3 healthy snacks that'll satiate your 5 pm cravings this monsoon

Treat to self to some monsoon special snacks!

It's easy to reach for the phone and get fast food delivered or go to a thela and buy garam bhajiyas when it's raining outside. But this monsoon, resolve to make some healthy changes in your diet. We're not asking you to drop deep-fried snacks. After all, Rujuta Diwekar says you can eat (home-made) deep fried food as long as you are not reusing the oil for frying. Whip up these easy appetizers by Executive Sous Chef Lokesh Jarodia of Novotel Imagica Khopoli, in the comfort of your home to satiate your 5 pm snack cravings in this wet, rainy season.

Vegetable Pakoda

Ingredients

40 gm Carrot julienne

40 gm Potato sliced

40 gm Onion sliced

40 gm Capsicum julienne

120 gm Besan

20 gm Cornflour

40 gm Mint chutney

1 pc Banana leaf

40 ml Sunflower oil

1 gm Chat masala

Method

Mix all the vegetables with the besan batter.

Deep fry till golden brown. Remove and cut into small pieces. Toss with chat masala.

Serve with mint chutney.

Vegetable Bruschetta

Ingredients

30 gm Baguette - grilled slices

20gm Black olive tapenade

35gm Artichoke hearts - grilled

5 gm Lettuce arugula -trimmed

50 gm Tomato confit

3 gm Fresh basil leaves

3 gm Mint leaf

20 gm Zucchini

30 gm Goat cheese

8 gm Parmesan cheese shavings

20 gm Cheese mozzarella buffalo

Method

Spread olive paste on all three pieces of bread evenly.

On the first slice, arrange grilled artichoke hearts with parmesan on top.

On the second slice, arrange tomato confit & mozzarella with garlic, onion & basil.

On the third slice, arrange goat cheese, grilled zucchini & garnish with mint leaf.

Arrange all slices on a platter, make a quenelle of olive paste and serve.

Crispy Calamari Rings

Ingredients

110 gm Squid rings

60 gm Tempura batter

Half slice lemon

1 Parsley sprig

20 ml Thai chilli sauce

20 gm Refined flour (Maida)

5 gm Garlic confit

Method

Dust the squid rings with refined flour.

Dip in the tempura batter & deep fry it till golden in colour.

Served with lemon, garlic confit, Thai chilli sauce and parsley sprig.