As a kid, dad would often take us to Ahmedabad for a day trip. Going around, shopping, eating, it would be a fun outing at least once or twice a month. On those trips, one of the things we would always do, is go to the Municipal Shopping Market, off C.G. Road there. There is a Ragda Patties stall there on one side of the market. The stall started with a Ragda Patties priced at Rs. 13 per plate. The last I had it there, it was around Rs.50 a plate. It has become one of the most popular stalls in the area, and the crowds gathering to have it grow by the day. He makes it in Amul Ghee, you can see all the tins lined there. The taste hasn’t changed in all these years, and I have found it very difficult to find another place which could serve Ragda Patties as delicious as the one I used to have at that stall.

I began by sharing dad’s plate, and as I grew older, I would get a plate for myself. Then my sister began sharing my plate, until she was old enough to have one for herself. Mom not being a very huge fan of such foods, and also always on the watch for calories and health would completely avoid it.

One of the funniest things I remember is, I would eat up all the chhole from the plate with the chutney, and save the aloo patties to savor in the last. Unfortunately, for me, the uncle who makes it came to know us as regular customers, and the moment he would see me having the patties without any chutney, would call out offering more chhole and chutney. I didn’t want it, I ate it all up so I could savor the patty alone, but uncle would keep saying, “Beta, sharmao mat, le lo aur”. How was I to explain to uncle that I wanted the patty to be left alone! And dad, on top of it, “Jao beta, le lo aur, aise sukha sukha mat khao. Khatam ho gaya to bol dene ka, uncle pyaar se de rahe hain, le lo”. Argh! I would meekly walk up to uncle and take another serving of the chhole and chutnye! Goodness. All my plans of having the delicious aloo patty alone would be ruined.

Such are my memories of delicious Ragda Patties. When I ate the ragda patties at the Sattvik Food Festival in Ahmedabad recently, all these memories came alive for me. What days they were!