Fritters (Pakoras) and "Cha" on a rainy day

The view from my room on a rainy day



The monsoons are a welcome change to our parched, dry city. Come June, and we look at weather forecasts with eagerness. And count days for the arrival of the rains-so that we could get a respite from the oh-so-oppressive heat .We wait with anticipation for life giving rains and a cooler climate. It’s difficult to describe the sense of elation one feels when one inhales the smell of fresh earth as the first drops of rain fall on it. Grey skies. A downpour and the splashing of rain on the window pane. The city’s foliage turns a verdant green -the dust from the leaves all gone. There’s poetry and art and song associated with the monsoon…There are love songs and ballads written about it.Megh Malhar-is the “raga” of the monsoons.The "Teej" festival celebrated in this season...swings and music in the month of "sawan" (monsoon)".Good food and "mehendi"(Henna)and bangles and prayers to Shiv-Parvati for a blissful married life.There is always a reason, and season to rejoice in this land.Every now and then the monsoon breeze brings to you a fragrance of the Jasmine flower.Which causes you to smile without reason...because it takes you back in time, to an era of wonderful memories.The music...and the magic of the Indian monsoon!
Rainy days are associated in our family by “cha” and pakoras.”Cha” is the Punjabi of “Chai”.Pakoras are fritters-vegetables, boneless chicken or fish fillets dipped in a gram flour batter and deep fried.Eaten as a snack with a mint chutney, tamarind sauce or tomato ketchup. A great way to eat them is to put them between 2 soft, fresh slices of buttered bread.
Monsoons-a great time to indulge in the guilty pleasures of eating food like in the good old days.Crisp.And deep fried!

Pakoras

1 cup besan (gram flour), sifted
½ teaspoon red chilli powder (use more if you want it spicy)
A pinch of soda bicarb
1 table spoon oil
½ teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons rice flour (optional)**
Oil for deep frying Salt to taste
Water to make the batter

Platter of mixed veggies, cut:
*Potatoes ,wedges or cut round
*Onions , sliced or cut round
*Eggplant, cut in roundels, and then halved
*Mushrooms, whole or cut in half
*Whole green chillies (for the not-so-faint-hearted!)
*Fresh Baby corn
*Fillets of Chicken/fish

Make a smooth batter with he besan, spices and water, added a little at a time.Heat oil in a wok till smoking point.Coat the veggies/fillets with batter.Deep fry till golden brown and crisp
Serve with mint chutney, tamarind sauce or ketchup.
**Rice flour makes the pakoras crispier.

Making Tea

Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a saucepan.Add 2 pods crushed cardamom.Add 1/2 a cup of milk, simmer and add tea leaves (! level teaspoon for 1 cup).Boil for 1 minute, till you can see the rich color of the tea and also get the flavor.

Adda wee bit of fresh sliced ginger, a dash of cinnamon and 1-2 cloves,1-2 basil leaves and this Chai is meant for healing seasonal coughs and colds.

Instead of the cardamom, one can use a pinch of ready-made masala-chai mix.

Strain into a teapot or into individual cups.

For the typical "cup of British tea",add 1 teasoon of tea (for each cup of tea) to a pre-warmed tea pot. Add boiling water to it. Cover and let it steep, so that the flavor of the tea is brought out. Pour into a cup, using a tea strainer to remove tea leaves.Add a dash of warm milk.Sweeten if required.