Monsoon recipes: Crispy Bhajjis and more

We invited Get Ahead readers to share rainy-day recipes with us -- pakoras, samosas and every other kind of tasty preparation that has you smacking your lips during the monsoons. We've been flooded with responses and as part of an ongoing series, present three recipes that you can make the most of this season.

Vidula Atul Khodaskar sends in her recipe for Vegetable Pakoras:

Ingredients:

3 cups besan (gram flour)
2 cups water
1 potato, chopped
1 capsicum, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp mango powder
Salt

Method of preparation:

Add water to the besan and make a batter of thick consistency.
Add red chilli powder, mango powder and salt to batter.
Add the vegetables and mix well.
Fry small portions of mixture in oil till golden brown.
Serve hot with green chutney or ketchup.

Sowmya Rao share two recipes. The first is for Bhajjis:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup rice
2 tsp channa dal (bengal gram)
2 tsp urad dal (split black gram)
2 tsp dal (split pulse)
5-6 red chillies
1 tsp dhaniya (coriander)
1 raw banana or 2-3 brinjals or ridge gourd
Salt to taste
Oil

Method of preparation:

Soak the rice, channa dal, urad dal and dal for 2-3 hours.
Grind all the ingredients. The batter should be similar to dosa batter, thick in consistency.
Make medium thick slices of the vegetables. Cook for 2-3 minutes. If you are using banana, peel it before slicing.
Grease the pan with a little oil. Dip the vegetables in the batter and fry.

Next is her recipe for Kodballes:

Ingredients:

3 cups rice flour
1 cup maida (refined wheat flour)
1 cup cocunut
3 tsp butter
5-6 red chillies
1 small onion
1-2 tsp coriander
Oil for frying
Salt

Method of preparation:

Heat the maida on a pan for 5-10 minutes.

Grind the cocunut, red chillies, onion and coriander.

Mix the rice flour and maida well.

Add butter and mix well for 5-10 minutes.

Add the ground mixture to the flour and salt. Mix well. The batter should be like chapatti dough.

Make small balls, roll it over a plate and roll them to an oval shape/round shape (attaching the shapes).

Take sufficient amount of oil for frying in pan. When the oil is hot, add the oval shape/round shape rolls to the oil and fry it until it turns brown.

Note: Heat 5-6 spoons of oil and add to flour instead of butter (if butter is not available). Instead of coconut you can use copris (dry coconut) which makes kodballes crisp.

Do you have any special monsoon recipes that you'd like to share with us and other readers? Simply write in to getahead@rediff.co.in (subject line: 'Monsoon Recipes') with instructions on how to prepare lip-smacking rainy-day foods and we'll publish your recipes right here on rediff.com. Make sure to include your name, age and hometown and try to come up with the hottest, tastiest snacks you can this rainy season.

We're smacking our lips and waiting, so write in right away!