Indian snacks are renowned for their unique flavors and textures. From the savory, spicy samosas to the delicious jeera aloo, traditional Indian snacks offer a delectable array of dishes that can be enjoyed in any season.
Preparing these treats at home is an easy way to explore and experience India’s rich culinary heritage. This article will provide readers with six classic recipes for popular Indian snacks that they can easily make from the comfort of their kitchens.
1. Jeera Aloo
Jeera aloo is a delicious snack from India. It’s made with potatoes and cumin seeds. The potatoes are boiled, peeled, and cubed before being cooked with the cumin seeds in butter or oil until golden brown. It’s served hot as a side dish or enjoyed as an accompaniment to other meals such as rice and chapati.
Recipe
Boil the potatoes until they’re tender. Once cooked, peel and cube the potatoes. Heat up a skillet with oil or butter and add the cumin seeds (jeera). Fry for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the cubed potatoes to the pan and season with salt to taste. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are golden brown and cooked through. Serve hot with chutney or pickles. Enjoy your jeera aloo!
2. Sev Puri
Next, let’s talk about sev puri. It’s popular street food from India that is made with crispy puri, potatoes, onions, and chutney. The puris are fried in oil until crisp and then topped with boiled potatoes, chopped onions, chutney, and sev (crunchy noodles). You can find it in most Indian restaurants or easily make it at home.
Recipe
Take puris and fry them in oil until they become golden and crispy. Place them on a paper towel to drain off the excess oil. In a separate bowl, mix boiled potatoes, chopped onions, chili powder, chaat masala (an Indian spice blend), and salt to taste. Place the puris onto a plate and top with the potato mixture. Finish off with sev, chutney, and some chopped cilantro for garnish. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy your Sev Puri!
3. Pani Puri
Unlike its cousin sev puri, pani puri is a type of chaat (a savory snack) from India. It consists of hollow puris that are filled with chutney and potatoes and topped off with a refreshing spiced water known as ‘pani’. The combination of crunchy puri, spicy chutney, and cooling pani make it an irresistible snack.
Recipe
Take puris and fry them in oil until they become golden and crispy. Place them on a paper towel to drain off the excess oil. In a separate bowl, mix boiled potatoes with chaat masala (an Indian spice blend), chili powder, and salt to taste. Take each puri and fill it with the potato mixture. Then, top with a spoonful of chutney and drizzle with pain (the spiced water).
4. Dahi Vada
Your chaat spread would not be complete without dahi vada. This is a dish of fried lentil dumplings soaked in yogurt and topped with chutney or tamarind sauce. The creamy yogurt balances out the spicy flavors of the chutney, giving it an undeniable flavor that will leave you wanting more.
Recipe
Soak lentil dumplings in water for about 2 hours. Heat up a pot of oil and fry the dumplings until golden brown and crispy. Place them on paper towels to drain off the excess oil. In a separate bowl, whisk the yogurt with some salt, cumin powder, chaat masala (an Indian spice blend), and chili powder. Place the fried dumplings in a bowl and pour the yogurt mixture on top. Garnish with chopped cilantro and some chutney or tamarind sauce.
5. Samosa
Then, there’s samosa. This is a popular snack from India that’s made with a savory potato and peas filling. The filling is wrapped in a flaky pastry shell and deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. You can usually find these at Indian restaurants, however, you can also make your own Samosas at home if you want.
Recipe
So how do you prepare Samosa? The process is quite simple, actually. Mix flour, ajwain seeds, carom seeds salt, and ghee together; knead into dough then rest it for 15 minutes before shaping it into triangles filled with mashed potatoes and green peas filling. To finish things off, deep fry your Samosas until they’re golden and crispy. Serve with chutney or ketchup for a delicious snack!
6. Dhokla
When you’re looking for something to munch on, but you don’t want to run to the supermarket. this Indian snack is there for you. As a matter of fact, preparing dhokla is an excellent way to use leftovers. It’s made with a fermented batter of chickpeas and rice, giving it a unique flavor and texture. The batter is steamed until cooked through, then cut into squares or triangles and served with chutney or yogurt.
Recipe
Take beaten curd in a large bowl; mix it well with spices such as turmeric powder, red chilli powder etc; add besan (gram flour) while whisking continuously to make a thick batter; pour this mixture into greased trays of various shapes & sizes; steam-cook the dhokla for 10-15 minutes before serving it hot & fresh!
Conclusion
In conclusion, Indian snacks offer a variety of flavors and textures that make them so popular. From the traditional samosa to the light and healthy dhokla, these snacks are easy to prepare at home with just a few simple ingredients.
