Rainy Day Recipes: How to make Onion Cheese Pakoda, Matar Samosa Chaat, Crispy Fried Chicken & more

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:

1. In a bowl combine onion, turmeric powder, red chili powder, ajwain, ginger, green chili and mix well.
2. Season with salt. Add besan, rice flour, water and make a thick batter.
3. Dip the cheese cubes and coat well with the prepared batter.
4. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai.
5. Divide into portions and deep fry the pakodas in oil till brown and crisp.
6. Remove on absorbent paper and drain off the excess oil.
7. 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:

1. In a bowl add green chillies, red bell pepper, garlic, coriander leaves, butter, ed cheese and mix everything properly until the mixture is smooth.
2. Now heat a pan and toast the bread from one side properly then remove them and apply the cheese mixture on the toasted side.
3. 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.
4. 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

1. . In a mixing bowl, add whole pieces, buttermilk, salt and hot sauce.
2. . Mix well and keep for 4-6 hours in the refrigerator.

for Refined Flour Coating

1. In a mixing bowl, add refined flour, paprika powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and white pepper. Mix well.
2. Add chicken pieces and coat well.
3. Shake off the excess flour.
4. Remove them on a wire rack/cooling rack to avoid from sticking.
5. Keep aside for further use.

for Egg Wash

1. . in a Mixing Bowl, Add Eggs, Paprika Powder, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, White Pepper Powder and Salt.
2. . Add Coated Chicken and Mix Well.
3. . Keep Aside for Further Use.
4. for Final Coating
5. . in a Paper Bag or a Lid Box, Add Chicken and Shake Well for the Coating.
6. . Once Done Shake Off the Excess Flour and Keep on a Wire Rack.
7. . Heat Oil for Deep Frying.
8. . Add Chicken Pieces and Fry Till Half Done.
9. . Drain Them on a Kitchen Paper Towel.
10. . Double Fry Them Until Golden Brown and Crisp.
11. . Drain on a Kitchen Paper Towel to Remove Excess Oil.
12. . 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:

1. . 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.
2. . Once the green peas are cooked well, add a little water and mix it well.
3. . 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.
4. . Now, add ghee and saute once again. Switch off the flame, add ginger, mint leaves, green chilli and mix well.
5. . Transfer the prepared filling into the plate or tray and keep in the refrigerator for a while.

For tamarind chutney

1. . 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.
2. For tempering chutney
3. . In a handi, add oil, once oil is hot, add cloves let it splutter well.
4. . Add cumin seeds, dry red chilli and let them splutter well.
5. . Pour the prepared chutney and mix properly. Add degi red chilli powder, asafoetida and mix well.
6. . Cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Once the chutney gets thickened nicely.
7. . Transfer into the bowl and keep aside for further use.

For chaat masala

1. . In a bowl, add black peppercorns, coriander seed, black cardamom seed, fennel seed, cumin seeds, salt to taste.
2. . 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

1. In a part, add refined flour, carom seeds, salt to taste, ghee and mix everything properly until it resembles bread crumb consistency.
2. . Now, add chilled water and knead a hard dough. Cover and keep aside for resting at least for 15-20 minutes.

For assembling

1. . Take a medium portion of the dough, make a round peda, apply ghee and roll it thin in an oval shape.
2. 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.
3. . 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.
4. . 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

1. . Add ghee in a pan, once ghee is hot, add green chilli, ginger and saute them well.
2. . Add prepared samosa filling, salt to taste and mix well.
3. . 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.

(Recipes curated by Chef Ranveer Brar)