<p>The monsoons months are best enjoyed from the comfort of your home. The best seats are those that give you a view of the rain washing over the greenery, with a cup of hot tea by your side, a book in hand and the time to enjoy it all. The sound of rain pounding outside is just as soothing. But popular sentiments dictate that even when Nature puts on her best show, there ought to be some delicious snacks to satiate the rain-induced hunger.</p>.<p>Since the idea is to enjoy the sight and sound of rain, we deliberately chose recipes which are quick and easy to make</p>.<p><strong>Loaded Nachos</strong> </p><p>Nachos are fun munchies especially when loaded with melted cheese and the works What you need: l One pack of tortilla chips (medium-sized pack) l One cup each of tomato salsa and grated cheese (cheddar) l Quarter cup of chopped spring onions l Half a cup of chopped olives l One teaspoon of red chilli flakes l Half a cup of cream or guacamole l Chopped green chillis for garnish Preparation: Assemble the snack by first arranging the tortilla chips on a flat baking tray. Pour the salsa on the chips and sprinkle the cheese evenly making sure that it is spread generously. Place the tray under a hot grill (most microwave ovens have the setting) for a few minutes until the cheese has melted. Remove the tray from the heat and sprinkle the rest of the ingredients on the nachos. Serve with sour cream or guacamole.</p>.<p><strong>Savoury Aloo Tikki</strong> </p><p>What’s a snack if it isn’t fried potatoes? Aloo tikki is easy to make and just perfect for an evening snack. Here’s a recipe with the perfect crunch. What you need: l Four boiled potatoes (mashed) l Quarter cup each of finely chopped onions and tomatoes l Salt and red chilli powder (to taste) l Two teaspoons of chopped coriander leaves l One teaspoon of chopped green chillis l One small packet of potato chips l Oil for shallow frying Preparation: First mix all the ingredients in a bowl except for the potato chips. Now add the potato chips into mixture after crushing them into smaller pieces. Shape the mixture into flat tikki shape and shallow fry the tikkis in a pan until they are golden brown on both sides. Add oil when frying the tikkis as needed. Serve the delicious snack with spiced yogurt or green chutney. You could serve up a delicious chaat with leftover chole. Arrange the tikkis on a plate and pour some chole making sure the tikkis get covered. Sprinkle some finely chopped onions tomatoes green chillis and coriander leaves. Garnish with a spoon of sweet tamarind chutney. </p>.<p><strong>Crispy Baby Corn Fritters</strong> </p><p>What you need: l 20 baby corn (or as desired) l Quarter cup of besan l Two tablespoons of rice flour l One tablespoon of corn flour l Salt and chilli powder to taste l One teaspoon of garam masala or Italian seasoning Preparation: Halve the washed baby corns lengthwise and put them in a wide mixing bowl. Add the rest of the dry ingredients to the baby corn and mix well. Let the mixture rest for 10-15 minutes. Just sprinkle a little water on the mixture so that there is a coating of the flour on the baby corns. The batter must not be runny otherwise the fritters won’t be crispy. Heat oil in a frying pan and gently slide in the coated baby corns and fry till they come out golden and crisp. Serve the fritters hot alongside the trusty tomato ketchup.</p>.<p><strong>Cake in a Mug</strong> </p><p>It’s not always savouries that hit the spot. A pleasant monsoon afternoon can be the right setting for something sweet. Here’s a recipe for an individual dessert to be enjoyed just by you. What you need: l Quarter cup of flour l Sugar to taste (usually the same quantity as the flour but it depends on what you want) l Two tablespoons of cocoa powder l A pinch each of baking soda and salt l Three tablespoons of milk l One tablespoon of water l Two tablespoons of oil l Quarter teaspoon of vanilla essence Preparation: Mix all the ingredients in a wide and large mug. Cook the cake in the microwave until it is done. Usually it takes about one and a half minutes. You could add your favourite nuts such as almond or pistachio along with pumpkin seeds for some crunch. Or else add a spoonful of tutti frutti if that’s what you like. Also if you are not a fan of chocolate substitute the cocoa powder with blueberries. Enjoy the hot cake with a spoon.</p>
