The silver lining to the perennially grey skies this season are the steaming cuppas with pakodas and bhajiyas on the side. Head to Soda Bottle Openerwalla this week to sample varieties beyond kanda-batata
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Parsi bhakra
A popular Parsi tea-time snack, the bhakra is also referred to as the Parsi donut. With base elements as wheat flour and semolina, the deep fried snack has a definite vanilla essence and a mild hint of cardamom.
Gujarati Dakor Na Gota
These have their origins in the city of Dakor in Gujarat. Dakor gotas are chickpea flour and semolina pakodas, spiced with chilly, ginger, sesame, cumin and coriander. Take a bite and you taste a blend of hot, sour, salty and subtly sweet. Served with green chutney, it finds an ideal partner is Gujarati masala chai.
Goan Rissois
This is a Portuguese treat of prawns cooked in white sauce, wrapped in cooked dough, dipped in egg, crumbed and fried. Served hot and crunchy, wash it down with rose tea.
Kaavilche Polae
This is the Kokani Muslim version of dal vada. This dish derives its name from the cast iron pan called 'kaavil' in which the bhajiyas are made. The core ingredient is tur dal and the vadas are not deep fried but are flattened out and shallow fried. It's best had with Kori Cha, which is again the Konkani Muslim version of the black tea with lemongrass.