Sweet rose fritters to Vazhapoo vada: Indulge in floral treats during the rains

As a probashi Bengali Bengali living outside Bengal one of our fondest childhood memories is gorging on mochar chop banana blossom croquettes every time we visited our grandmother in Kolkata during the monsoons She made it without fail sometimes waking up at the crack of dawn so we could eat it for breakfast before the familyrsquos flight out of the cityBanana blossoms are available all year round but what makes it special is the immense effort that goes into cooking them making it a literal labour of love Even years later biting into the crunchy steaming goodness of a mochar chop in the monsoon feels like a warm hug from the grandparentsAnmol MenonFor Chef Anmol Menon banana flower fritters made Keralastyle bring back memories of a simple childhood in Palakkad ldquoGrowing up in a bungalow with a garden and banana plants wersquod fry bananas into pazhampuri or steam them for breakfast Our neighbour taught us to make vazhapoo vada a delicious treat perfect for rainy eveningsrdquo he recallsThe scent of vazhapoo vada takes him back to plucking bananas and blossoms and discovering a passion for food ldquoThe fritters are light crispy and earthy with a nutty aroma from gram flour and a hint of bitterness best paired with a sweetandsour diprdquo he explains ldquoAs a child we had them with ketchup but later found they pair better with date and tamarind chutneyrdquoBanana blossom is available all year round but itrsquos more commonly used to make sabzi Itrsquos mostly during the monsoon that cravings for vazhapoo vada strike says Chef Anmol Menon PicsAshish RajeChef Nandita Desai uses flowers to add dimension and variation during Shravan when some forgo nonvegetarian food ldquoI use them mostly for frittersrdquo she says Cooking flowers is different due to their short life and seasonal availability requiring delicate handling Desai grew up eating onion and pumpkin flowers in sabzis her mother used all parts of a vegetable During the monsoon season Desai enjoys sweet rose fritters inspired by her childhood home that had a rose garden ldquoRoses were integral to my upbringing My mom used them in various dishes and my frittersrsquo recipe is a tribute to those sweetscented memoriesrdquo she saysSweet rose frittersIngredients1 bowl of undamaged rose petals4 tbsp white flour sifted1 tsp of rose wine50 ml drinking sodaA pinch of pink salt1 tbsp fine castor sugarFew drops food grade rose waterMethodMix the ingredients Heat a neutral flavourless oil like grapeseed Dip the petals three at a time in batter and fry on high heat for a few seconds Place on a paper towel to soak excess oil Dust with castor sugar pink salt and fresh rose petals As a fullplated dessert serve with pomegranate cherry compote and rose creamSweet rose fritters are best enjoyed with a pomegranate and cherry compote and rose cream says Chef Nandita Desai who crafted the recipe based on her memories of the rose garden in her childhood home PicsSatej ShindeCooking with flowers pleases both the eyes and palate Chef Reetu Uday Kugaji explains ldquoWe eat with our eyes first Edible flowers enhance flavour and aroma and are nutrientrich As a child my mother made crunchy fritters of pumpkin and moringa blossoms and marigolds often challenging me to identify the main ingredientrdquo During monsoon and Shravan flower recipes become significantldquoDried parijat flowers aid digestion while jasmine and edible roses are also usedrdquo Kugaji says Her favourites include shapla fuler bora water lily fritters from Bengal and hibiscus bhaji gudhal ke pakode from Uttarakhand ldquoHibiscus with its cranberrylike sweetness is perfect for entertaining best with green coriander chutney and cutting chairdquoBefore you embark on your floral culinary journey know that not all flowers are safe to eat Kugaji advises against using those from nurseries or roadside stands unless labelled edible due to pesticide risk Thorough research and caution are key before cooking with flowersGudhal ke pakodeHibiscus fritters or gudhal ke pakode are a specialty of Uttarakhand but the flowers are found everywhere a favourite of Chef Reetu Uday KugajiIngredients16 hibiscus flowersMustard oil for deepfryingFor the batter34 cup Bengal gram Flour14 cup rice flour12 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped12 tbsp mint leaves finely chopped1 tsp carom seeds1 tsp red chilli powder12 tsp turmeric