RAGDA PATTIS -HOT PEA SOUP TOPPED OVER POTATO PATTIS

Now that winter's here, it's time for hot soups.  I love soups os any kind but sometimes crave for something  hot and spicy.   That's when I make Ragda Pattis.   Ragda Patis is hot pea soup served with a potato pattis base.   Ragda pattis can be eaten as a snack or as a complete meal depending on your mood. The ragda is thick soup made from vatana - dried peas and the pattis can be made with several fillings too but I usually tend to make it with just potatoes. In fact my recipe is really simple, quick  and easy to make.

Ingredients for the Ragda (Serves 4 ):

2 cups vatana
1 tablespoon oil ( can use 2 tablespoons but I prefer the healthier choice)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 green chillies finely chopped
small piece of ginger grated
2-3 cloves of garlic grated
2 cups of tomatoes (I used tinned tomatoes)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon of brown sugar or jaggery
small bunch of coriander
5-6 curry leaves (optional)

For the pattis:

4 medium potatoes
2 green chillies
small piece of ginger
small bunch of coriander
half teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons of potato powder (I used Mash Potato powder)
Half a cup of oil for cooking the pattis.

When serving:

1 Onion chopped finely
2-3 green chillies
small bunch of coriander

Method:

1. Soak the dried peas overnight.

2. Wash the peas, add a litre and a half of water and boil the dried peas. Using a pressure cooker makes this easier as the peas need to be overcooked.

3. Using a blender, mash up the peas. As I had used less water, my mash looks quite thick but that's fine too as you can add boiling water to the mixture to make it to the consistancy you like.

4. Whilst you are boiling the dried peas, put the potatoes to boil as well.

5.  Peel and mash the potatoes and add the salt and coriander to the potatoes.

6.  Chop the green chillies as fine as you can and grate the ginger and add to the potatoes. 

7.  Divide the mash potato into small balls.   Just roll them with the mash potato powder so that they don't stick together.

8.   Now back to the Ragda.... Heat the tablespoon of oil and add the dry mustard seeds to it.

9.  Once the mustard seeds stop popping, add the tomatoes to the mixture.  Add in the salt, turmeric, green chillies, ginger and garlic.   Add the curry leaves, coriander, jaggery and the lemon juice.

10.  Add the blended peas to the mixture.  The ragda should be thick but runny so do add water to the mixture if your ragda looks too thick.

11.    Whilst the radga is simmering, time to make the pattis.

12.    Take one potato ball at a time and press it on a work top to shape it into a small round pattis.

13.  Brush or spray the pattis with oil.

14.  Transfer the pattis to a non stick frying pan and cook each side until they are brown.  You can add more more oil  to cook the pattis if you like but I prefer the healthier option.

15. To serve, take 2 hot pattis and top them with the hot and spicy  ragda. Top this with the chopped onions, green chillies and coriander. You can also add tamarind or green chutney to the topping if you like. It all depends on how spicy you like your ragda pattis.

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