From samosa to pakoda: 7 easy recipes for mouthwatering monsoon munchies, best served with a steaming cup of chai

There's nothing better than some crispy pakode and a hot cup of chai in the rain. Check out these easy recipes for other mouthwatering monsoon munchies

As the monsoon showers give us their best show, there's just something about a hot chai and some desi snacks to take the rainy blues away. Even actor Emraan Hashmi revealed that his favourite monsoon snack was samosas, in an exclusive conversation with HT City. In our exploration of the best snacks to pair with kadak chai, we've got a list of recipes that will truly make your mouth water— rain or shine!

A series of crowd favourite monsoon munchies

Pakoda and Bhajiya

Name a better pair, we'll wait. A hot steaming plate of bhajiya paired with a warm cup of chai really elevates the cool weather. While onion and potato pakoda are the family favourite in every household, we urge you to try the popular mirchi bhajiyas of Rajasthan or maroi nakuppi fritters. While you might be familiar with mirchi bhajiyas, maroi nakuppi pakode come from the Northeast. They are essentially garlic chives fried with besan, chilli powder, green chillies and salt.

Marwadi mirchi bhajiyas and north-eastern garlic chive fritters(Archana's Kitchen / Goya )

Samosas

An evening snack beloved by all no matter the weather, samosas have always paired well with a kadak chai. This monsoon, ditch the basic aloo samosa for a decadent meat filling. It might sound like it doesn't work, but a little bit of chicken/mutton keema fried lightly with onion, combined with spices of your choice and a dash of tomato ketchup makes for an unbelievable filling you are not likely to forget soon.

Mutton or chicken samosa are a delicious alternative to potato ones(Whisk Affair )

Maggi

There is simply nothing better than a bowl of steaming hot Maggi with your evening cup of tea as you gaze into the pouring rain. One of our go-to recipes includes adding some chilli and cheese to your original Maggi recipe along with pepper powder to make a cheesy, indulgent plate that appeals to all.

Adding a simple cheese slice to your Maggi will change the whole flavour profile (Cookpad)

Momo

Another versatile monsoon munchie we swear by is the momo. Put your chai on the boil and fill momo covers with your favourite filling. The twist to this recipe comes from Nepal, where Jhol momo is a local food. To make the sauce add soybeans, peanuts and sesame seeds to a pan and roast them lightly. Then blend them together with a basic tomato, onion and ginger-garlic paste you might use for a chicken curry or a heavy dal.

Warm up the resulting liquid with the juice of a lemon and put your pre-bought/handmade momo into the soup for a delicious plate of Jhol momo which will heal you from the inside out.

The spicy Jhol sauce will warm you from the inside out

Bhel Puri

The easiest snack to make when the showers hit is bhel puri. You probably have all the ingredients in your pantry already. Instead of the usual gili Mumbai bhel that you're used to, we suggest mixing things up with this recipe from the region of Jammu. Simply add a few cups of puffed rice or murmura to a bowl. Build on that base with cornflakes, roasted chana dal, sev, tomatoes, onions, green chilli, coriander, lemon and a spice mix consisting of salt, red chilli powder and chaat masala. Mix it all and serve!

Cornflakes in bhel might sound weird, but adds an extra crunchy surprise(Smitha Kalluraya )

Aloo Tikki

Now this won't be an honest list if we forgot to include aloo tikki. But instead of the aloo, use soya chunks in the mixture. Add half a cup of soya granules to 2 boiled potatoes, a slice of bread, some besan and masalas of choice. Optionally, you can also add some green chilli, coriander and lemon juice to the mix for a zestier taste. Fry and serve with tomato ketchup, not forgetting a hot cup of tea.

Adding soya to your aloo tiki makes it feel super decadent

Bhutta 

The last item on the list is something we have all enjoyed at some point or the other. Corn on the cob is one of the most decadent snacks that really hits the spot in cold weather. But instead of topping your roasted bhutta with the usual chaat masala and lemon, try what the Mexicans call Elote. Roll your grilled corn in some butter. Top it with some mayonnaise, a crumbly cheese like feta or shredded Amul cheese and lemon juice. Sprinkle a bit of chilli powder for a bit of spice and enjoy with a cup of nice, hot Assam tea.

Adding a bit of mayonnaise to your corn makes it a completely different snack

And there you have it, 7 easy recipes to satisfy those monsoon cravings which are super easy to pair with a delicious cup of aadrak ki chai.