Pseudo Ragda Patties

I love quick and easy recipes. Not that I don’t love cooking elaborate meals, but its just that most times I am very pressed for time and whipping something up in ½ hour has just become a norm for me. Gone are the good old days of making tedious dishes step by step, relaxing and watching the idiot box while the curry or the sauce simmers on the stove. Now I am the queen of Parallel Processing in the kitchen! I can get 3 dishes going at the same time and have all 4 burners up at the same time, with my kids yelling for me (or at me) in the background.
So anyways, the other day one of my friends called me to tell me that she was going to visit with a guest of hers who had come here on a visit from Moscow. I said that would be lovely! But then I started to panic.... What was I going to serve! I had some fresh Kaju Katlis – Cashew Burfis from India (my mom sent them through a friend). And then I had to think up something else. Luckily I had a big batch of soaked yellow vatana (dried peas). I thought why not Ragda patties. The only problem, no time now to make patties or cutlets! So here’s what I did… and to my surprise it was delicious !
I don’t think I am ever going to make the patties for this dish any more. Whats the point really! You make the patties and then mash them up and serve the ragda on top! Why go through the pain…

Pseudo Ragda Patties
To make the Ragda:
Soak about 4 cups of dry peas (yellow vatana) in enough water overnight. After it is soaked for about 8 hours, drain the water. Add fresh water and cook in a pressure cooker for about 2 whistles.
Then add the boiled vatana, 2 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder, 2 tsp chole or Pav bhaji masala, 1 tsp chaat masala and salt to taste. Mix well. Put this mixture in a slow cooker and cook in medium for about 5 hours. I put it in the slow cooker before I left for work in the morning. When I came back home in the evening it was sizzling hot, well blended and tasted delicious.
If you are pressed for time just put the mixture in an open pan and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes.

For the Pseudo Patties:
Boil about 5 to 6 big potatoes. Peel and Mash. In a pan, add about 4 tbsp oil. Add the mashed potato, 2 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder and salt to taste. Roast on a low flame for about 20 minutes stirring in between. In the end, add about 1 cup of bread crumbs (I use pillsbury brand). If u do not have store bought bread crumbs, just powder about 15 rusks in a mixer until powdered. Add this crumbs to the potatoes and stir fry for another 5 minutes.

To Assemble:
In a plate, spoon about 2 tbsp of potato mixture. Top with 1 ladle full of Peas mixture. Top with green chutney and Tamarind chutney according to taste. Top with 1 tbsp of beaten curds, finely chopped onions, fine sev and chopped cilantro. Serve hot.

Enjoy with Tea!