Chef Harpal Sokhi, Tushar Sood, Vikas Chawla’s recipes to enjoy rain
As the first drops kiss the soil and the monsoon breeze fills the air with freshness, it’s time to celebrate the season with comforting, flavourful delicacies that not only feed the body but also soothe the soul. Monsoon is a time when our cravings for hot and spicy foods take the centre-stage and what better way to indulge than with recipes curated for the rainy days? From traditional favourites to modern twists, this collection brings together a blend of textures. Dive into the earthy crunch of red banana flower pakoras by Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi; sip on a cup of immunity-boosting herbal tea (kadha) and indulge your sweet tooth with a rich spiced besan and roasted chana halwa. For those who enjoy fusion fare, Chef Tushar Sood offers the crispy delight of onion cheese corn rings with mango salsa and the innovative Qataffi carnation with hot garlic sauce. Each dish in this line-up is crafted to complement the monsoons with wholesome and satisfying ingredients . Whether you are looking to curl up with comfort food or entertain guests with a seasonal spread, these recipes promise to make your monsoon meals memorable.
Qataffi carnation
with hot garlic sauce
Ingredients
Qattaffi sheets
Cottage cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Pasteurized cheese
Bell pepper
Red chilly
Tomato ketchup
Red cabbage
Carrot
Capsicum
Butter
Parsley
Spring onion
1. Cut cottage cheese & stuff with mozzarella cheese & pasteurized cheese. Roll all the mixture in qataffi shreds & bake it with butter.
2. Mix red chilly paste with tomato ketchup with the tempering of bell peppers & garlic chop.
3. Plate the baked qattafi rolls with hot garlic sauce.
4. Garnish it with parsley & vegetable mixture.
Onion rings with mango salsa
Ingredients
Mozzarella cheese
Pasteurized cheese
Onion rings
Tempura flour
Bread crumb
Bell pepper
Corn
Raw mango
Mango pulp
Onion
Tomato
Parsley
Fried noodles
Method
1. Coat the onion rings in tempura flour.
2. Crumb it & fry till golden brown.
3. Make a mixture of all cheese & bell pepper.
4. Fill It in the onion rings & bake it.
5. Top it up with the mixture of chopped mango, onion & tomato.
6. Serve on the bed of fried noodles topped up with mango salsa.
— Chef Tushar Sood
Herbal tea (kadha)
A warming, immunity-boosting tea with herbs and spices. Enjoy this healing tea, especially during the monsoon, winter or whenever
your body calls for warmth
and grounding.
Ingredients (for 2 cups)
Water 4 cups
Fresh ginger 2 inches, grated
Cinnamon stick 1.5 inches
Green cardamom 4 pods
Long pepper (pippali) 1 piece
Turmeric ½ tsp
Cloves 6 pieces
Fresh tulsi leaves 10
Lemon few drops as per taste
1. In a saucepan, add all ingredients to 4 cups of water.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the water reduces to half. Strain the decoction into cups. Add a few lemon drops and sweeten with jaggery powder to taste.
NOTE: Do not use honey in very hot liquid, as Ayurveda advises against adding honey to hot liquids. You may add honey when it’s lukewarm or less than 40 degrees.
Spiced besan & roasted chana halwa
A comforting halwa made with coarse besan, roasted chana, jaggery and traditional spices to warm the body during the rainy season.
Ingredients
Coarse besan (mota besan) – ½ cup
Jaggery powder – 1 cup (to taste)
Black peppercorns – 20, whole
Ghee – ½ cup
Water – 2½ cups
Cloves – 10
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Roasted chana powder – ¾ cup
Dry ginger powder (saunth) – 1 tsp
Dried nuts for garnish
Method
1. Prepare chana powder: Grind roasted chana in a blender to a fine powder. Store extra for future use, and measure out ¾ cup for this recipe.
2. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat ghee. Add mota besan and roasted chana powder. Roast on a very low flame, stirring constantly. This slow roasting deepens the flavour and aroma.
3. After 12–15 minutes, when the mixture turns aromatic and slightly golden, add peppercorns and cloves. Cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in turmeric and dry ginger powder. Mix for about 30 seconds.
4. Pour in 2½ cups of water carefully and stir continuously to avoid lumps. Let the mixture cook until it thickens and absorbs the water. Once thickened, add jaggery powder and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring well to dissolve. Serve hot, garnished with your choice of chopped nuts.
— Chef Vikas Chawla
Red banana flower pakora
Ingredients
Red banana flower 1
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Lemon juice ½
Onion sliced 1
Ginger chopped 1 tsp
Green chilli chopped 2-3
Curry leaves 15-20
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Dry mango powder 1 tsp
Carom seeds 1 tsp
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Gram flour 5 tbsp
Rice flour 2 tbsp
Water as required
Oil for frying
Green chilli 4-5 no
Chaat masala to sprinkle
1.Remove the outer purple layers and collect the small florets.
2. Clean each floret by removing the hard stem and transparent cover.
3. Chop the cleaned florets finely and rinse in
clean water.
4. Add turmeric powder, salt, and lemon juice to the chopped florets.
5. Mix well with your hands for 4–5 minutes. Squeeze out excess water and transfer to a mixing bowl.
6. To the bowl, add sliced onion, chopped ginger, green chilies, and curry leaves.
7. Add red chili powder, dry mango powder, carom seeds, turmeric powder, and salt.
8. Add gram flour and rice flour. Mix well to form a rough dough without adding water.
9. If the mixture feels too dry, sprinkle little water.
10. Heat oil in a deep pan or kadai over medium heat.
11. Pinch small portions of the mixture and drop them into the hot oil.
12. Fry in batches until golden brown and crispy.
13. Drain on paper towels.
14. Fry whole green chilies in oil for 2 minutes until crisp and drain.
15. Arrange pakoras on a serving platter.
16. Serve hot with green chili sauce or mint chutney.
— Celebrity Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi
Lifestyle