Monsoon is the much awaited time of the year that brings a sigh of relief to everyone’s lips. The rains bring with them the happy sound of children's laughter playing in the rain, splashing in muddy puddles. It is the season for romantic poems and love ballads... a season when the enticing fragrance of wet earth engulfs us and the air surrounding us becomes crisp, clean and refreshing.
Most importantly, it is a time when all of us crave piping-hot snacks - that are just perfect for this weather.
From hot samosas to pakodas and piping hot chai, there are many such ‘monsoon’ dishes that one can try making at home during this season.
Here are some unique and different ‘rainy day’ snacks with their recipes below, for you to try at home and relish against the backdrop of the rains:
Herbed potato wedges
Ingredients
2 large potatoes - thinly sliced
1tbsp olive oil
3-4 cloves of garlic – minced
2 tbsp honey
1tbsp of mixed dried Italian herbs like oregano, thyme and rosemary and chilli flakes
Salt and pepper
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius
Take a bowl, toss the ingredients together so that the potato slices are well-coated
Take them out on a baking tray lined with butter paper
Bake them for 10-15mins at 200 degrees Celsius
Idli manchurian
Ingredients
Idli mix or batter to make the idlis
½ cup chopped bell peppers
1tbsp oil
2-3 dried red chillies
2tbsp soya sauce
1tbsp vinegar
1tbsp grated ginger
1tbsp tomato paste
1/4tsp sugar
2tsp corn starch
Preparation
Follow the steps given on the idli mix/batter packet to make the idlis
Once the idlis are ready, take a kadhai, add some water, add the dried red chillies
Let the red chillies start releasing colour in the warm water, Switch off the flame and take the chillies out
Take a grinding jar, add the red chillies in it, add the ginger, sugar, soya sauce, a little bit of oil, cornstarch, tomato paste and vinegar. Blend it into a smooth paste
Pour the paste out into a kadhai, add some water and let it boil over a medium flame for the Manchurian sauce
Cut the steamed idli into bite-size pieces
Take another pan, add some oil, add the chopped idli and sprinkle some salt. Fry the idli till they are light golden in colour
Take it out and keep it separate. In the same oil, add the chopped bell pepper and stir fry it
Add the fried idli back into the pan along with the bell peppers, add the Manchurian sauce from the top
Mix well and let the sauce come to a boil. Take it out into a bowl.
Masala corn bhel
Ingredients
2 cups of boiled corn kernels
½ cup boiled and diced potatoes
¼ cup sev
½ cup finely chopped onions
2tbsp finely chopped coriander
2tsp lemon juice
For chutney
1 cup chopped coriander
1tbsp chopped green chillies
1tbsp chopped garlic
1tbsp tamarind paste
2tsp sugar
1tsp salt
1tsp chilli powder
Preparation
Blend all the chutney ingredients together, dilute it with water enough so that it mixes well with the dry ingredients and is not too runny
Take a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together (corn, potato, onion, half the coriander leaves and lemon juice)
Garnish with the sev and remaining coriander leaves
Egg pakora
Ingredients
4 hard-boiled eggs
1tbsp oil
2tsp finely chopped green chillies
1tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1tsp red chilli powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
For batter
1 cup besan (gram flour)
2tsp rice flour
½ tsp oil
Salt
Preparation
Make the batter using the ingredients mentioned
Add chopped green chillies, red chilli and turmeric powder into the batter and mix well. Make sure that there are no lumps
Chop the hard-boiled egg into 4 quarters
Heat a kadhai with oil good enough for deep-frying
Dip the hard-boiled egg into the batter, let the batter coat the pieces well, scoop them out and put into the hot oil for frying
Deep fry the eggs until golden brown
Serve with green mint-coriander chutney
Chilli cheese toast
Ingredients
3-4 slices of bread
1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup chopped bell pepper
2 cloves of chopped garlic
2 finely chopped green chillies
1tsp salt
1tsp pepper
Butter to spread on the bread
Preparation
Take a bowl, mix the mozzarella cheese, green chillies, bell peppers and garlic, salt and pepper
Take the bread slices, cut them into triangles
Take a tawa and heat it. Spread some butter on one side of the sliced bread and fry till golden brown on the tawa
Flip it over and put the cheese mix on the other side of the bread slice
Cover the tawa with a lid and allow the cheese to melt and the capsicum to cook on a low flame
Once the cheese melts, take the bread slice out on a plate. Garnish with chilli flakes and oregano and serve.
Is your mouth watering as yet? Why wait any longee. Don your Chef’s hat and try out some of these exciting and delicious recipes this monsoon season! Do let us know your favourite from among these.
