The monsoon is just around the corner, and we’re eagerly awaiting the chai-pakora evenings that accompany them. But why stop at pakoras? We’ve got some delicious monsoon snack recipes for you to spice up your rainy day chai parties.

1. Thai-Style Corn-On-The-Cob

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This Thai take on our favourite bhutta is the perfect tangy accompaniment to the rains.

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp Thai chilli sauce (you can substitute with regular chilli sauce)

4 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

8 cobs of sweet corn (peeled)

2 tbsp cilantro (chopped)

3 tbsp cheese of choice (grated)

8 lime wedges

Method:

In a small saucepan, combine the coconut milk, soy sauce, chilli sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice. Cook this glaze over moderate heat for about 10 minutes or until it develops a syrupy texture. Now, roast the corn cobs directly over a medium flame so they are charred and tender. Once this is done, transfer the cobs of corn to a skillet and coat them with the prepared glaze. Cook over a high flame for another 5 minutes and then transfer the corn to a separate plate. Garnish the cobs with the cilantro and cheese, and serve hot with a lime wedge.

2. Cinnamon Scones

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Does the smell of rain awaken your sweet tooth? Dig into these English-style cinnamon scones to wipe those cravings away.

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour (maida)

1/2 cup brown sugar

3-4 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup butter (softened)

1 egg (beaten)

Egg white (for glaze)

1 cup milk

Fruit jam to taste (optional)

Method:

Start by preheating the oven at 180-200°C. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Now, add the butter and mix it in well. In a separate bowl, mix the egg and milk and stir it into the flour mixture bit by bit until it takes on a doughy consistency. Next, take a flat platter and coat it with some extra flour. Transfer the dough to this platter and knead it for 3-4 minutes. Roll the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick round and use a knife to cut it into wedges. Prepare a greased baking sheet and place the wedges at a small gap from each other. Use an oil brush to coat them with a thin layer of egg whites and bake them for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Top with a dollop of fruit jam or caramel and enjoy the scones warm.

Related: 7 Unique Pakoras You Must Try This Monsoon

3. Aloo Chaat

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A fresh plate of garma-garam aloo chaat makes for an amazing monsoon snack, and we’ve got the best recipe for you to follow.

Ingredients:

3 medium potatoes (peeled and diced)

4 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp Kashmiri mirch powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp jeera powder

1/2 tsp amchur powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp chaat masala powder

1 tbsp mint leaves (chopped)

2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)

1 green chilli (chopped)

Tamarind chutney, to taste

Green chutney, to taste

Lemon juice, to taste

1/4 cup sev

Some pomegranate seeds

Method:

Heat some oil in a kadhai and fry the potatoes until crisp and golden. Next, transfer them to a big mixing bowl, add in all the spices and salt, and mix well. Now, add the chopped mint and coriander leaves, along with the green chilli and toss them together. Top the spiced potato mixture with both the chutneys and stir until they’re evenly coated. Finally, garnish your chaat with some sev, pomegranate seeds, and lemon juice, and serve hot. If desired, you can also mix in some dahi; however, I’d say to skip it if you plan to enjoy your chaat with chai.

4. Vegetable Cheese Toasties

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These crunchy baked toasties were a childhood staple for me. They’re extremely simple to prepare and go well with all warm beverages.

Ingredients:

6-7 bread slices

1 onion (chopped)

1-2 tomatoes (chopped)

1/2 capsicum (chopped)

1 and 1/2 cup Amul cheese (grated/shredded)

1 tbsp tomato sauce

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

Salt, to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

Method:

Set the oven to preheat at 180-200°C. Next, in a large bowl, add the chopped onions, tomatoes, and capsicum, along with the cheese and tomato sauce. Combine them well and mix in the pepper, salt, oregano, and chilli flakes. On a separate plate, lay out the bread slices and evenly spread the veggies and cheese mixture on top. Spread some olive oil on a baking tray and place the toasties on it. Drizzle some more olive oil on top and bake the toasties for 6-7 minutes. Once done, slice them into smaller triangles and serve them hot with ketchup on the side.

5. Kache Kele Ki Kachori

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This lesser-known monsoon snack recipe is vegan and gluten-free and makes for a lip-smacking accompaniment to your evening chai.

Ingredients:

4 raw bananas (peeled)

3 tbsp rice flour

Salt, to taste

2 tbsp chilli paste

4 tbsp roasted peanuts (crushed)

1/2 tsp jeera

1 cup fresh coconut (grated)

10-15 raisins

2 tbsp sesame seeds (roasted)

1 tbsp curry leaves (chopped)

2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp sugar

7-8 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

This recipe has two components- the outer covering of raw bananas and the coconut-based stuffing. For the outer covering, start by boiling and mashing the raw bananas. In a bowl, add the mashed bananas, rice flour, some green chilli paste, salt, and 1 tsp oil. Mix well and keep the mixture aside. Now, for the stuffing, in a separate bowl, combine the grated coconut, peanuts, jeera, sesame seeds, raisins, curry leaves, coriander leaves, sugar, lemon juice, and remaining green chilli paste. Once this is done, go back to the covering mixture and make round balls like you would with regular dough. Next, apply some oil to your hands and flatten each ball into a concave shape and fill them with the stuffing. Seal the edges by bringing them together and coat the prepped kachoris in some rice flour before keeping them aside. Finally, heat up some oil in a kadhai and deep-fry each kachori on a low flame until golden brown. Serve them hot with some ketchup or tamarind chutney.

Here’s hoping that your chai-ka-cup sees some of these monsoon snack recipes laid out this year. And if you’re looking to innovate on your chai flavours as well, here are some ideas for you. More of a coffee person? We’ve got you covered too. Check out these five ways to spice up your coffee.

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