powder12 tsp cumin powderReetu Uday KugajiMethodWash hibiscus flowers gently removing sepals and stamens Place petals on absorbent paper to remove moisture without patting dry Whisk all batter ingredients except rice flour in a bowl Then fold in the rice flour gently and add water slowly till you get a thick batter Heat oil in a kadhai to mediumhot Dip petals in batter and fry in small portions until golden and crisp Drain on a wire mesh to remove excess oil Serve hot with coriander chutney or your choice of dipVazhapoo vadaIngredients1 large banana flowerOil for frying1 limeFor the batter34 cup besan14 cup rice flour2 tsp red chilli powder less spicy14 tsp turmeric1 tsp saunf powder12 tsp coriander powder12 tsp black pepper powderPinch of baking powder optional3 tbsp oil20 curry leaves finely chopped30 gm fresh coriander finely chopped10 gm ginger gratedSalt to tasteMethodHeat oil for frying Drain the flower buds and place them in a dry bowl Add all batter ingredients except oil and water coating the buds evenly Add plain oil then 12 tbsp of water to form a stiff batter Fry the coated buds in hot oil ensuring they donrsquot clump Fry on mediumhigh flame until crispy Drain on kitchen paper Serve hot with a sprinkle of chaat masala fried curry leaves and ketchup or tamarind chutneyPreparing the blossomRinse banana flower to remove dust and debris Peel back one large petal to reveal the flower buds 18 to 20 pieces and pluck them Remove the stamen thin stick with black tip and the small translucent outer layer from each bud Transfer the buds into a bowl of cool water with the juice of one lime to prevent discolouration Repeat for all layers of the flowerCooked flowers were a regular part of Chef Madhumita Pynersquos Bengali childhood ldquoBengalis cook every part of the plant Pumpkin flowers make tasty fritters called kumro fuler bora It was a household favourite growing up due to its crunchrdquo she recalls Pyne has adapted the recipe for her delivery kitchen based in Andheri ldquoTraditionally made with besan it gets soggy during delivery I developed a new recipe to keep the bora crisp for hoursrdquo she says Pumpkin flower fritters are famous in Shravan ldquoFor me Shravan means rain and crunchy fried goodies Bengalis love khichuri with crispy fried pumpkin flowersrdquo she saysKumro fuler boraPumpkin flower fritters or kumro fuler bora is a staple in every Bengali home especially during the monsoon Chef Madhumita Pynersquos recipe is a modification of the original using masoor dal instead of besan to keep the fritters crisp longerIngredients12 pumpkin flowers1 cup masoor dal1 tsp ginger paste1 tsp green chilli paste1 tbsp nigella seeds1 tsp turmeric powderSalt to tasteMethodCarefully remove the stem and the stigma wash the flowers and set them aside to dry Soak masoor dal for 30 minutes and grind to a coarse paste Add ginger and green chilli paste turmeric powder salt and nigella seeds Add water a bit at a time to make a semi thick batter Heat oil dip the flowers in the batter making sure to cover entirely and carefully drop them into the hot oil Fry on medium heat until golden brown Serve hotMahua fritters a tribal favouriteMahua is also called kalpavriksh or wishfulfilling tree because tribal communities use each part of it The Thakar community in the Sahyadris uses dried flowers to make fritters called mahua che fulachi bhajji These are also fried in mahua oil and enjoyed for their crispy texture and tinge of sweetness This recipe comes from the tribal hamlet Deopada near Karjat where food culture educator Monks Bouffe holds forest walks and interactions with the Thakars Soak the dried flowers overnight mash on a sillbatta add rice flour turmeric powder chilli powder handcrushed ajwain seeds and salt to the paste and mix gently Make flat patties using the paste Warm mahua oil and fry the bhajis until crisp and dark brown Enjoy with spicy thecha or khurasni chutneyPomegranate and cherry compote Juice the pomegranate seeds Pit the cherries Cook both on a low flame with a stick of cinnamon Reduce until semisolid but not too thickmdashit should take about 20 minutes Add castor sugar to taste Strain Serve cool Sprinkle pink salt and a pinch of black pepper before servingRose cream Gently simmer a packet of fresh cream to a boil Add castor sugar to taste Remove from heat Add dried rose petals 12 of the wine and a squeeze of lemon juice Put in shot glasses Cool and freeze for 2 to 3 hours till set