas needed for soaking and pressure cookingWaterto tasteSalt

Preparation

Soak the dry peas overnight (8+ hours).

Cooking options

Instant Pot: Pressure Cook for about 20 - 25 minutes with water and salt, followed by natural pressure release.

Regular pressure cooker: Cook for 3 - 4 whistles after soaking.

If not soaked, cook much longer until the peas become soft.

Vegetables

1large tomato, finely chopped1medium onion, finely diced

Tempering

1 tbspoil2 tspcumin (jeera) seeds2 tspginger-garlic paste(optional)

Spice Mix

1½ tspred chili powder¼ tspturmeric powder½ tspcumin powder½ tspcoriander powder2 tspchaat masalato tasteSalt

For Assembly

as neededGreen chutneyas neededTamarind chutney¼ cupnylon sevfor garnishFresh cilantro

Lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Ragada

  2. 01

    Wash and soak the dry peas overnight in plenty of water.

  3. 02

    Drain the soaking water and rinse the peas well.

  4. 03

    Pressure cook the peas with fresh water and salt until very soft:

  5. 04

    Instant Pot: Pressure Cook for 20 - 25 minutes

  6. 05

    Regular pressure cooker: 3 - 4 whistles

  7. 06

    Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.

  8. 07

    Add cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.

  9. 08

    Add ginger-garlic paste (if using) and sauté until fragrant.

  10. 09

    Add about ¾ of the diced onions and save the remaining onions for garnish.

  11. 10

    Add salt and cook until the onions become translucent.

  12. 11

    Add tomatoes and cook until they become soft and mushy.

  13. 12

    Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and chaat masala. Mix well.

  14. 13

    Add 2 - 3 cups of water and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.

  15. 14

    Lightly mash the peas with the back of a ladle. Do not make it completely smooth - the ragada should have some texture.

  16. 15

    Simmer for another 5 - 6 minutes until the flavors come together and the ragada reaches your preferred consistency.

  17. Assemble the Ragada Chaat

  18. 16

    Add about 1 cup of hot ragada into a serving bowl.

  19. 17

    Top with:

  20. 18

    Raw diced onions

  21. 19

    Green chutney

  22. 20

    Tamarind chutney

  23. 21

    Fresh cilantro

  24. 22

    Nylon sev

  25. 23

    A squeeze of lime

  26. 24

    Serve immediately while warm.

  27. 25

    This Ragada Chaat is a classic street-food favorite that is hearty, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying. The creamy peas, tangy chutneys, crunchy sev, and fresh toppings create the perfect balance of textures and flavors.

Worth knowing

  • Soaking the dry peas overnight is highly recommended! It helps them cook faster, become creamier, and makes them easier to digest.
  • Potatoes are totally optional in this dish - I usually add them for special occasions only.
  • In order to add potatoes, Boil the potatoes separately and mash them up lightly and add to the mixture.
  • You can cook the peas and potatoes in the same vessel to save time and reduce dishes. Just make sure to wash and peel the potatoes before cooking.
  • The beauty of ragada is that it is a great base for many chaat variations. You can serve it simply as ragada chaat or take it up a level by layering it over:
  • Broken samosas
  • Aloo patties
  • Toasted bread pieces
  • Or use it for filling in Pani Puri!
  • Adjust the consistency based on how you like your chaat - keep it thicker for topping samosas or patties, or slightly thinner for a classic bowl of ragada chaat.

Day 2 plan

Batch-prep the filling/components, but assemble fresh. Keep crisp toppings, sauces, and greens separate so day-two portions stay fresh.