Cuisine

Cuisine Monsoon Munchies

When it rains, it pours snacks – celebrate the monsoons with these delicious snacks by SAYULI PAI RAIKAR that are hard to resist

Onion Pakoras:

Spoonfuls of thick runny batter made with sliced onions, green chillies, chickpea flour or besan, bishops weed, spice powders, deep fried till crisp. They are best enjoyed with coriander chutney and ketchup.

Rajasthani Mirchi Vada: Up your usual Mirchi by stuffing it with a potato mix and then deep frying as usual to make the traditional, famous Mirchi Vadas from the streets of Rajasthan.

Batatawada:

Mashed potato patty made with green chillies, ginger, coriander leaves, turmeric powder are dunked in chickpea flour or besan batter and deep fried. A popular street snack in Bombay and is also called Aloo Bonda.

Moringa or Drumstick Leaves Pakoras: Drumstick leaves are only available during the monsoons and they can be made into pakoras. It is a perfect way to get the kids to eat this superfood. Roughly chopped moringa leaves added to besan or chickpea flour, a mashed banana, spice powders, asafoetida, baking soda and deep fried. The sweetness from banana balances the bitter from the leaves perfectly.

Ros Omelette:

Goa’s favourite street food tastes even better when it’s pouring cats and dogs. Usual omelettes are served with Chicken Xacuti (or crab), topped with raw onions and lemon juice and enjoyed best with local Pao/ Unde.

Banana Blossom

Cutlets: Another seasonal ingredient, instead of the usual kelful bhaaji, turn this humble vegetable into the perfect evening snack. Cooked banana blossom is added to sautéed onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies, mashed potato, ground spices, shaped into cutlets and either shallow or deep fried.

Sayuli Pai Raikar juggles various roles as a legal practitioner, home cook, a mother, insta-blogger and lover of all things food. She loves to explore the unique local seasonal produce of Goa, and while respecting old traditional recipes, also enjoys creating new recipes and flavour combinations.

Sayuli was drawn to the culinary world as she enjoyed every opportunity that she got to cook for her family and friends. She loves cooking South East Asian fare as it is bright, colourful, flavourful and pays a visit to each of the 6 tastes and describes it as “It is as complex as it is simple”

Here, she lists out her favourite monsoon snacks that she enjoys making and treating her friends and families to. July 2021 | My Goa | 41