For some people, petrichor makes them feel romantic; for others, it is a muse. But for foodies, their olfactory senses relate monsoon with a cup of hot masala chai and the smell of fritters frying. Monsoon evenings call for something special to go with your tea. For the longest time, pakoras have been the top choice. As soon as the raindrops touch the ground, the heart craves for pakoras or anything fried. With hopes for rain and the appetite for monsoon tidbits, My Kolkata has some trending reel recipes to share with you…
Quick fix for masala chai
Let’s admit most of us enjoy drinking masala chai when it is served to us. Every house has a masala tea expert, who makes tea with a blend of spices. And if you are the tea expert in your house, then you will know that making milk-based masala tea requires time, patience and hard work! But if you want to save time, @homecookingshow has a perfect quick-fix. The food Instagram page has shared a recipe for an instant Indian Chai Masala Powder that can be stored and used as and when needed. Just add it to your pot in the water with tea granules, milk and sugar, and enjoy your masala chai. No hassle of assembling the spices and boiling them every time.
Healthy Bread Pakora
Now that you have a quick recipe for masala chai, you will need something to go with it. Bread pakora and tea is a comfort snack in the monsoons for many. However, with people becoming more health conscious, bread pakora feels like an indulgence. But what if we told you that you could enjoy your favourite snack without having to worry about health? What if bread pakora could be made healthy? Well, we aren’t kidding, because nutritionist and food content creator @leemamahajan has a trick to make the OG bread pakora healthy. Bonus, there's a chutney recipe too!
Corn Ragi Fritters
Enjoying roasted corn on the cob, rubbed with lime and salt amidst the monsoon, is a gastronomical romance that many of us yearn for. Apart from the roasted corn cob, you can also try at home corn fritters with the goodness of ragi. Here's another healthy recipe, this time by @finefettlecookerys. The fritters are made in an air fryer with little oil. If you do not have an air fryer, you can shallow fry them too. These are served with a yogurt dip to replace mayonnaise or store-bought dips. A perfect snack for a monsoon evening with friends, this is going to take you on a munching binge.
Teasel Gourd Fritters
Do you like teasel gourd? In Bengali, it is called kakrol and often, this vegetable leaves us with the question ‘what to make with it?’ Apart from cutting into small, thinly sliced discs and frying them, there are not many options for cooking this spiky vegetable. But @shyamalimatamuly_, shows us how to make stuffed teasel gourd fritters. With a filling of coconut and a coating of besan, this is a unique evening snack that will satiate your little hunger pangs too.
Mumbai's Chana Koliwada
A Mumbai-monsoon favourite, Chana Koliwada is a great munchie to relish while you relax and enjoy the rains. It may seem difficult to make, but if you have soaked chickpeas, you can make it in minutes. As shown by @pawar_omkar in a reel, all you have to do is boil the chickpeas, prepare a spice mix, make the batter, coat the chickpeas and fry them. Your bowl of Chana Koliwada is ready to be enjoyed with your masala chai.
Froggy Pizzas
Got kids at home and don't want to give them too much fried food? This monsoon, treat them to some homemade, quirky Froggy Pizzas. Content creator mom @okaysimrann has made these frog-shaped pizzas with homemade mozzarella and a pizza base. You can top it up with some healthy veggies and protein-rich meat or paneer. You can also engage your little one to help you make these pizzas! It will be a fun task for them as they are stuck indoors while it rains outside.
Potato Twisters
If you give in to your kids’ fried-food demands once in a while, you can try making this potato twister at home. You do not need any special kitchen tool to make this if you follow the method shown by @cookwithniddhii. It is an easy and quick monsoon snack that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike! Afterall, who doesn't like potatoes? Especially when it’s crispy and spicy.