Monsoon snacking is always guilt free... that cup of chai, a deep fried snack... just yum! Try these recipes for your evening indulgence.

ONION CHEESE PAKODA

INGREDIENTS:

For Onion Mixture

. 2 Cups Onion, sliced

. 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

. 2 tsp Red Chili Powder

. 1/2 tsp Ajwain

. 1 tsp Ginger, chopped

. 1 Green Chili, chopped

. Salt, to taste

. 1/2 Cup Besan/ Gram Flour

. 1/4 Cup Rice Flour, optional

. 5 tbsp Water

Other Ingredients

. Oil, for deep frying

. 3-4 cheese cubes, cut into bite sized pieces

METHOD:

. In a bowl combine onion, turmeric powder, red chili powder, ajwain, ginger, green chili and mix well.

. Season with salt. Add besan, rice flour, water and make a thick batter.

. Dip the cheese cubes and coat well with the prepared batter.

. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai.

. Divide into portions and deep fry the pakodas in oil till brown and crisp.

. Remove on absorbent paper and drain off the excess oil.

. Serve hot with green chutney.

CHILLI CHEESE TOAST

INGREDIENTS:

. 4-5 fresh Green Chillies - chopped

. 1/2 medium Red Bell Pepper - chopped

. 2 cloves Garlic - chopped

. 2 tbsp Coriander Leaves - chopped

. 1 heaped tbsp Butter

. 1 cup Processed Cheese

. 4 slices Bread

METHOD:

. In a bowl add green chillies, red bell pepper, garlic, coriander leaves, butter, ed cheese and mix everything properly until the mixture is smooth.

. Now heat a pan and toast the bread from one side properly then remove them and apply the cheese mixture on the toasted side.

. Put the bread back in the pan on the non-toasted side then cover and let it cook on medium heat until the cheese has melted.

. Remove and cut in triangles and serve warm with tomato ketchup.

CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

For Brining

. 1 Whole Chicken with skin, cut into 8 pieces

. Salt to taste

. Buttermilk, as required

. 1 tsp Hot Sauce

. For Refine Flour coating

. 2 cups Refine Flour

. 2 tsp Paprika powder

. 2 tsp Garlic powder

. 2 tsp Onion powder

. Salt to taste

. 2 tsp White Pepper powder

. Marinated Chicken pieces

Egg Wash

. 5 Whole Eggs

. 1 tsp Paprika powder

. 1 tsp Garlic powder

. 1 tsp Onion powder

. 1 tsp White Pepper powder

. Salt to taste

Final Coating

. 2 cups Refined Flour

. Salt to taste

. Oil for deep frying

METHOD:

For Brining

. In a mixing bowl, add whole pieces, buttermilk, salt and hot sauce.

. Mix well and keep for 4-6 hours in the refrigerator.

For refined Flour Coating

. In a mixing bowl, add refined flour, paprika powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and white pepper. Mix well

. Add chicken pieces and coat well.

. Shake off the excess flour.

. Remove them on a wire rack/cooling rack to avoid from sticking.

. Keep aside for further use.

For Egg Wash

. In a mixing bowl, add eggs, paprika powder, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper powder and salt.

. Add coated chicken and mix well.

. Keep aside for further use.

For Final Coating

. In a paper bag or a lid box, add chicken and shake well for the coating.

. Once done shake off the excess flour and keep on a wire rack.

. Heat oil for deep frying.

. Add chicken pieces and fry till half done.

. Drain them on a kitchen paper towel.

. Double fry them until golden brown and crisp.

. Drain on a kitchen paper towel to remove excess oil.

. Serve hot with choice of sauce.

