Regional treats (foods) for a rainy day

Snacks add to the magical experience of rains and every state of India has varied delicacies to offer. So, once you are done with serving pakoras and bhajiyas this monsoon, try these popular regional snacks which are best had with a cup of piping hot chai.

MAHARASHTRIAN - ALUCHI WADI
This tasty dish is made from alu (colocasia leaves) with Maharashtrians calling it alu vadi and Gujaratis calling it patrode. It is prepared in two different ways. The simpler one is when it is just steamed, while some deep-fry the steamed alu wadi, which is a crunchy to bite.
INGREDIENTS
20 medium sized colocasia leaves
For the filling: 2 ½ cups besan (gram flour), 4 tbsp powdered jaggery, 2 tbsp seedless tamarind soaked in water, 2 green chillies, ½ inch ginger, ½ tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp oil, salt to taste
For the tempering : 8-10 curry leaves, 2 tsp sesame seeds, 1 tsp mustard seeds, ¼ tsp asafoetida powder, ¼ cup grated fresh coconut, chopped coriander leaves
METHOD

• Rinse the colocasia leaves well and wipe dry. Remove the central vein and stalks.
• Take all the ingredients for the batter in a bowl. Squeeze the tamarind into the water to extract its pulp and add this to the batter. Add water if required, but keep the batter thick.
• Check the taste and add more salt or powdered jaggery as required.
• Spread the batter on one leaf and cover it with another leaf. Put on it a third leaf and spread batter on it too. Cover with a fourth leaf and then roll the edges.
• Place these rolls on a greased steamer pan and steam for 20-25 minutes.
• While they're getting steamed, heat the oil in a small pan and add ingredients for tempering.
• Slice the steamed rolls and place on a plate. Add the tempering mixture onto them. Sprinkle grated coconut and coriander.
• You can also deep fry the sliced steamed rolls and then add the tempering.
• Serve with green chutney.

KERALA - PAZHAM PORI A staple at tea stalls in Kerala, these batter fried sweet snacks are hard to resist during the rainy weather. Perfect to make at home for tea time, pazham poris are banana fritters, crispy on the outside with sweet succulent pieces of ripe banana nestled inside. You can buy the ripest of the special bananas available at the shop selling Kerala products. 2 ripe bananas, 3 tbsp maida (all purpose flour), 1 tbsp rice flour, 1/2 cup water, large pinch of baking soda, salt to taste This snack from Gujarat gets a new lease of life during monsoons. Apart from the regular khakra, fafda and dhoklas, people of Gujarat are ready to serve snacks like dal wadas, corn wadas and METHI NA GOTA with adraki chai. 1 cup besan (gram flour), ½ cup chopped fenugreek leaves, 8-10 black peppercorns, 1 tsp coriander seeds, ½ tsp carom seeds, 4 green chilies chopped finely, 1 tbsp oil plus more for deep frying, 1 tsp sugar, ¼ tsp asafoetida, water as required, a pinch of baking soda and salt to taste Lukhmi is the Hyderabadi version of the triangular samosa, but they are square-shaped and bite-sized. This crispy, deep-fried savoury traditionally has a filling of minced mutton and spices. However, for vegetarians, the substitute for the filling is spicy potato and other vegetables. Served with green chutney, these little parcels of minced-meat are a comforting monsoon snack. 2 cups maida, ½ tsp salt, 4 tbsp ghee, ¼ cup fresh yogurt, warm water, oil for deep frying ½ pound minced chicken, 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 small onion sliced thinly, 1 tbsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tbsp coriander chopped fine, 1 tsp garam masala; 2 tbsp ghee During monsoons, alu chops and are the most favoured treats for Bengalis. While the alu chops have a stuffing of potato, green peas, tomato slices, ginger paste and various spices, the egg roll is similar to a Frankie or the kathi rolls prepared in many roadside stalls. It has a filling of eggs and you can replace it with a filling of chicken or mutton with spices. 1 cup maida, water, salt to taste 2 eggs, 1 medium onion chopped finely, half a medium sized cucumber, julienned, 2 chopped green chillies, oil for frying, salt to taste, tomato sauce for seasoning

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• Cut the bananas in halves. Further cut it lengthwise into three pieces.
• Prepare a smooth batter with maida, water and salt. Add a large pinch of baking soda just before frying. Mix the batter well and ensure there are no lumps.
• Dip the bananas in the batter and fry in a pan with oil on medium heat. When they are golden, remove using a slotted spoon.
• Place these on kitchen paper, to remove excess oil and serve warm.

GUJARAT - METHI NA GOTA

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• Take water and 1 tablespoon of oil in a bowl. Mix it well. Add carom seeds, green chillies, baking soda, salt, sugar, asafoetida to the mixture. Lightly crush and mix the peppercorns and coriander seeds well.
• Then add the fenugreek leaves and besan. Mix all together, and make sure that the batter is thick with no lumps.
• Heat oil in a pan on medium heat for deep frying. Make small balls of the methi-besan mixture and when the oil is hot enough, drop them in oil. These balls should be medium-sized, because after frying they will puff up and get bigger in size.
• Wait for half-a-minute and then turn them around with the help of a slotted spoon. Fry well on both sides till they turn golden brown and drain them on a dish lined with paper towels.
• Apart from green chutney, methi gotas are also served with raw onion slices and fried green chillies.

HYDERABAD - LUKHMI

INGREDIENTS
For the dough:

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For the stuffing:
METHOD

• Boil the minced chicken with ginger-garlic paste and salt till done.
• Heat ghee in a pan and fry onion till light brown. Add the minced chicken and the dry spices; fry till dry. Mix in the garam masala powder and coriander leaves. Keep aside.
• Sieve the flour and salt together. Rub in the ghee till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix the yogurt and use warm water to knead it into a soft, but not sticky dough.
• Divide the dough into small portions. Roll each portion into a small, thin chapati. Place a heaped tablespoon of the mince filling at the centre. Cover with another chapati of same size. Seal the edges by pressing them down firmly.
• Cut into squares and deep fry the lukhmi on medium heat until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
• Serve with tomato sauce.

KOLKATTA - EGG ROLLS

Egg Rolls

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INGREDIENTS
For the dough:
For the filling:
METHOD

• Knead the flour to make a smooth dough. Roll round parathas from it.
• In a bowl, beat the egg with a pinch of salt.
• Heat one tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and add the beaten egg mix to it. Spread it on the pan of the same diameter as the paratha.
• Carefully place the paratha over the half-fried omelette and allow it to cook for two more minutes. Turn around the paratha and cook the other side for one minute and take out from the frying pan.
• Place the egg covered paratha on a flat surface with the egg side up.
• Add chopped cucumber, chilies and onion at the centre of the paratha to make the filling and pour the tomato sauce over the vegetables.
• Roll the paratha and serve hot with little lemon juice over the filling.