Snacks Recipes To Pair Up Your Cup Of Tea/Coffee This Monsoon

This rainy season, allow your taste buds to enjoy a symphony of flavours and textures that accompany the soothing cup of tea in the calm of nature's showers.

(Representational Image)

Source : Getty

New Delhi: Monsoon is here and with it comes the incessant downpours, water-clogged streets and mud-coated clothes. But, not everything about monsoons is bad. You would definitely wait for a day to enjoy the pitter patter with a cup of tea or coffee in your cosy bedroom with your favourite book maybe or some music. And, what is a cup of coffee without some hot and crispy fritters to pair it with? So, allow your taste buds to enjoy a symphony of flavours and textures that accompany the calm of nature's shower during this delightful rainy season. 

Join us on a gourmet trip as we serve an array of tasty teas and delectable snacks that have been shared with ABP Live by some chefs, to enhance your monsoon experience and leave you with fond memories of this cosy meeting. 

Talking about this match made in heaven, Chef Ashish Singh, Culinary Director, Cafe Delhi Heights said, "I believe that tea/coffee and pakoras are the perfect combination during the monsoon season. They bring warmth, comfort, and a burst of flavour. The rain creates a desire for something cosy, and a hot cup of tea or coffee does just that. It warms you up from within and creates a soothing atmosphere. The sizzling sound, aromatic spices, and delightful crunch complement the rainy weather. Additionally, the bitterness or richness of the beverage cuts through the greasiness of pakoras, while the spices enhance the flavours. It's like a dance of tastes in your mouth."

"Moreover, this combination holds social significance. They bring people together, encouraging conversations, laughter, and bonding. It creates a sense of togetherness and adds joy to rainy days.", he further went on to say.

So, when it's raining, sipping on a steaming cup of tea or coffee with delicious pakoras is a magical combination. It indulges your senses, warms your heart, and makes the monsoon season even more delightful. 

Some Snacks Recipes To Try This Monsoon

1. Stuffed Mirchi Bajji (By Chef Ravindra Singh, SkyDeck By Sherlock's)

"Savouring a hot cup of chai or coffee alongside deep-fried snacks can evoke a sense of comfort and warmth, reminiscent of gatherings with loved ones, rainy day conversations, or childhood memories and over the years, it's considered a 'rainy-day' ritual.," says the chef.

Ingredients:

For Batter:

• ½ Cup Gram Flour Besan
• ¼ Cup Rice Flour
• ¼ Cup + 2 Tablespoons Water
• ½ -1 Teaspoon Salt
• ½ Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• ½ Teaspoon Chaat Masala
• A Pinch Hing Asafoetida

For Filling:

• 2 medium-sized potatoes 
• 2 Tablespoons Oil
• ½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 1 Teaspoon grated Ginger
• 1 Teaspoon finely chopped Green Chilli
• 1 Pinch Hing Asafoetida
• ¼ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Chaat Masala
• Chilli 500gms

Method:

• Blend the batter well to ensure there are no lumps.
• Boil the potatoes, mash well and add all ingredients and mix well. 
• Slit the Green Chilli, take out the seeds and fill with the potato filling made, Dip into the batter and wait until the batter turns a shade of golden brown.  

2. Jalapenos On Cream Cheese Sticks (By Chef Roshni Sood, Poach Kolkata)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cream Cheese
• 10-15 jalapeños finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Amul cheese 
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese grated 
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 2 cups Panko crumbs
• 5tbsp corn flour 
• Oil for frying

Method:

• In a bowl mix together the assorted cheese, jalapeño Salt pepper and set aside.
• Make a corn flour slurry by adding water to the corn flour.
• Roll the cheese mixture into the desired shape and freeze for about 30 mins.
• Dip the cheese mix into the slurry and then crumb with the Panko.
• Repeat this process 3 more times and freeze for 30 mins more.
• Heat your oil and begin to fry the cheese sticks until light golden brown.
• Serve hot with your favourite dips. 

3. Onion Bhajji (By Chef Ravindra Singh, SkyDeck By Sherlock's)

Ingredients:

• 2 large red onions, finely sliced
• 1 green chilli finely chopped and de-seeded, if preferred
• 2 garlic cloves
• 8g of ginger finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
• 1 sprig of curry leaves
• 6 tbsp of gram flour
• 3 tbsp of rice flour
• 1/4 bunch of coriander chopped
• 1/4 tsp fennel seeds

Method:

• Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
• Add 100 ml of water and sift well. Add more water if needed.
• Make even-sized pieces and deep fry. 
• Served with mint chutney and sweet chutney, this is a perfect partner to the monsoons and chai/coffee

3. Thai Flavoured Chicken Crunchy Popcorn (By Chef Sudipto Gupta, Drunken Teddy)

Ingredients:

• Chicken mince
• Onion 
• Garlic
• Coriander 
• Parsley
• Thyme 
• Salt 
•  Black Pepper 
• Cajun spice 
• Paprika powder
• Smoke powder
• Chat masala
• Lemon leaf
• Lemon grass 
• A drop of Gondhoraj lemon
• Cornflakes

Method:

• Put all the ingredients in a large bowl.
• Mix it well and mince it with the help of a grinder.
• Adjust seasoning to taste.
• Coat in batter then crumb with crunchy cornflakes.
• Deep fry served with Thai dip and garnish.

3. Zucchini Bhajji (By Chef Ravindra Singh, SkyDeck By Sherlock's)

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized zucchini
• ½ cup gram flour
• ¼ cup rice flour
• ½ teaspoon carom seeds
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• ⅛ teaspoon hing
• salt to taste
• ½ cup water

Method:

• Heat enough oil to shallow fry in a large pan.
• Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix together.
• Squeeze in half a lemon and water, and mix until you get a paste-like consistency.
• Add thinly sliced zucchini into the batter and coat evenly, deep fry and serve with ketchup

4. Sassy Spring Roll (By Jagannath Haripada Bera, Soba Sassy)

Ingredients:

• 8 pieces asparagus spears, blanched and trimmed
• 60 gms cup grated cheese
• 4 pcs spring roll wrappers
• Water & flour (for sealing)
• galangal, lemongrass, lemon leaf finely chopped - each 5 gram
• Oil (for deep frying)

For Malta Dip:

• 15 gms onion
• 10 gms garlic
• 2 pcs red chilli
• 10 gms plum sugar
• 5 gms vinegar
• 2-gram salt
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 2 gms degi mirch powder

Method:

• Wrap the Asparagus and Cheese in Spring roll sheets.
• Deep fry to perfection.
• Serve with a delightful homemade Malta dip. 

5. Shabalaya chicken (By Chef Mohar Ali, Yeti)

Ingredients:

• Chicken
• Onion chopped
• Coriander chopped
• Spring onion
• Butter
• Salt
• Peanut sauce 
• Slice onion tomato
• Soya Sauce

Method:

• Mince chicken marinated with onion chopped, coriander chopped, spring onion, butter, and salt, stuffed with bread and deep fry. 
• Serve with spicy peanut sauce, white sesame, and Sichuan sauce.

6. Caribbean Chicken Strips (By Chef Mohar Ali, Raasta)

Ingredients:

• Garlic
• Basil chopped
• Rosemary Paste
• Thyme Paste
• Chilli flakes 
• Chilli Paste
• Salt
• Pepper
• Corn flakes 
• Maida
• Egg

Method:

• Marinate the sliced chicken with garlic, basil chopped, rose merry pest, thyme paste, chilli flakes, chilli paste, salt, and pepper. 
• Dredge the chicken slices in cornflakes, maida, egg, Caribbean herbs and panko. 
• Fry it and then fried served with harissa sauce.