You’ve got to admit, there’s something about the monsoon season that makes everyone crave for some crunchy grub to nibble on, not just in the evening but even during mid-day on a lazy weekend or along with meals at dinnertime. Whether it is the drop in temperatures from scorching humid heat to wet, breezy and pleasant; a short spurt of showers or a heavy downpour, the tummy yearns for something hot and crispy to indulge in.
Also Read: Oil-Free Snacks To Satisfy Monsoon Cravings
But as you reach for those oily french fries and cheesy burgers from fast food joints, the health-conscious self in you makes you pause. And before you know it, you are on the lookout for healthier snacking options, comprising key essential nutrients of proteins, fibres, carbs, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, that will satiate the appetite, uplift metabolism, enhance immunity, to keep the seasonal flu and infections at bay.
Also Read: Natural Immune Boosters: Calming, Aromatic Herbal Teas To Combat Monsoon Maladies
Wholesome Tasty Indian Snack Recipes To Relish During Monsoons:
Well, here’s some good news for all of you on the path to adopting nourishing diets, yet love snacking indoors at home while enjoying the rainy weather outside. We bring you two lip-smacking nutrient-rich recipes of Sweet Potato Bonda and Moong Dal Samosa, which will for sure leave one and all in the family, right from kids, teenagers, to adults and the elderly, asking for more.
Sweet Potato Bonda
Ingredients:
3 medium-sized sweet potatoes
½ cup all-purpose flour/maida
4 tbsp rice flour
2 cups sesame oil
1 onion, cut into pieces
1 piece ginger, minced
1 green chilli, chopped
Salt, as per taste
1 tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp cumin/jeera powder
½ tsp coriander/dhania powder
Method:
Wash the sweet potatoes thoroughly, then pressure cook them in sufficient water with a pinch of salt, so they become soft.
Let it cool down, then remove the skin, mash the sweet potatoes and set aside in a clean bowl.
Heat a bit of sesame oil in a kadai, transfer the chopped onions, ginger, green chillies and sauté for 2 – 3 minutes.
To this sautéed blend, add red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, required amount of salt, mix well and put in the mashed sweet potatoes.
Cook for about 2 minutes on medium flame until all the flavours are absorbed, then turn off the stovetop.
In a vessel, combine the all-purpose flour, rice flour, a bit of salt, along with some water and whisk to obtain a batter of semi-liquid consistency.
Shape the sweet potato mix into even round balls and place it on a clean dry tray.
In a wide pan, heat sesame oil on medium flame, then dip the sweet potato balls one by one in the batter to coat them completely, slowly put them in the hot oil and deep fry until golden brown.
Carefully take them out of the pan once fried, remove the excess oil by placing them in kitchen tissues.
Serve the hot tempting sweet potato bonda with some spicy coconut chutney and tangy tomato chutney on the side.
Nutrition:
Sweet potato abounds in proteins for fostering healthy growth, development of tissues and organs, as well as vitamin A that aids in enhancing eyesight for clear, sharp vision. Packed with calories and carbohydrates, all-purpose flour/maida supplies instant energy to overcome fatigue, while rice flour is a storehouse of dietary fibres that improve gut health and aid in unhindered bowel movements to prevent constipation. Sesame oil is laden with healthy unsaturated fats that preserve heart functions and onions are rich in vitamin B6 for elevated brain power and nervous system activity.
Moong Dal Samosa
Ingredients:
½ cup moong dal
1 cup all-purpose flour/maida
1 - 2 tsp salt
½ tsp ajwain
2 tbsp ghee
½ cup water
2 cups sunflower oil
1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
A pinch of asafoetida/hing
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp fennel seed/saunf powder
2 tsp dry mango/amchur powder
Method:
In a clean bowl, soak the moong dal in a sufficient amount of water for about 4 – 5 hours.
Transfer the moong dal to a mixer and grind it to obtain a coarse paste.
Pour the maida in a wide bowl, add salt, ajwain, ghee and combine thoroughly, then add some water and blend well to form a dough.
Place a lid on the bowl and set it aside for 30 minutes.
In a pan, heat sunflower oil on medium flame, put in the hing, jeera and sauté for 1 minute.
Once the jeera begins to sputter, pour in the moong dal paste, add salt, garam masala, saunf powder and amchur powder.
Stir well for 5 minutes until the mixture becomes slightly brown and then switch off the stove.
Now roll the dough into uniform spheres, flatten them into circles and shape them into small conical moulds.
Put the moong dal mix into the dough moulds, fold it on the open ends and cover it completely to form a triangular shape.
Heat the sunflower oil in a kadai and fry the moong dal moulds until they become golden brown on all sides.
Remove the fried moulds carefully from the kadai, drain the surplus oil in an absorbent cloth.
Munch on the warm flavourful moong dal samosa along with some zesty mint chutney and sweet tamarind chutney.
Nutrition:
Moong dal is an excellent source of proteins, supplying all the essential amino acids for optimal cell growth and enzyme functions in the body. Imbued with the phytonutrient thymol, ajwain clears heart vessels of all obstructions, controlling blood pressure and remedying hypertension. Ghee works wonders in augmenting digestion by stimulating gastric acid secretions and promoting smooth assimilation of nutrients in food. Brimming with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that display expectorant properties, jeera is a time-tested natural solution for treating cough, cold, asthma for easy breathing and uplifted lung health.
