ragda

Ragda is a curry prepared from dried white peas, known as vatana, that forms the base of several street-food chaats in western India. The dish is especially associated with Mumbai's chaat stalls, where it is used in ragda pattice and ragda chaat. Ragda is typically made by soaking dried white peas overnight, then cooking them until tender. A onion-tomato-garlic-ginger masala is prepared, often including turmeric, red chili, cumin, coriander, and garam masala. The peas are added to the spiced masala with water and simmered to a thick, saucy consistency. A tempering (tadka) of oil, mustard seeds, cumin, and sometimes asafoetida is added for fragrance. Salt is adjusted to taste; some recipes include a touch of tamarind or jaggery for tangy-sweet balance.

Ragda is commonly served hot as a topping for ragda pattice, which pairs the curry with fried potato patties, chutneys (green coriander and tamarind), onions, and sev. It also features in ragda chaat, a more varied street-food preparation with chopped vegetables, chaat masalas, sev, and sometimes bhujiya.

Nutritionally, ragda is vegetarian and high in protein due to the peas. While most associated with Mumbai, ragda variants appear in other parts of western India, with regional tweaks to spice blends and garnishes.