Tempting Foods to Spice-up the Monsoons

Monsoon must-have foods

Intro

Each season brings with it a list of delicacies which are innate to it. The rainy season too has a list of piping hot, spicy and fried items which are an integral part of the monsoon menu

There’s a deep connect between hot (both in terms of temperature and in terms of spiciness) food and wet rains. Primarily when the temperature falls, as it’s prone to fall after frequent spells of rains, the body craves for warmth and hence spontaneously reaches out for hot food like say soups or fried items. Secondly the monsoons are a time when nostalgia hits and the gloominess in the environment drags us down. In order to snap out of these dark sentiments one turns to the perennial comforter – food - and the spicier it is the quicker we get a mood lift! Scientists claim that the tryptophan in fried, fatty foods is deployed by the human brain to generate serotonin- the feel-good-happy hormone.

Albeit rains are still to descend in some parts of the country yet, what’s wrong in pre-planning and drawing up a list of monsoon must-haves, eh?  So Foodism brings for you a list of monsoon must-haves along with a recipe of Bangbang Batata from Tara Deshpande’s book "A Sense for Spice".

Aloo Tikki Chaat

This monsoon street food is from the capital - hot and crusty aloo tikkis and their spicy chaat can be devoured straight from the fry pan (tava)

Corn (Bhutta)

A corn cob hot and freshly roasted on the stove nicely scrubbed with lemon juice and spices is an absolute mandate for the Indian monsoon 

Dalwada

Originating from Garvi Gujarat these fried fritters prepared from split green and split yellow lentil are deliciously addictive thanks to their crispy exteriors and soft and spongy interiors 

Foodism Tip – Dalwadas are best enjoyed with sliced onions and fried green chillies 

Jalebi

This one’s for those with a sweet-tooth! Piping hot thin jalebis dipped in sugary syrup with samosas are the perfect combination

Kachoris

Fresh from the stove, crunchy and fluffy kachoris are what makes the rains a much-awaited season! With their original roots in Rajasthan kachoris are prepared from gram flour and offered in varieties like Dahi Kachori Chaat; and of course the Aloo and Onion-Stuffed best seller 

Masala Tea 

A piping hot, aromatic cup of tea with a dash of ginger, cardamom, mint and basil will not only give you an emotional high and bust your stress levels but also boost your immunity and keep you safe from the malaises which are a part and parcel of the monsoon

Foodism Tip - Hold the cup of tea close to your mouth and blow into it and then drown your face in the steam 

Momos

Served with spicy garlic chutney and mayonnaise, hot steamy momos will transport you into an altogether ethereal world and that too without multiplying your calories!

Noodles

A bowl of steaming hot masala noodles with a generous dash of nutritious veggies and cheese, is exactly what everyone right from children to grandparents crave for on a day when it’s raining cats and dogs

Pakoras

Another monsoon must-have for people across all age groups and genders is yummy pakoras and a cup of piping hot tea. And there’s a plethora of options to choose from…each more delicious than its precedent! Besides the standard varieties of potato, onion, banana and paneer pakoras; you can also be experimental and try out the cauliflower pakora. Hey don’t forget the mint and tamarind chutneys and a dash of tomato ketchup!

Roasted Chicken Tikka

Crispy roasted chicken with onion rings is the perfect monsoon food for non-vegetarians

Samosa

A round-the-year popular snack in all Indian households, samosas assume pivotal importance during the monsoons owing to their crisp, spicy and hot nature. Tapping this need, food outlets have rolled out options galore besides the humble potato samosa like – keema samosa, chinese samosa, pasta samosa, paneer samosa, lentil samosa … the list is endless!

Soup

Got wet in the rain? Protect yourself from the flu by grabbing a bowl of your favourite hot soup – it could be the creamy tomato soup or even simple stock with mixed veggies. Not only will it warm you up but it will also restrain you from going on a guilt trip as it’s a healthy and nutritious option.

Vada Paav

Originally from Maharashtra and now a national bestseller this buttery paav with potato bunda is the perfect comfort food for the monsoon especially when served with green chilli 

Bangbang Batata

Chef: Tara Deshpande

Recipe Servings: 2

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Cook Time: 50 minutes

Difficulty Level: Easy

A quick and crispy potato snack 

This recipe is a part of the book "A Sense for Spice" by Tara Deshpande 

Ingredients -

Baby Potatoes - 250 gram 

Salt – As per taste

Sugar - 1/4 Teaspoon

Red Chilli Flakes - 1/2 Teaspoon 

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon

Semolina (Suji) - 1 Tablespoon

Ghee - 1 1/2 Tablespoon

Green Chillies (finely chopped) – 2-3

Garlic (finely chopped) - 1 1/2 Tablespoon

Method - 

Scrub and steam the potatoes till they're tender. Cool and peel them

Take a bowl and mix salt (to taste), sugar, chilli flakes, turmeric powder and semolina together. Coat the potatoes well with this mixture

Heat the ghee on a pan and sauté green chillies and garlic for 10 seconds. Add the spiced potatoes and cook on low heat for 6-8 minutes. Keep tossing and take off heat when the potatoes have turned brown and the semolina is crisp

Serve hot with lime wedges

So go ahead and revel in the rainy season and calm your craving for hot and sinfully-delicious cuisine with any of the above items which are synonymous with the monsoons!