The flavours of a rainy afternoon

Rain has a way of slowing life down, and making us crave comfort on a plate. Whether it's the smoky sweetness of roasted corn, the crunch of golden pakoras, or a steaming cup of fragrant tea, some flavours simply belong to a rainy afternoon. From timeless favourites to indulgent treats, these rainy-day recipes promise to make every shower a little warmer and every tea break a little more memorable.

ROASTED CORN

Ingredients 
2 sweet corn cobs
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp melted butter
1 lemon, cut into halves and deseeded
Method 
Combine the chilli powder and salt in a small bowl and mix well. Roast the corn cob over an open flame till black spots appear on all sides. Once roasted, brush ½ tablespoon of melted butter evenly over it. Take half of the lemon, dip it in the chilli-salt mixture and rub it all over the roasted corn cob, while squeezing the lemon lightly. Serve immediately.

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EGG PAKORA

Ingredients 
4 boiled eggs, cut in half
½ cup chickpea flour
1 tbsp corn flour
1 tsp red chilli powder
Pinch of turmeric powder
½ tsp ginger-garlic paste
¼ tsp baking soda
Salt to taste
Oil for deep-frying
Method 
In a bowl, add chickpea flour, corn flour, chilli powder, turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste, cooking soda and salt. Mix all of them. Make a thick batter by adding a little water. Heat oil in a pan. Now dip each egg piece in the batter and deep fry until golden brown on a medium flame. Serve hot with chutney or sauce.

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CHICKEN CHEESE BALL

Ingredients 
1 cup chicken mince
10 pieces mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
3 tbsp chopped onion
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp ginger paste
½ tsp garlic paste
½ tsp black pepper powder
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp chilli sauce
2 eggs
Breadcrumbs, as required
Salt, to taste
Oil, for deep frying
Method 
In a bowl, mix chicken mince with onion, flour, ginger-garlic paste, sauce, black pepper powder, salt and egg yolk. Divide the mixture into equal-sized round balls and press them lightly. Cut the mozzarella cheese into cubes. Take one ball and add one cube of cheese in the centre of the chicken, close all the corners and make a ball shape. Coat the balls with egg white and then coat with breadcrumbs. Heat oil in a pan. Fry the balls until golden brown. Serve hot with tea or coffee.

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PRAWN CUTLET

Ingredients 
1 cup prawn
2 slices of bread
1 large onion, chopped
2 green chillies, chopped
½ tsp garlic paste
½ tsp ginger paste
½ tsp coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
Salt, to taste
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp flour
1 beaten egg
½ cup breadcrumbs
Few sprigs of fresh coriander leaves
Oil, for frying
Method
Shell, de-vein and wash the prawns thoroughly. Soak the bread in cold water for five minutes, squeeze out the water, and blend in a food processor with the prawns until smooth. Take out from the blender, and add onion, ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, turmeric powder, lemon juice, coriander leaves and salt. Mix well and divide the mixture into 10 equal portions and shape into cutlets. Dust them with flour, then dip in beaten egg and roll in breadcrumbs. Ensure that the cutlets are coated properly. Heat oil and deep fry till golden brown. Serve hot.

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FISH ROE PAKORA

Ingredients
1 cup fish-roe (of any white fish)
¼ cup breadcrumbs
½ tsp ginger paste
¼ tsp garlic paste
¼ tsp cumin paste
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp chopped green chillies
1 tsp chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp chopped mint
½ cup chopped onions
Salt, to taste
Cooking oil (for deep frying)
Method
Rinse the fish-roe carefully and let the water drain away. Marinate the fish-roe by mixing all ingredients with it, except the oil. Wait until the breadcrumbs absorb the excess water from the fish-roe. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Take 1 spoonful of the mixture at a time and fry it until golden brown.
Tip: If you want crispiness to last for a long time, then add 2 teaspoonfuls of corn flour with the mixture.

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PEYAJ PAKORA 

Ingredients 
8 pieces of onion, sliced
1 cup chickpea flour
¼ cup rice flour
½ tsp ginger paste
½ tsp garlic paste
1tsp red chilli powder
12 tsp turmeric powder
4 green chillies, paste
½ cup chopped coriander leaves
¼ tsp baking soda
Salt, to taste
Oil, for deep frying
Method
Take chickpea flour in a bowl, add rice flour, salt, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, baking soda and green chilli to it. Mix the ingredients and add coriander leaves. Make a thick batter by adding water. Heat oil in a pan. Now dip onion slices into the batter and fry them in the pan. Deep-fry until crisp and golden brown. Serve hot with sauce.

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Masala Tea (Spiced Tea)

Ingredients
2 cups milk
2 cups water
2 tbsp tea powder
2 lemongrass stalks, each cut into pieces
½ tsp crushed ginger
2 cardamom pods, crushed
1 stick cinnamon
Sugar, to taste
Method
Combine 2 cups of water, tea powder, sugar, lemongrass, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon in a pan. Boil on medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the milk, mix well and bring to a boil on medium heat. When the mixture boils to the brim, reduce the heat to prevent it from spilling out, and continue to boil for 4-5 minutes. Strain immediately using a strainer and discard the tea powder mixture. Serve the tea immediately.