Mumbai chefs share innovative recipes for fried snacks to enjoy this monsoon

Mumbaikars love their street food and that is evident in the fact that not even the rains can dissuade them from enjoying a steaming vada or samosa pav or from simply enjoying ‘bhajiyas' with a spicy chutney. However, with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic many people have avoided eating outside. Come monsoon season and the numbers further reduce even further from those who enjoy eating outside.

What does one do in such cases when cravings are at peak levels and the rains ask us for nothing more than to enjoy a cup of hot chai and deep-fried snacks. The pandemic has certainly made a lot more people enjoy home-cooked food and making deep-fried food isn't too hard either.

While most people have had their share of these very snacks made from potatoes, onions and a spicy masala that is simply battered fried and enjoyed hot, isn't there room for improvement and innovation?

The weather and cravings that it brings along made Mid-day Online reach out to city chefs to share their favourite innovative recipes for deep-fried food that Mumbaikars can enjoy during the monsoon. They not only share local recipes but even exotic dishes that can be easily made at home.

For those who love non-vegetarian food, Chef Sumit Choudhary at Monkey Bar Mumbai suggests making a delicious chicken pop corn. Photo Courtesy: Vinayak Grover

Reddy's Pop Corn Chicken by Chef Sumit Choudhary, Monkey Bar, Bandra (West)
If you are a hardcore non-vegetarian, then Monkey Bar's head chef Sumit Choudhary suggests making the Reddy's Pop Corn Chicken, a monsoon favourite at the gastropub. Inspired by the Andhra chilli chicken and the traditional fried chicken, this one is all about delicious crispy chicken. Choudhary explains, "The rainy season brings with it the craving for all things hot, crunchy and soulful. The Reddy's Fried Chicken, which takes off from the Italian-style fried chicken, uses Andhra cuisine elements like the curry leaves, mustard, lemon and chilli and has a delicious Indian flavour. It is the perfect way to drive away the monsoon blues."

Ingredients
Chicken thigh (boneless) - 160 gms, oil - 10 gms, green chili slice - 3 gms, curry powder - 3 gms, curry leaves - 5 gms, lemon juice - 3 gms, salt - 3 gms.

For batter
Salt - 2 gms, curry leaves (chopped) - 5 gms, black pepper - 2 gms, corn flour - 30 gms, refined flour - 12 gms, water - 15 gms.

For garnish
Grated coconut flakes - 2 gms, lemon wedge - 1 no, fried curry leaf - 2 gms.

Method:
1. Take a boneless chicken thigh and cut into medium chunks.
2. Heat the oil and fry curry leaves and keep it aside and simmer the gas.
3. Take a ripe coconut and grate some flakes using a grater.
4. Cut the lime wedge and keep it aside.
5. Mix flour, corn flour, chopped curry leaves, salt, black pepper, water and make a smooth batter.
6. Now mix the chicken in the smooth batter to test the oil and drizzle small amount of batter once you hear the sizzling noise it's ready. Place pieces of chicken into the hot oil and cook until golden brown (about 6-8 minutes). Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel.
7. Heat oil in a wok and add curry leaves, black pepper, fried chicken, salt, and finish with lime juice on a high flame.
8. Garnish with fried curry leaves, coconut flakes and lime wedge and serve hot.

Also Read: Seasonal Seafood: How Mumbai's Kolis relish dried fish on rainy days

Crunchy Corn Tempura by Chef Amol, 145 Cafe & Bar, Bandra (West)
Indians love to turn anything into fritters or snacks to deep fry during the monsoon. So, experimenting with corn isn't far behind, especially because of deliciously spicy sour corn on the cob available by the roadside. At 145 Café & Bar, which has multiple outlets in the city, chef Amol recommends innovating with one's love for corn in the classic Japanese tempura. He says, "Monsoons are synonymous with fritters and corn, also known as ‘bhutta' in Mumbai. To go beyond the usual fritters or roasted bhutta, the crunchy corn tempura combines two of our favourite monsoon snacks to give you a nostalgic taste of the season." With corn easily available during this time, one can simply don their chef's hat at home and make corn fritters topped with some spice powder, sauce and pepper that are bound to produce a burst of flavours on a day with heavy downpour.

Ingredients:
Boiled sweet corn kernels - 2 cups, tempura flour - 1/2 or 65 gms, cajun powder as per taste, sriracha sauce - 2 tbsps, mayonnaise - 1/2 cup, black pepper as per paste, salt, oil for deep frying.

Method
1. In a saucepan, add water and bring it to boil then add corn and cook till it's done.
2. Simultaneously, take another bowl and make a batter by adding tempura flour, ground black pepper, water and salt.
3. In the tempura batter, add boiled corn and adjust the seasoning.
4. Heat oil in a pan, make a small ball of the batter and deep fry till it becomes golden.
5. Remove excess oil and sprinkle with cajun powder
6. Mix sriracha sauce, mayonnaise and serve with the corn fritters.

The Brie tempura is The Fatty Bao's take on the classic tempura by simply replacing the vegetables or seafood with cheese for it to have a gooey filling. Photo Courtesy: The Fatty Bao

Brie tempura by Chef Steven Haung, The Fatty Bao, Bandra (West)
While Indians are familiar with fritters and its popularity during the monsoon, city chef Steven Haung says that the very need for crunchy and fried dishes should make one enjoy the Japanese tempura-style cooking. The Brie tempura is the restaurant's take on the classic tempura by simply replacing the vegetables or seafood with cheese for it to have a gooey filling. "Served with plum sauce, pickled beetroot, toasted almonds and the Japanese spice mix shichimi togarashi, this dish is most certainly a pop of flavours and a fun snack or appetiser to indulge in, when it's raining and gloomy outside." It is perfect for those who can't live without their fill of cheese, and what's better than melted cheese?

Ingredients
Brie - 200 gms, flour - 100 gms, egg - 1 nos, beetroot - 1 nos, orange segments - 6 - 8 nos, plum sauce - 1 tbsp, toasted almond flakes - 10 gms, Shichimi Togarashi - to sprinkle, cold water - 200 ml, rock salt - 50 gms.

Method
1. To make tempura batter, mix flour, egg and ice-cold water and keep aside.
2. Wash the beetroot and wrap in a silver foil along with rock salt and bake for an hour at 150 degrees Celsius. Take it out of the oven and cool it down completely. Then peel off the skin, dice and keep aside.
3. Cut a wheel of Brie into 8 equal small triangles.
4. Heat oil in a frying pan at a moderate temperature.
5. Dip the brie into the tempura batter and then remove excess batter and fry in hot oil until light brown.
6. Drain and keep aside.
7. Assemble on a plate with the brie along with roasted beetroot, orange segment and a drizzle of plum sauce.
8. Sprinkle almond flakes and Shichimi Togarashi powder.
9. Serve as a starter or appetiser.