There is nothing quite like relaxing with a cup of cutting chai in the evening. Sitting together with friends and family for sips and gossip is almost a ritual in many Indian households. A plateful of delicious, savoury snacks enhances the flavour of tea time even more. From stored delicacies like namak paras to quick fixes like fritters, there is a plethora of dishes you can lay out on the table.
Take a look at some easy tea snack recipes to try your hand at-
Namak Para: Knead refined flour, water, ghee, salt, jeera, pepper, and ajwain into a dough. Using a rolling pin, make a thick roti out of small balls of dough. With a knife, make horizontal and vertical cuts so you have multiple tiny diamond-shaped pieces. Fry these namak paras till they are golden brown. You can store them away, too.
Maggi Bhel: Crush the Maggi noodles and fry them on medium heat with a little butter. Take it off the flame once it turns golden brown. Add Maggi masala, red chilli powder, finely chopped veggies, and sauces of your choice to it. Mix well and enjoy.
Broccoli Pakoras: Steam broccoli for a few minutes so it is a little soft. Cut it into small pieces and put it in a mixer. Add chopped garlic, onion, cheese, breadcrumbs, egg, and olive oil. Give it a good whisk. Shape the mixture into flat patties and cook them in oil in a pan on medium heat. Cook it till it turns golden brown. Serve hot.
Masala French Toast: Finely chop tomatoes, capsicum, onions, green chillies, and coriander leaves. Add an egg and milk to this mix alongside red chilli powder, salt, and black pepper. Once it is mixed well, dip triangular bread slices in the mixture and cook it on a pan with oil on medium heat. You can use a spoon to pick drop the veggies on top of the bread slices if dipping doesn’t do the trick. Cook till golden brown on both sides.
Masala Papad: This quick snack is best made with urad flour papad. Chop up onions, tomatoes, coriander, and capsicum. Add red chilli powder, cumin powder, chaat masala, and salt to taste. You can also add a little lemon juice to add some zest. Fry or roast the papad (depending on the type you are using) and add the mixture as toppings. You can add sauces or chutneys to add more flavour to it.
