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Monsoon recipes: Veg Bhajiya, Fish Cutlet and more

Here are six lip-smacking snack and soup recipes for the rainy season.

The much-awaited rains are finally here.

During the monsoons, most of us fancy sitting by the window with a piping hot cuppa and our favourite snack, don't we?

While nothing beats the traditional pakora-chai combination, here are some interesting recipes to enjoy the rains.

Fish Cutlet

These are small cake-shaped cutlets made from steamed fish, potatoes, herbs and spices served with green and sweet chutney and French fries.

Ingredients

• 200 gms soft boneless fish steamed
• 1 boiled and mashed potato
• 2 slices bread soaked in water
• 50 gms onion chopped
• 2 green chillies finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander
• 1 tsp garlic chopped
• 1/2 tsp ginger chopped
• 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
• Salt to taste
• Bread crumbs to roll

Method

• Mix all the ingredients and mash them in a bowl.
• Wet your hands and make small cake shaped patties.
• Slightly flatten them using the palm of your hand.
• Now roll the patty in the bread crumbs.
• Refrigerate these cutlets for 10 minutes.
• Heat refined oil in a pan.
• Shallow fry a few cutlets till it turns golden on both sides.
• Serve with green or sweet chutney and finger chips.

ALSO READ Monsoon recipe: Almond and Broccoli Soup

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Veg Bhajiya

To make this snack, pieces of vegetables are rolled in gram flour with spices and herbs before they are deep fried.

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegetables chopped of your choice
• 250 gms gram flour
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• Salt to taste
• Refined oil to fry

Method

• Make batter by combining all the ingredients except for the vegetables, making sure that you add just enough water to make a manageable batter.
• Now, dip the veg pieces in the batter, so as to coat them well.
• Take them one by one and drop spoonfuls into hot oil.
• Deep fry until tender.
• Serve on a platter garnished with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with green chutney and sweet chutney.

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Vegetable Cutlet

The refreshing vegetable cutlet is prepared exactly the same way as the fish cutlet.

Replace fish with diced or grated vegetables of your choice and serve with green chutney and chips.

Ingredients

• 200 gms vegetables steamed and mashed
• 1 boiled and mashed potato
• 2 slices bread soaked in water
• 50 gms onion chopped
• 2 green chillies finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander
• 1 tsp garlic chopped
• 1/2 tsp ginger chopped
• 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
• Salt to taste
• Bread crumbs to roll

Method

• Mix all the ingredients and mash them in a bowl.
• Wet your hands and make small cake shaped patties.
• Slightly flatten them using the palm of your hand.
• Now roll the patty in the bread crumbs.
• Refrigerate these cutlets for 10 minutes.
• Heat refined oil in a pan.
• Shallow fry a few cutlets till it turns golden on both sides.
• Serve with green or sweet chutney and finger chips.

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Burnt Garlic Soup

The inclusion of garlic makes this soup incredibly delicious.

It is a semi-thick soup making it suitable for any weather.

Ingredients

• 2 small pieces of broccoli
• 4 carrot pieces sliced
• 3 pieces water chest nut
• 2 pakchoi leaves
• 1 french beans finely chopped
• 1 baby corn sliced
• 1 mushroom finely sliced
• 1 tsp garlic chopped
• 1 tbsp chilly oil
• Tabasco to taste
• Salt to taste

Method

• Heat the frying pan.
• Add chilly oil followed by chopped garlic.
• Saute and add stock water.
• Empty all ingredients into the pan and bring them to boil.
• Pour into a soup bowl.
• Garnish with spring onion, coriander, fried onion and garlic.
• Serve hot with a wedge of lime.

Tip: For the non-vegetarian version of this soup, reduce the amount of vegetables and replace with chopped chicken of the same quantity.

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Paya Zakhani Soup

Kashmiri style delicious and rich, this soup comprises slow cooked-smoked tender lamb legs.

Paya Zakhani Soup is cooked over fire for long periods with aromatic spices.

Ingredients

• 10-12 lamb legs (paya)
• 4 medium onions
• 10 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 6-8 cloves
• 4 green cardamoms
• 2 inch cinnamon sticks
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 cup ghee
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• A bunch of fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

• Wash payas thoroughly.
• Cut two onions into quarters and finely slice the remaining.
• Make a paste of the quartered onions and garlic.
• In a large pot add fifteen cups of water and add the payas.
• Add onion paste, turmeric powder, cloves, green cardamoms, cinnamon and salt.
• Cook for four hours on low heat.
• Boil till the payas are tender. If required, add another two to three cups of water.
• Heat ghee in a pan and fry sliced onions till golden brown.
• Add red chilli powder and pepper powder.
• Add this to payas and cook for five minutes.
• Strain the liquid and separate the payas from the residue.
• Heat the strained liquid with coriander leaves, garam masala powder and the payas.
• Remove from heat when ghee appears on top.
• Add lemon juice and serve hot.

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Vietanamese Sour and Pepper Soup

This bowl of soup has explosive flavours and textures.

The combination king prawns, clams, crab meat and squids in fiery broth makes it great for a cool rainy day or for a cold winter supper.

Ingredients

• 2 pcs king prawns
• 1 calamari cut in ring shape
• 5 gms fish cut in small pcs
• 1 sp crab meat
• 2 pcs clams
• 1 stem lemon grass
• 3 gms bamboo shoot
• 2 shiitake mushrooms
• 2 shallots
• 1 ripe tomato 
• 1 slice of pineapple cut in small pcs
• 1 tbsp chilli oil
• 1/4 tbsp tamarind pulp

For garnish

• Mint leaves
• Basil
• Coriander

Method

• Clean and cut all the seafood ingredients and keep aside. 
• In a deep pot, heat chilli oil and add shallots, lemon grass. 
• Saute for two to three minutes. 
• Add water or chicken stock. 
• Simmer till all the seafood is cooked.
• Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for upto five minutes. 
• Pour in a big bowl and garnish with basil, mint leaves and coriander.
• Serve with a wedge of lime.

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