MATAR SAMOSA CHAAT RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

For Samosa Filling

. 2-3 tbsp Ghee

. 2 Green chilli, chopped

. 1/2 inch Ginger, chopped

. 2 cups green peas

. Salt to taste

. 1/3 cup fresh Mint leaves, chopped

. little Water

.1/2 tsp Sugar

. 1 tsp Ghee

. 1/4 inch Ginger, chopped

. few Mint leaves, chopped

. 1 Green chilli, chopped

.1/2 tbsp Prepared Chaat Masala

For Tamarind Chutney

. 1 litre Water

. 1 cup Tamarind, soaked

. 2 cups Jaggery

For Tempering Chutney

. 1 tbsp Oil

. 2 Cloves

. 1 tsp Cumin seeds

. 2 dry red chillies

. 1 tsp Degi red chilli powder

. A pinch of asafoetida

For Chaat Masala

. 2 tbsp Black peppercorns

. 1 tbsp Coriander seed

. 1 tbsp Fennel seed

. 1 Black cardamom seeds

. 1/2 tbsp Cumin seeds

. Salt to taste

For Dough

. 1 cup Refined flour

. 1/2 tsp Carom seeds, crushed

. Salt to taste

. 1 tbsp Ghee

. chilled Water as required

For Masala

. 1 tbsp Ghee

. 2-3 Green chilli, slit into half

. Salt to taste

. 1/2 inch Ginger, julienned

. 1/3 cup Prepared Samosa Filling

little Water

. 1 tsp Prepared Chaat masala

For Garnish

. Prepared Masala

. Curd, beaten and seasoned

. Prepared Samosa

. Prepared Tamarind chutney

. Curd, beaten and seasoned

. Pomegranate pearl

. Sev

. few Corianders sprigs

. A pinch of Prepared chaat masala

METHOD:

For Samosa Filling

. Take a shallow pan or kadai, add ghee once it's hot, add green chilli, ginger, mint leaves and saute it well. . Add green peas, salt to taste and saute it well. Cover it with the lid and cook for 5 minutes on medium flame.

. Once the green peas are cooked well, add a little water and mix it well.

. Once again, cover it with a lid and cook for a while. Open the lid, once the green peas are cooked well, mash the green peas, add sugar and saute for a minute.

. Now, add ghee and saute once again. Switch off the flame, add ginger, mint leaves, green chilli and mix well.

. Transfer the prepared filling into the plate or tray and keep in the refrigerator for a while.

For Tamarind Chutney

. In a saucepot, add water, tamarind, jaggery and cover it with a lid and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Once the chutney is cooked well, strain the mixture and keep aside for further use.

For Tempering Chutney

. In a handi, add oil, once oil is hot, add cloves let it splutter well.

. Add cumin seeds, dry red chilli and let them splutter well.

. Pour the prepared chutney and mix properly. Add Degi red chilli powder, asafoetida and mix well.

. Cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Once the chutney gets thickened nicely.

. Transfer into the bowl and keep aside for further use.

For Chaat Masala

. In a bowl, add black peppercorns, coriander seed, black cardamom seed, fennel seed, cumin seeds, salt to taste

. Transfer into a pan and dry roast the spices on medium flame. Once it cools down, transfer it into a grinder and grind it coarsely. keep it aside for future use.

For Dough

I. n a part, add refined flour, carom seeds, salt to taste, ghee and mix everything properly until it resembles bread crumb consistency.

. Now, add chilled water and knead a hard dough. Cover and keep aside for resting at least for 15-20 minutes.

For Assembling

. Take a medium portion of the dough, make a round peda, apply ghee and roll it thin in an oval shape.

Now, cut in from the center and take one half of it and make a cone shape of it and add the prepared filling in it.

. Now apply water on the open ends of the cone and fold it towards you, keep it down and give it a gentle press so that it can stand, make all others in the similar way.

. Heat oil in a kadhai on medium heat and fry the samosas on low to medium heat, until it turns golden in colour from all the sides, remove on an absorbent paper.

For Masala

. Add ghee in a pan, once ghee is hot, add green chilli, ginger and saute them well.

. Add prepared samosa filling, salt to taste and mix well.

. Add little water, prepared chaat masala and mix them nicely and keep it aside for further use.

For Garnish

. In a serving plate, place the prepared masala, seasoned curd, prepared samosa, curd, prepared tamarind chutney, sprinkle prepared chaat masala, pomegranate pearl, sprinkle Sev, coriander sprig and serve hot.

Source - IANS