Pack a punch with pakoras

When Kalinabased chef Shreejana Rai was 18 she would brave the raging monsoon to get out of her hostel at East Road to the main market in Kalimpong West Bengalmdashall for a piece of shaphaley a Nepali teatime snack The picturesque town that lies on a ridge between the Deolo and Durpin Hill is known for its sudden downpours Studying away from her home at the Indian Hospitality Management this piping hot snack priced at R10 was all she could afford on a tight budget It had the perfect blend of flavours that went perfectly with the cityrsquos wet and cold weather Obviously it had to feature on the menu of her Nepali and Northeast influenced eatery called Dumpling Khang at Vakola ldquoMumbairsquos monsoon is deacutejagrave vu reminds me of my Kalimpong days Shaphaley had grown on me during my time at IHMIngredientsneeded to make vazhaipoo vadaiIt saved me from going hungry and kept me warm when the temperatures dipped during the rains making it impossible to string even two sentences together It brightened a gloomy dayrdquo she adds Shaphaleys are bread stuffed with seasoned chicken beef or vegetable filling which is then made into semicircular or circular shapes and either deep fried or panfried It is considered to be a culinary crime if not served with the trademark red chilli sauce warns RaiMildlyspiced boiled chicken or veggies are stuffed in a maida roti folded like karanji and deep fried Serve piping hot PICSAISHWARYA DEODHAROn most Sundays when Vasai resident Akila Iyer Choudhary and her sister Sundari meet they go looking for moringa leaves in the local market These will go into the making of murungai keerai moringa leaves pakora which the duo prepare while remembering their growingup days at the railway colony in Valsad Gujarat Their parents were culinary enthusiasts and known among their friends for their love for foodldquoAmma would make an array of authentic Tamilian teatime monsoon snacks including the lesserknown munthiri pakoda cashew pakora and vazhaipoo masala vadai banana flower pakora to name a few When the sisters would make their way back home from school the smell of the pakoras would waft from their bungalowrsquos kitchen even before their little fingers made it up to the doorbell reminisces ChoudharyMunthiri pakoda has cashew as the hero ingredient can be replaced by groundnutsUnfortunately healthy snacks like the murungai keerai which are known to improve immunity and are widely used for treating anaemia are rarely made in Tamilian households anymore It also regulates insulin so is a favourite amongst those who have diabetes but do not want to compromise on eating something scrumptious during this season Family weekend gatherings give the Iyer girls a perfect excuse to cook and eat together ldquoMy father hailed from Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu and the recipes have a bit of a twist from the region Pakoras in the monsoons were a permanent sight in our home Later on they were also a part of the evening tiffin Most railway colonies had front and backyards with a variety of trees More often than not the leaves were foraged from there Moringa leaves flowers and banana flowers were always in abundance Making them now is a way of honouring the life our parents built for us and the time we had growing up at the railway colony which was like our extended familyrdquoShreejana RaiMunthiri pakodas use an expensive ingredient cashew and hence are not a common treat but their late mother Rajalakshmi would replace it with groundnuts and it was equally delicious ldquoThe original dish is sweet and salty and the loud crunch you get as you bite into the popcornsized delicacy just makes it perfect with your evening cuppardquo she addsCrispy Aajwain pakode PicsAnurag AhireWith vazhaipoo vadai cleaning the banana flower requires deft skills ldquobut once you get a hang of it itrsquos easy Each floret has a white portion outside that is like a thin white skin resembling a plastic layer It is inedible and must be discarded At the centre of each blossom again the white long stem stamen needs to be plucked out Cut the florets and keep them underwater until you begin to cook them While deep frying keep the flame low so the raw florets are cooked completelyrdquo says Choudhary Loaded with fibre and protein vazhaipoo is known to promote gut health and treat digestive issues The astringent flavour is more of an acquired tasteArbi TukWhen home chef Daksha Jain married her Vile Parle Eastbased husband almost three decades ago she missed her home and her favouritemdashvada pav Bearing in mind the Jain dietary restrictions of her new home she tried her hand at making kela vada ldquoI have never looked backrdquo says the now 53yearold who started Tanursquos Kitchen years ago Known as the kela vada veteran her neighbours drop in the minute they know that Daksha ben has made a fresh batch ldquoNews spreads fast hererdquo she laughs ldquoIf I havenrsquot made it for a few days they come to ask if all is well with us The dish has become a barometer for people to know if we are okay and in townrdquo she addsKadhi KachoriBeating popular perception the kela vada is sweet Sandwiched in a pav this is her ode to the quintessential vada pav Yoga and mindfulness coach Vinam Bhagat grew up in Ujjain a city that loves its teatime snacks ldquoMost often people head out for pakora and chaat during dinner time going for just a plate and ending up eating a few more At our home in Kharghar now I try and recreate dishes for friends and family who come over for dinner parties as most have not eaten these the MP Madhya Pradesh wayrdquo says Bhagat who loves cooking arbi tuk kadhi kachori and ajwain ke pakodeAkila Iyer Choudhary Daksha Jain and Vinam BhagatldquoEven though these are deep fried the fact that they are made with healthy ingredients makes it a better choice than outside food during the monsoon The ajwain pakode is all about the battermdashadd salt turmeric garam masala and chilli powdermdashcoat the leaves in a generous amount of batter and dip in hot oil A batch of crunchy healthy pakoras are ready to satiate hunger pangsrdquo she addsKela vadaIngredients6 medium raw bananaA pinch mustard seedsA pinch of asafoetidaA pinch of turmeric2 tblsp urad dal1 cup of gram flour4 chopped green chilliesHalf a lemonA few curry leavesA pinch of baking soda4 to 5 green chilliesCoriander to garnishSaltOil to fryMethodPut the bananas in a cooker and cook for four whistles Remove cool peel and mash the banana and set it aside Heat oil add mustard seeds curry leaves asafoetida turmeric and lots of urad dal and pour this tadka onto the mashed banana For the batter take gram flour salt lemon green chillies and turmeric and add water to make a thick coating Make balls of the banana with the tadka dip in batter and deep fry Serve with pavVazhaipoo masala vadaiIngredients1 small vazhaipoo banana flower approximately two cups of florets1 cup chana dal12 cup urad dal14 cup tuar dal2 tbsp ghee1 tsp finely chopped or grated ginger810 medium spicy dry red chillies12 tsp chopped curry leaves1 tsp chopped coriander leaves1 finely chopped onion12 tsp carom seedsA pinch of asafoetidaFennel seedscumin seeds optionalGarlic optionalGreen chillies finely chopped as per tasteSalt to tasteMethodSoak chana dal tuar dal and urad dal and dry red chillies together for at least three to four hours Churn in a mixer without water to make a coarse batter Keep aside In a bowl beat ghee clarified butter salt and baking soda with your hands till it gets airy and light Add all the remaining ingredients and make a tight dough Flatten a dough ball with your hand and drop these into hot oil one after another Remove when golden brown