Monsoon Marvels: Delightful Seasonal Recipes from Top Chefs to Enjoy the Rainy Days

As the monsoon season graces us with its refreshing rains, it’s the perfect time to indulge in comforting and flavorful dishes that celebrate the bounty of the season. From the tangy sweetness of raw mango fritters to the hearty warmth of Bedmi Puri with Dubki Wale Aloo and the tangy zest of Tamarind Corn Ribs, these recipes bring together the best of seasonal ingredients and culinary creativity. Discover these delightful monsoon recipes crafted by top chefs, perfect for savoring the rainy days.

Raw Mango Fritters Recipe by Tenzin Losel, Executive Chef, voco Jim Corbett

Nestled amidst lush mango groves at voco Jim Corbett, we celebrate mango season with the freshest fruit from our orchards. When the monsoon brings an abundance of raw mangoes, we have crafted a unique delight: crispy batter-fried mango fritters, bursting with tangy sweetness. At voco Jim Corbett, each season unfolds a new culinary tale, and our raw mango starter, created with love for nature’s bounty, is a must-try. You can recreate this simple and delicious recipe at home with the steps below.

Ingredients:

Mango Fritters:

• 2 raw mangoes, peeled and diced
• 7 sauté sticks
• Oil for frying (about 300 ml)

For Batter:

• 100 grams refined flour (all-purpose flour)
• 50 grams corn flour
• Salt to taste
• 1 chili, chopped
• 5 grams each of chopped ginger and garlic
• 25 grams baking powder

For Dipping Sauce:

• 10 grams chopped onion
• 5 grams chopped green coriander (cilantro)
• 2 green chilies
• Salt to taste
• 1 tomato

Method:

1. Prepare Mangoes:
   • Peel and wash the mangoes thoroughly.
   • Cut into dice-sized pieces.
   • Insert sauté sticks into each mango piece for skewering.
2. Marinate:
   • Prepare a seasoning mix and marinate the skewered mango pieces for 30 minutes.
3. Prepare Batter:
   • In a bowl, mix refined flour, corn flour, salt, chopped chili, chopped ginger, chopped garlic, and baking powder.
   • Add enough water to make a thick batter consistency.
   • Let it rest for 15 minutes.
4. Heat Oil:
   • Heat oil in a wok or pan for deep frying.
5. Coat and Fry:
   • Dip each marinated mango skewer into the batter, ensuring it’s well coated.
   • Carefully place the coated skewers into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy.
   • Remove from oil and drain excess oil on paper towels. Keep aside.
6. Prepare Dipping Sauce:
   • In a blender, combine chopped onion, chopped green coriander, green chilies, salt, and tomato.
   • Blend until smooth.
   • Adjust seasoning as per taste.
7. Serve:
   • Serve the hot and crispy Mango Fritters with the dipping sauce or tomato sauce.

Bedmi Puri Aur Dubki Wale Aloo Recipe by Saransh Goila, Co-Founder, Goila Butter Chicken

Ingredients:

Dubki Wale Aloo:

• ½ bunch spinach leaves
• A handful of fresh coriander
• A handful of fresh mint
• 2 green chilies
• 1 inch ginger
• ½ tbsp kasuri methi
• ½ inch cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 2 green cardamom
• 1 black cardamom
• A few black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp mustard oil
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• A pinch of hing
• 1 tsp jeera
• 1 tsp saunf
• 2 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp haldi powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 200g potatoes, boiled
• 2 cups water
• 2 tbsp ghee
• A few dried red chilies
• ¼ tsp hing
• Aamchur powder, to taste
• Anardana powder, to taste

Bedmi Puri:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp ajwain
• 2 tbsp ghee
• Water, as required to knead the dough
• 1 cup urad dal, roasted
• 1 tbsp mustard oil
• A pinch of hing
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp haldi powder
• 1 tsp dhaniya powder
• 1 tsp jeera
• 1 tsp saunf
• ¼ cup water
• Salt to taste
• Oil, for frying the puris

Method:

Dubki Wale Aloo:

1. Prepare Spinach Paste:
   • In a blender, add spinach, fresh coriander, fresh mint, green chilies, ginger, kasuri methi, cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamom, black cardamom, and black peppercorns.
   • Blend into a smooth paste.
2. Cook Masala:
   • In a heavy-bottom kadhai, heat mustard oil.
   • Add mustard seeds, hing, jeera, saunf, red chili powder, haldi powder, coriander powder, and mix well.
   • Add the prepared spinach paste and cook on low flame for about 10 minutes or until the oil starts to separate.
3. Add Potatoes:
   • Roughly crush boiled potatoes by hand and add them to the masala.
   • Mix well, add water, salt to taste, and mix again.
   • Cover and cook the sabzi for about 15 minutes on low flame.
4. Final Tadka:
   • Add a tadka of ghee, dried red chilies, and hing to the sabzi.
   • Mix well, adjust seasoning by adding aamchur and anardana powder.

Bedmi Puri:

1. Prepare Dough:
   • In a large parat, add whole wheat flour, salt, ajwain, ghee, and mix well.
   • Add water little by little to form a semi-soft dough.
   • Cover the dough and let it rest for ½ an hour.
2. Prepare Filling:
   • Roast urad dal until golden, cool it down, and pulse into a powder.
   • In a pan, heat mustard oil, add hing, red chili powder, haldi powder, coriander powder, jeera, and saunf, and mix well.
   • Add the urad dal powder, mix well, add water, and cook until all the water is absorbed.
   • Add salt to taste, mix well, and cool the mixture.
3. Shape and Fry Puris:
   • Portion out the dal mixture into equal pieces and do the same for the dough.
   • Heat oil for frying the puris in a heavy-bottom kadhai.
   • Take a portion of the dough, flatten it out, stuff the dal mixture into the dough.
   • Roll the dough into thick puris and fry in hot oil until they puff up and become golden brown on both sides.
4. Serve:
   • Serve the puris hot with dubki wale aloo ki sabzi.

Tamarind Corn Ribs recipe by Chef Rohan Mahabal, Executive Chef, The House of Malaka Spice

Perfect blend of tangy tamarind and sweet corn, enhanced by a mix of spices like chili, ginger, and garlic. The crispy edges combined with tender kernels offer a delightful texture, while their warmth provides comfort on cool, rainy days. Additionally, corn’s fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants contribute to a healthy and satisfying treat.

Ingredients:

• Whole corn – 1 piece
• Salt (while boiling the corn) – 10 grams
• Togarashi powder – 2 grams

Tamarind Sauce:

• Chopped garlic – 10 grams
• Chopped ginger – 3 grams
• Tamarind pulp – 15 grams
• Sweet soya – 10 ml
• Light soy sauce – 10 ml
• Chili paste – 5 grams

For Basting:

• Butter – 5 grams
• Tamarind sauce – 10 grams

Method:

1. Prepare Corn:
   • Cut the corn into 4 pieces vertically, leaving out the center part, and then cut in half.
   • Boil the corn in salt water until fully cooked.
2. Roast Corn:
   • Roast the corn on a gas flame to give a charred flavor.
3. Marinate and Grill:
   • Marinate the corn with tamarind sauce and place it on a flat top grill.
   • Grill for approx 6-7 minutes, basting with butter and tamarind sauce.
4. Serve:
   • Place grilled corn on a dish, sprinkle with togarashi salt, and serve.