<p>The monsoons months are best enjoyed from the comfort of your home. The best seats are those that give you a view of the rain washing over the greenery, with a cup of hot tea by your side, a book in hand and the time to enjoy it all. The sound of rain pounding outside is just as soothing. But popular sentiments dictate that even when Nature puts on her best show, there ought to be some delicious snacks to satiate the rain-induced hunger.</p>.<p>Since the idea is to enjoy the sight and sound of rain, we deliberately chose recipes which are quick and easy to make</p>.<p><strong>Loaded Nachos</strong> </p><p>Nachos are fun munchies especially when loaded with melted cheese and the works What you need: l One pack of tortilla chips (medium-sized pack) l One cup each of tomato salsa and grated cheese (cheddar) l Quarter cup of chopped spring onions l Half a cup of chopped olives l One teaspoon of red chilli flakes l Half a cup of cream or guacamole l Chopped green chillis for garnish Preparation: Assemble the snack by first arranging the tortilla chips on a flat baking tray. Pour the salsa on the chips and sprinkle the cheese evenly making sure that it is spread generously. Place the tray under a hot grill (most microwave ovens have the setting) for a few minutes until the cheese has melted. Remove the tray from the heat and sprinkle the rest of the ingredients on the nachos. Serve with sour cream or guacamole.</p>.<p><strong>Savoury Aloo Tikki</strong> </p><p>What’s a snack if it isn’t fried potatoes? Aloo tikki is easy to make and just perfect for an evening snack. Here’s a recipe with the perfect crunch. What you need: l Four boiled potatoes (mashed) l Quarter cup each of finely chopped onions and tomatoes l Salt and red chilli powder (to taste) l Two teaspoons of chopped coriander leaves l One teaspoon of chopped green chillis l One small packet of potato chips l Oil for shallow frying Preparation: First mix all the ingredients in a bowl except for the potato chips. Now add the potato chips into mixture after crushing them into smaller pieces. Shape the mixture into flat tikki shape and shallow fry the tikkis in a pan until they are golden brown on both sides. Add oil when frying the tikkis as needed. Serve the delicious snack with spiced yogurt or green chutney. You could serve up a delicious chaat with leftover chole. Arrange the tikkis on a plate and pour some chole making sure the tikkis get covered. Sprinkle some finely chopped onions tomatoes green chillis and coriander leaves. Garnish with a spoon of sweet tamarind chutney. </p>.<p><strong>Crispy Baby Corn Fritters</strong> </p><p>What you need: l 20 baby corn (or as desired) l Quarter cup of besan l Two tablespoons of rice flour l One tablespoon of corn flour l Salt and chilli powder to taste l One teaspoon of garam masala or Italian seasoning Preparation: Halve the washed baby corns lengthwise and put them in a wide mixing bowl. Add the rest of the dry ingredients to the baby corn and mix well. Let the mixture rest for 10-15 minutes. Just sprinkle a little water on the mixture so that there is a coating of the flour on the baby corns. The batter must not be runny otherwise the fritters won’t be crispy. Heat oil in a frying pan and gently slide in the coated baby corns and fry till they come out golden and crisp. Serve the fritters hot alongside the trusty tomato ketchup.</p>.<p><strong>Cake in a Mug</strong> </p><p>It’s not always savouries that hit the spot. A pleasant monsoon afternoon can be the right setting for something sweet. Here’s a recipe for an individual dessert to be enjoyed just by you. What you need: l Quarter cup of flour l Sugar to taste (usually the same quantity as the flour but it depends on what you want) l Two tablespoons of cocoa powder l A pinch each of baking soda and salt l Three tablespoons of milk l One tablespoon of water l Two tablespoons of oil l Quarter teaspoon of vanilla essence Preparation: Mix all the ingredients in a wide and large mug. Cook the cake in the microwave until it is done. Usually it takes about one and a half minutes. You could add your favourite nuts such as almond or pistachio along with pumpkin seeds for some crunch. Or else add a spoonful of tutti frutti if that’s what you like. Also if you are not a fan of chocolate substitute the cocoa powder with blueberries. Enjoy the hot cake with a spoon.</p>
