Mumbai, the city that never sleeps, is famous for its vibrant street food culture, and Ragda Chaat is a quintessential part of this culinary tapestry. This delectable dish is a perfect harmony of textures and flavors, making it a favorite among locals and tourists alike. At its core, it features ragda, a spicy and tangy curry made with white peas and potatoes, cooked to perfection. The dish is then topped with crushed crispy puris, refreshing chutneys, a medley of fresh ingredients like finely chopped onions, tomatoes, and coriander, and spices, adding a burst of freshness with each bite.
The magic of this Chaat lies in its intricate layering of flavors. Served hot, the ragda is topped with crushed crispy puris, a trio of chutneys—green chutney for a refreshing, herby kick, sweet chutney for a tangy sweetness, and garlic chutney for a bold, spicy edge. A generous sprinkle of sev adds another layer of crunch and subtle spiciness. To finish, a dash of chaat masala and a squeeze of lime elevate the dish, balancing the flavors perfectly. Enjoying Ragda Chaat on the bustling streets of Mumbai is an experience in itself, where the lively atmosphere and the rich, diverse flavors of the dish come together to create an unforgettable culinary adventure.
Ragda serves as a versatile base for several beloved street food dishes. Ragda Puri Chaat, where crispy puris are filled with ragda and topped with chutneys and spices, offers a delightful burst of flavor in every bite. Another popular variation is Ragda Patties, where potato patties are smothered in ragda and garnished with the same array of toppings, creating a delicious and satisfying snack. Each of these dishes showcases the adaptability of ragda, highlighting its central role in Mumbai’s vibrant
chaat culture.
Ingredients
For Ragda
• 1 cup Dry White Peas
• 1 Medium Sized Potato
• ½ tsp Turmeric
• ¼ tsp Hing
• Salt
• 1 Chopped Green Chili
For Tadka/Tempering
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• Pinch Of Hing
• 1 tsp Grated Ginger
• 1 tsp Finely Chopped Green Chili
• 1 tsp Coriander Seeds Powder
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds Powder
• 1 tsp Fennel Seeds Powder
• ½ tsp Red Chili Powder
• ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Black/Pink Salt
• 1 tbsp Green Chutney
• 1-2 tbsp Soaked Tamarind Water
• ¼ cup Chopped Coriander Leaves
Other Ingredients
• 5-6 Pani Puri Puris
• ¼ cup Green Chutney
• ¼ cup Garlic Chutney
• ½ cup Sweet Imli Chutney
• ¼ cup Finely Chopped Onion
• ¼ cup Finely Chopped Tomato
• 1-2 Finely Chopped Green Chiles(opt.)
• ¼ cup Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
• ¼ cup Pomegranate
• ½ cup Nylon/Chaat Sev
• 1-2 tsp Chaat Masala
• 1-2 tsp Chili Powder
• 1-2 tsp Rock Salt
Method
1. Wash and soak dry peas for about 5-6 hours in warm water or overnight.
2. Once soaked enough, add them into the pressure cooker. Peel and cube the potato and add it with the dry peas.
3. Add turmeric powder, asafetida (hing), green chilies, and salt, and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. Once cooked, mash it a little bit with a potato masher and keep it aside.
4. In a deep pan, heat oil, add cumin seeds, hing, ginger, green chilies, cumin-coriander powder, fennel powder, turmeric, and chili powder, and roast for a minute on low flame. Then add 1/2 cup of water, rock salt, and let it boil.
5. Now, add the cooked peas and potato mixture to the boiling water, mix well, add more water if required, and let the curry boil. Then, cook it on low flame for about 5 minutes.
6. Next, add green chutney, tamarind water, and chopped coriander, and mix it well. Keep it aside.
Garnish and Serve
• Take a serving bowl, add 2-3 ladle full of hot ragda in the bowl, and crush some puries on top of hot ragda.
• Spread all three chutneys as per your taste, then top with chopped onion, tomato, chopped green chiles, and coriander leaves over the chutneys.
• Squeeze lime juice, sprinkle some sev, pomegranate arils, and sprinkle chaat masala, chili powder, rock salt, over the mixture, and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Tips
• You can use dry green peas instead of white peas.
• In the tempering, you can add chopped onion and tomato if you like.
• The garnishing and toppings are as per your taste and preferences.
• Assembling and garnishing just before serving; otherwise, it will get soggy.
- For Ragda
- • 1 cup Dry White Peas
- • 1 Medium Sized Potato
- • ½ tsp Turmeric
- • ¼ tsp Hing
- • Salt
- • 1 Chopped Green Chili
- For Tadka/Tempering
- • 2 tbsp Oil
- • 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- • Pinch Of Hing
- • 1 tsp Grated Ginger
- • 1 tsp Finely Chopped Green Chili
- • 1 tsp Coriander Seeds Powder
- • 1 tsp Cumin seeds Powder
- • 1 tsp Fennel Seeds Powder
- • ½ tsp Red Chili Powder
- • ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
- • 1 tsp Black/Pink Salt
- • 1 tbsp Green Chutney
- • 1-2 tbsp Soaked Tamarind Water
- • ¼ cup Chopped Coriander Leaves
- Other Ingredients
- • 5-6 Pani Puri Puries
- • ¼ cup Green Chutney
- • ¼ cup Garlic Chutney
- • ½ cup Sweet Imli Chutney
- • ¼ cup Finely Chopped Onion
- • ¼ cup Finely Chopped Tomato
- • 1-2 Finely Chopped Green Chiles(opt.)
- • ¼ cup Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
- • ¼ cup Pomegranate
- • ½ cup Nylon/Chaat Sev
- • 1-2 tsp Chaat Masala
- • 1-2 tsp Chili Powder
- • 1-2 tsp Rock Salt
- • Wash and soak dry peas for about 5-6 hours in warm water or overnight.
- • Once soaked enough, add them into the pressure cooker. Peel and cube the potato and add it with the dry peas.
- • Add turmeric powder, asafetida (hing), green chilies, and salt, and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. Once cooked, mash it a little bit with a potato masher and keep it aside.
- • In a deep pan, heat oil, add cumin seeds, hing, ginger, green chilies, cumin-coriander powder, fennel powder, turmeric, and chili powder, and roast for a minute on low flame. Then add ½ cup of water, rock salt, and let it boil.
- • Now, add the cooked peas and potato mixture to the boiling water, mix well, add more water if required, and let the curry boil. Then, cook it on low flame for about 5 minutes.
- • Next, add green chutney, tamarind water, and chopped coriander, and mix it well. Keep it aside.
- • Garnish and Serve
- • Take a serving bowl, add 2-3 ladle full of hot ragda in the bowl, and crush some puries on top of hot ragda.
- • Spread all three chutneys as per your taste, then top with chopped onion, tomato, chopped green chiles, and coriander leaves over the chutneys.
- • Squeeze lime juice, sprinkle some sev, pomegranate arils, and sprinkle chaat masala, chili powder, rock salt, over the mixture, and serve immediately. Enjoy!
In the tempering, you can add chopped onion and tomato if you like.
The garnishing and toppings are as per your taste and preferences.
Assembling and garnishing just before serving; otherwise, it will get soggy.
2 Responses to “Mumbai Street Style Ragda Chaat”
I absolutely love your photography, and the recipes too!
Thank you 😊