5 lip-smacking recipes to enjoy the monsoons

Hey tribe!

some parts of India are experiencing heavy rains, and this is the best time as any to bring out the your cooking skills to enjoy some delicious munchies while you see the rain pouring from your window in your cosy blanket.

here are the five lip smacking recipes that will make your monsoon time a very happy time:

Lemon Basil Chicken

what you need

chicken thigh pieces boneless (150 gm)

corn starch (2 tbsp)

flour (2 tbsp)

minced garlic (1 tsp)

basil leaves (5 leaves)

chilli paste (1 tbsp)

lemon juice (1 tsp)

cream (1 tbsp)

salt to taste

time to make it

step 1- mix flour, corn starch, lemon juice and cream in a bowl and keep aside.

step 2- heat oil in a pan and deep fry the chicken and keep it aside.

step 3- after frying the chicken, heat the pan with a little oil and add garlic, chilli paste and a little chicken stock.

step 4- add the sauce prepared above and then toss the chicken in the sauce. serve hot.

Onion Pakora

what you need

flour (60 gm)

rice flour (30 gm)

lemon juice (1/4th lemon)

turmeric (1/2 tsp)

cumin seeds (1 tsp)

fennel seeds (1/4th tsp)

minced green chillies (1-2)

grated ginger (2 tsp)

chopped garlic cloves (2 cloves)

thinly sliced onions (2)

chopped coriander

ghee/melted butter (1 tbsp)

time to make it

step 1- sift the flour in a bowl and add lemon juice, ghee, and cold water to bring it to the desired consistency

step 2- add onions, all the spices mentioned above and salt to taste. make sure you mix the ingredients well

step 3- heat oil in a pan and drop little balls of the prepared mixture in the pan. make sure you don’t overcrowd the pan, or the balls will get stuck to each other.

step 4- cook the balls for around 4 minutes while turning them occasionally. take them after they have turned golden brown and crisp.

step 5- transfer them to a plate lined with tissue paper and drain them.

your onion pakoras are all ready to be devoured with a cup of hot tea!

Cheese Fondue

what you need

finely chopped onion (2)

sea salt

olive oil

grounded black pepper

fresh thyme (2 sprigs)

cider (50 ml)

cheddar cheese (400 gm)

gruyere cheese (400 gm)

blue cheese (150 gm)

crème fraiche (2 tbsp)

time to make it

step 1- do not worry if you do not have a fondue pot, you can just place a heatproof bowl over a large saucepan over medium flame.

step 2- fry the onions in olive oil with some salt, pepper and herbs for about 5-10 minutes.

step 3- once the onions have softened, add them to the bowl with cider and the cheeses.

step 4- as the cheese starts to melt, stir in the crème fraiche and some hot water to loosen the mixture.

step 5- season the mixture to your taste.

finally, enjoy your fondue with bread sticks, croutons, or fresh vegetables like baby onions and carrots.

Apple Pie

what you need

for the filling

large apples (6-7)

sugar (1/2 cup)

brown sugar (1 cup)

all-purpose flour (2 tbsp)

ground cinnamon (1 tsp)

ground nutmeg (1/8 tsp)

vanilla extract (1/2 tsp)

for the pie dough

shortening (2/3 cup)

all-purpose flour (2 cups)

ice water (1/3 cup)

salt (1 tsp)

to finish

butter (2 tbsp)

sugar (3-4 tbsp)

time to make it

step 1- get all the apples and cut them into thin slices. place them in a large bowl.

step 2- add the flour, sugar, vanilla extract, and spices to the apples and make sure you mix them well

step 3- preheat the oven to 350°.

step 4- now, for making the dough, mix the shortening, flour, and salt in a mixer with cold water.

step 5- once the dough is done, divide it into half. roll out one of the halves into a 1-inch-thick layer crust. the other half needs to be kept aside for the top crust.

step 6- take a pie pan and line it with the bottom layer of the dough. add the apple filling into the pan.

step 7- roll out the top layer of the crust to cover the pie and then pinch the edges together. finally poke holes into the top crust with a fork.

step 8- brush a layer of butter on the top and sprinkle it with sugar.

step 9- bake your pie at 350° for 70 minutes.

finally, cool it for 20 minutes and serve the delicious pie with some vanilla ice cream.

Spinach Fritters

what you need

besan (100 gm)

corn flour (20 gm)

turmeric (1/2 tsp)

carom seeds (5gm)

spinach leaves

salt to taste

Water

time to make it

step 1- take spinach leaves, preferably medium-sized, and wash it in cold water.

step 2- mix besan, corn flour, carom seeds, turmeric, salt and water to make a consistent batter for coating the spinach leaves.

step 3- heat oil on medium flame and fry the coated spinach leaves until they get crispy.

there, it's that simple and you have your plate of delicious spinach fritters ready to enjoy with the pouring rain.

we hope you like these recipes. let us know which one you tried by tagging us @liveaastey.

until next time, take care.

live aastey.