POTATO SPHERE CHAAT, WHITE PEAS RAGDA

By Manish Mehrotra, Corporate Chef, Indian Accent Restaurants, New

Delhi — New York

INGREDIENTS

For potato spheres: 4

spheres Potato (russet potatoes, or white potatoes): 200 gms

Oil for frying

For white peas ragda

Dry white peas: 50 gms Onions, chopped:1 tbsp Tomatoes, chopped: 1 tbsp Green chillies, chopped: ½

tsp Fresh coriander leaves: 1

tsp Lime juice: 1 tsp Chaat masala: ½ tsp

To serve

Sweet yogurt: 2 tbsp Green chutney: 2 tsp Tamarind chutney: 1½

tbsp Chaat masala: a pinch Sliced watermelon as garnish Cress, or pea shoots (optional) as garnish

METHOD

Soak the white peas for at least 2-3 hours water.

To make white peas ragda

Place the soaked peas in a saucepan. Ad water. Boil for 20-30 minutes, or till the pe turn almost completely mushy. Drain exc water, if any. Add onions, tomatoes, green chillies, coriander, lime juice and chaat masala to the boiled peas. Mix well. Adjus seasoning to taste.

To make potato spheres

We use potatoes with low sugar content that the spheres do not darken when fried India, though, it is difficult to find such po toes.

Grate the potatoes, neither too fine nor thick. Remove excess water by press between paper towels. Fill individual, rou fine-mesh moulds with the grated potato Heat oil, place the moulds in the oiland d fry till each sphere is golden brown a turns crisp. You can fry the potato spheres a deep-fat fryer too.

Serve

Place the mashed, spiced peas in a single l on a long platter. Place the crisp pot spheres on top. Press the spheres lightly i the mushy peas so that they hold when platter is carried. Pour yogurt, green ch ney and tamarind chutney on top. Sprin chaat masala. Garnish with cress, or p shoots and a small slice of watermelon. T watermelon helps wash down the palate.