The monsoon makes you crave something hot and fried, but you can't always trust street food. Here are 5 super easy snacks you can whip up at home in just 10 minutes using everyday kitchen ingredients. They're perfect for your evening tea and everyone, from kids to adults, will love them.
It's drizzling outside, a cool breeze is blowing through the window, and you have a hot cup of tea in your hand. But what's on the plate? A boring packet biscuit that gets soggy after two dips. Mood officially off, right? During the monsoon, your tea needs a crispy companion. But ordering from outside comes with the risk of bad oil and hygiene. So, just give us 10 minutes of your time, and we'll help you bring restaurant-style taste right from your kitchen. Here are 5 recipes you can make with whatever you have at home:
1. Aloo-Peyaji (Potato-Onion Fritters) - This is a classic Bengali emotional snack. Thinly slice some potatoes. Add chopped onions, green chillies, gram flour (besan), a spoonful of rice flour, salt, turmeric, and a pinch of baking soda. Mix it all up and let it sit for 5 minutes. Heat oil in a pan and fry small portions until golden brown. The rice flour will keep them crispy for at least an hour. Dip them in your tea and enjoy pure bliss.
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2. Bread Pakora - Even kids can make this one. Cut bread slices diagonally. Stuff them with a mix of boiled mashed potatoes, salt, and coriander leaves. Press them firmly like a sandwich. Now, make a batter with gram flour, salt, chilli powder, and water. Dip the bread sandwiches in this batter and deep-fry them. You'll get a crispy outside and a soft, delicious inside. It's a 5-minute job, seriously.
3. Besan Toast - This one uses less oil. Cut bread slices into squares. Make a thick batter using gram flour, a spoonful of curd, salt, cumin powder, and coriander leaves. Dip the bread pieces in the batter and toast them on a flat pan (tawa) with a little oil. They'll turn out as crispy as if made in a toaster. This is the best option for those on a diet. Serve it with tomato ketchup.
4. Suji Dhoka Bhaja (Semolina Fritters) - Crispy and healthy! Cook one cup of semolina (suji) with salt and water, stirring continuously until it forms a stiff dough. Spread it on a plate and let it cool. Cut it into square pieces. Now, shallow-fry the pieces on both sides until they are golden brown. Sprinkle some black salt and chaat masala on top. It tastes just like those store-bought crunchy snacks. You can even make a batch and store it in a container; it stays crispy for 3 days.
5. Maggi Pakora - For when you're in a junk food mood. Boil a packet of Maggi and drain the water. Mix it with chopped onions and chillies, 2 spoons of gram flour, 1 spoon of rice flour, salt, and the Maggi Tastemaker sachet. Shape the mixture into small balls and deep-fry them. The inside will be soft and the outside super crunchy. This is the best quick fix to satisfy those 'I need to eat junk food' cravings during the rains.
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Here are 3 bonus tips for the monsoon:
1. Add a spoonful of hot oil to your gram flour batter. The fritters will turn out extra crispy.
2. After frying, place the snacks on a tissue paper to soak up the excess oil.
3. Add some ginger and cardamom to your tea. It helps with digestion and prevents a sore throat.
Final word: The monsoon is here for four months. Are you really going to spend all that time just eating biscuits? Just take out 10 minutes. Fry some potato-onion fritters, put on some music, and sit by the window. The sound of the rain, a hot cup of tea, and fresh, hot fritters – what more happiness do you need?
