With the sun and rain playing peek-a-boo and petrichor in the air, it’s a great time to spend a rainy day at home! If you are thinking of ways to zhuzh up your rainy-day experience and need quick snack ideas that are zero stress and 100 per cent yummy, check out these crispy fries that are the perfect munchies for the monsoon season.
Beer-batter topse fish fry
Pooja Mitra
Gorom cha, ‘drunken’ topse fry and brishti is a plan that will turn a frown into a smile. Dipped in beer batter and deep-fried till golden brown, the topse fries with kasundi on the side will be ready to pop onto your plate in 30 minutes and make your day.
Ingredients
- Topse fish (leave out the head, debone if you wish): 300gm
- Ginger-garlic-green chilli paste: 1 tablespoon
- Lime juice: 1 tablespoon
- Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
- Red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon
- Coriander powder: 1 teaspoon
- Maida (flour) for thick batter
- Baking powder: 1 teaspoon
- Black pepper powder: 1 teaspoon
- Beer for batter
- Salt
- Vegetable oil for frying
Method
- Marinate fish in salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and lime juice and set aside for minimum 10-20 minutes.
- Make a thick batter with maida, salt, black pepper powder, baking powder and beer.
- Dip the fish pieces and deep fry till golden brown.
Serve piping hot with kasundi or a spicy dip on the sides.
Cornflakes-coated crunchy fried sausage
Pooja Mitra
How about a KFC-style crunchy munchie that is not chicken pops or wings, and is ready in under 30-minutes? Sausages of your preference seasoned in a hot and tangy spice mix, coated in crunchy corn flakes and deep fried. They are perfect with a drink.
Ingredients
- Sausages (any meat will do) half slit in the middle: 250gm
- Spice mix: chilli flakes, oregano, rock salt, lime juice, black pepper powder, grated mango ginger
- Cornflakes for coating
- Maida for batter
- Salt
- Baking powder: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: ½ teaspoon
- Vegetable oil for frying
Method
- Marinate the sausages in the spice mix and set aside for 10-15 minutes.
- Make a thick batter with maida, salt and baking powder.
- Keep the cornflakes ready on a plate.
- Dip the sausages in the batter and quickly coat in cornflakes. Deep dry till golden brown and serve with ketchup or dip of your choice.
Batter-fried crispy and soft potatoes
Pooja Mitra
Another easy-peasy fritter recipe that goes well with an evening cuppa, that drink to celebrate the much awaited weekend, and even with a comfort lunch of dal bhaat. This aloo bhaja is crunchy on the outside and melt-in-the mouth on the inside.
Ingredients
- Potatoes cut into medium rings: 200gm
- Spice mix: salt, sugar, red chilli powder, black pepper powder
- Maida/besan (chickpea flour) for batter
- Baking powder: 1 tablespoon
- Chaat masala for seasoning
Method
- Marinate the potatoes in the spice mix
- Make a thick batter with maida or besan, salt and baking powder
- Deep fry on a medium to low flame till crispy and golden brown
- Serve hot with tomato ketchup. Don’t forget to sprinkle some chat masala on top
Batter-fried ‘lote maach’
Shutterstock
Soft lote in muchmuchey coating reigns over the fritter platter and has been a mela favourite for many. This fishy fritter goes well as a side for main courses, as an evening snack with tea or as chakhna with drinks — a hassle free, 20-minute telebhaja perfect for when you’re expecting guests.
Ingredients
- Lote fish ( also known as Bombay duck, bombil or bangda): 500gm
- Spice mix: salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, lime juice, black pepper powder and ginger-green chilli paste
- Besan for coating
- Baking powder: 1 tablespoon
- Salt to taste
- Vegetable oil for frying
Method
- Marinate lote fish in spice mix
- Make a thick batter with besan, salt and baking powder
- Coat well and deep fry till golden brown
- Serve with kasundi
Beer-batter fried spinach leaves
Pooja Mitra
Are you mulling over what to do with all that palong saag? Move over ghonto, make these 15-minutes fritters with your green spinach. Pair it with rice or dal-roti for dinner, or present it with aplomb for evening snacks to fam and pals.
Ingredients
- Whole spinach leaves with stem: 10-15 pieces
- Maida for batter
- Beer for batter
- Salt
- Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
- Red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon
- Sugar: ½ teaspoon
- Green chilli finely chopped: 3-4 pieces
- Vegetable oil for frying
Method
- Make a thick batter with maida, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, sugar, green chilli and beer
- Dip the spinach leaves one at a time stem-to-tip and deep fry on a medium to high flame till golden brown
- Serve with a dip of your choice