Easy Ragda Chaat (Matar Chaat)

Ragda Chaat, also called Matar Chaat, is a street-style snack made with dried white peas. It is topped with onions, tomatoes, chutneys, and spices to make a delicious snack. Pair it with aloo tikki or kulcha to make a complete meal!

Most of you have probably heard of ragda pattice. This ragda chaat is a simpler version without the aloo tikki. It has all the wonderful elements of chaat to satisfy those tangy, spicy cravings!

This ragda chaat is very easy to make once you have boiled ragda ready. I recently shared the recipe for ragda which is easy to make in a pressure cooker or instant pot.

A simple variation of ragda chaat is popular as Matar Chaat in North India, mainly Delhi and Lucknow. As a kid, when I visited Delhi to meet my grand parents, we enjoyed Matar Kulcha from the street vendors almost every day. It is so delicious and filling when paired with kulcha.

I will share here how to cook the ragda, and prepare the chaat along with lots of options for serving it!

If you are a fan of chaat like me, check out my Dahi Papdi Chaat, Sev Puri and Dahi Vada recipe.

What is Ragda Chaat?

Ragda Chaat is a street-style snack made with dried white peas. It is topped with onions, tomatoes, green chili, chutneys, and spices. It is a vegan and gluten-free snack.

Typically, this chaat is made with dried white peas, called saved matar or matra in hindi. However you can also use yellow or green p driedeas can be used too.

This chaat is also called Batani Chaat in Hyderabad in Southern India.

Matar chaat vs Ragda Chaat

Matar Chaat is very similar to Ragda chaat with a slight variation.

In ragda chaat, all ingredients such as onions, tomatoes, green chili, chutneys and spices are topped, but not mixed into the yellow peas curry.

In the Delhi-style matar chaat recipe, the ingredients such as onions, tomatoes, chutneys and spices are all mixed with the cooked white peas.

In North India, you will often find street vendors selling matar kulcha, where the matar chaat is paired with kulcha to make a delicious filling meal.

Ingredients

Dried White Peas: These are most popularly used to make ragda. However you can also use dried yellow or green peas in this recipe. Remember to soak them overnight, so they cook properly, and are easy to digest.

Onions & Tomato: They are diced and topped on the chaat.

Green Chili Pepper: Dice and top on the ragda. Remember to adjust the amount to your taste or skip.

Chutneys: Tamarind chutney and mint cilantro chutney are an important addition to most chaat. They add the tangy and spicy flavors to the chaat.

Spices: Use basic spices of roasted cumin powder, black salt (kala namak in hindi) and chaat masala.

Garnishes: Top with lime juice, cilantro leaves and optional some thin sev (also called nylon sev).

How to cook Ragda?

Soak White Peas: Rinse the white peas in water and then soak them overnight in 3 cups of water. Drain the soaking water when ready to cook.

Pressure Cook: Add the white peas along with water, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and salt to a pressure cooker (or instant pot). Give it a stir.

Close the lid of the pressure cooker and Pressure cook for 2 whistles on high flame. Then change to a medium flame and let it pressure cook for 12-15 minutes. (For instant pot, pressure cook on high pressure for 20 minutes)

Let the pressure release naturally. Make sure the ragda is well cooked. You can also put the curry on saute to thicken. You can also mash a few peas to thicken the consistency.

How to assemble Ragda Chaat?

In a serving bowl, take some cooked ragda. Top with diced green chili, onions, tomatoes, and julienned ginger. If you don't like the taste of raw ginger, you can skip it. Also adjust the amount of green chili pepper to taste or skip.

Top with tamarind chutney and green chutney. Sprinkle the roasted cumin powder, black salt, and chaat masala. 

Sprinkle some lime juice. Garnish with cilantro leaves, sev and enjoy!

You can also top with whisked yogurt (dahi) if you like.

This mouthwatering chaat is so easy to make!

How to make Matar Chaat?

Add the cooked ragda along with all the chaat ingredients to a large bowl. Mix together until well combined.

Serve this Matar Chaat as is or with kulcha for a complete meal!

Pro-Tips

• You can serve this ragda chaat hot or just warm. I personally like it warm.
• You can prepare the ragda curry ahead of time. And then this chaat is easy to put together in 5 minutes.
• Eat it as a chaat or snack. Our pair with aloo tikki or kulcha to make it a complete filing meal.

How to serve?

• Serve as is like a ragda chaat or matar chaat.
• You can also top whisked yogurt if you like. That would make it dahi ragda chaat.
• You can top ragda and all the chaat ingredients on top of aloo tikki to make aloo tikki ragda chaat or top of samosa to make samosa ragda chaat.
• Serve it Delhi-style with kulcha to make a meal of matar kulcha .
• Serve it with pav to make Ragda pav.

Hope you enjoy this easy, yet delicious Ragda Chaat!