If you ask any Indian how Indian monsoon feels like, they’ll probably give you two answers to it. One answer is going to revolve around how sticky it feels and how you’ll start finding potholes on the road because of heavy rains. And the other answer would be coming from the soul of a foodie boasting about the plethora of monsoon delicacies that one can happily indulge in. Indians love connecting everything about their lives with food, in fact, they also pair different climatic conditions with food. We can also call it as the Indian monsoon food culture. If you’re visiting India for the first time or you’re a true Indian foodie, we’ve got a list of best bites of Indian monsoon foods that you must-must try this 2019 monsoon.
We can already imagine ourselves sipping some hot masala chai along with bread pakoras this evening after work as we type this (drool face). So, come, let’s drool-read the list now.
1. Misal Pav
the_emotionalfoodie / Instagram
We all know the humble vada pav from Mumbai, don’t we? We’ve heard inspiring stories of eminent personalities who talk about how they’d eat just vada pav to fill their stomachs during their struggling days. Did you know there’s a big brother to vada pav as well, and the name is misal pav? It’s also a Maharashtrian delicacy which is a spicy curry made of moth beans and is topped with a generous amount of farsan or sev, some freshly chopped onions, coriander, and a squeeze of lemon juice. You have light, medium, and spicy variations of the Misal curry; so pick the one that suits your taste buds’ threshold. It is best enjoyed when eaten during monsoon.
2. Mirchi Bajji
the_emotionalfoodie / Instagram
Mirchi bajji in Kannada, mirapakaya bajji in Telugu, milagai bajji in Tamil, and more popularly known as chilli bajji by everybody else who isn’t a South Indian — this South Indian street food is gaining popularity all over the country. Slightly bigger chilies which aren’t spicy at all are picked to make this. They are slit open, the seeds are removed, a cumin filling is added, and they are dipped in gram flour batter and deep-fried. This street food is perfect for the chilly, rainy evenings of monsoon in India. It is served alongside chutney and some even top it with raw onions for that extra punch in taste.
3. Momos
the_emotionalfoodie / Instagram
Many mistake momo to be a Chinese dish. It’s actually native to Tibet. And the northeastern states of India — Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, etc. have borrowed this dish from the Tibetan cuisine and made it a part of their own food culture. You have both the veg and non-veg options in momos. These days, you’ll find momo stalls in every other corner of the busy streets of India. People have gone creative with its fillings — chocolate momos, tandoori momos, Chinese momos, you just name it and they’ll make it for you.
4. Masala Puri
the_emotionalfoodie / Instagram
How aloo tikki chaat is nothing less than emotion for the North Indians, in South India, it is masala puri! However, its origin lies in Karnataka. The base of this dish is a spicy curry made of green peas. It is mixed with crushed puris and is topped with tomato, onion, carrot shavings, coriander leaves, sev, etc. If you like it sweet, the chaat maker will add some sweet gravy too. Especially in Bengaluru, this dish is very popular and you’ll find techies munching on it braving the rains.
5. Aloo Paratha
the_emotionalfoodie / Instagram
Irrespective of the tag of the most popular Indian breakfast associated with it, it is one Indian dish that can also be eaten as a snack. Best savored when it’s hot and comes on your plate right from the tawa; this bread which is stuffed with a seasoned mixture of potatoes gives a warm hug to you on a rainy monsoon evening. Pair it with a pickle and your tastebuds will thank you furthermore.
6. Ghee Khali Dosa
the_emotionalfoodie / Instagram
This is a very popular dish in Karnataka where the word khali means “empty.” And no, it doesn’t taste anything like the masala dosas you’ve eaten before. The khali dosa is made from a different variety of rice which gives it almost baby-soft like texture. It is roasted with a generous sprinkling of ghee and served with spicy chutney. You’ll also find saagu (a south style vegetable masala curry) being served along with this dosa in some restaurants.
7. Maggi
the_emotionalfoodie / Instagram
This 2-minute instant noodle is everybody’s favorite right from a school kid to a grandma in India. And for decades, India’s love for Maggi has remained constant. Earlier, we would just make it at home; but now, it’s available everywhere right from street-side stalls to restaurants. Indians have become very creative with it as well. They add their own seasonings and give it their what we call as desi twist. They say that Maggi from the stalls in the Himalayas is the yummiest! So if you’re a mountain person and are planning on a Himalayan vacay, don’t forget to try the Maggi there.
8. Filter Coffee
the_emotionalfoodie / Instagram
Every South Indian has a deep connection with filter coffee. They kickstart their mornings with it! We bet even the cappuccino fails to surpass the love Indians have for filter coffee. People here lovingly call it as kaapi. The decoction of this coffee is a combination of coffee chicory in a ratio of 80:20, 60:40, well, whatever best suits you. Our favorite, however, is a strong coffee!
via GIPHY
Okay, now that we’ve given you a ride through the food culture of India during monsoon, we are left drooling and are heading out to grab some of these soul foods. Have you tried these monsoon delicacies already? Let us know which one is your favorite in the comments below.
The post 8 Indian Foods You Must Try During Monsoon appeared first on STYLECRAZE.
Brought to you by Buzzfeed. Read the rest of the article here.
