In season

May produce

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Dahi Bhalla

Dahi Bhalla

Dried urad dal (white, sometimes labelled "white lentils" or "split urad") soaks overnight, then blends with ginger, green chilli and a small amount of water into a smooth thick batter. Whipped vigorously for 5 minutes to incorporate air (this is what makes the fritters light). Asafoetida and salt season; baking soda activates right before frying. Fritters drop into 175°C oil; fry for 3-4 minutes until amber. Lifted into a wide bowl of lukewarm water; soaked for 10 minutes; squeezed gently between palms to remove most water. Plated in shallow bowls; flooded with sweet salted spiced yogurt; topped with chutneys, chaat masala, pomegranate, fresh coriander, a sprinkle of crushed papri or sev for crunch.

Snacks 45 minutes Serves4
Iraqi Falafel

Iraqi Falafel

Dried chickpeas soak in cold water 24 hours, the long soak hydrates them fully without cooking. Once drained, they are ground with onion, garlic, fresh coriander, parsley, dill, green chilli, cumin, coriander seed and ground cardamom to a coarse pale-green crumb. Bicarbonate of soda adds at the last minute for the open, fluffy interior. The mix chills for 30 minutes; small patties form; deep-fry at 175°C for 3 minutes until deep gold outside, fluffy and bright green inside. Eaten in warm samoon with the trimmings.

Snacks 25 hours 15 minutes Serves4
Kachalou Pakora

Kachalou Pakora

Kachalou pakora are Afghan-style battered potato slices, fried crisp and dusted with chaat masala while they are still hot from the oil. The batter is chickpea flour (besan) with a touch of rice flour for crispness, water, salt, turmeric, ground coriander, chilli powder, ajwain seeds, crushed garlic and a pinch of baking soda. Ten minutes to rest so the chickpea flour hydrates and the batter clings properly. Potatoes slice into 3 mm rounds and salt briefly to draw out a little moisture. Each slice dips in the batter, lifts with chopsticks, drops into oil at 175°C, fries three minutes a side until amber. Drained, dusted with chaat masala, served with a quick mint-and-coriander chutney. Eat hot. Cold pakora are a different food entirely, and not in a good way.

Snacks 45 minutes Serves4
Mantu

Mantu

This is the small-plate version of mantu, folded into a four-pointed flower with the meat visible at the top, plated for a starter or a shared snack rather than the full main-course platter. The filling is ground lamb with grated onion (squeezed dry first, otherwise the parcel goes soggy), garlic, ground coriander, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper. The fold is the interesting bit. Take a wonton wrapper, drop a teaspoon of filling in the centre, pull all four corners up over the centre, and pinch them together in pairs to make an X-shape with four small triangles of meat showing at the top, like an opened flower. Steam in a bamboo basket eighteen to twenty minutes over boiling water. Two sauces alongside: a chana-dal-tomato-and-mint sauce stewed thick, and chaka yogurt with garlic. Plate as you would aushak: yogurt base, dumplings on top, lentil-tomato sauce ladled across, dried mint scattered last.

Snacks 1 hour 15 minutes Serves4
Seekh Kebab Roll

Seekh Kebab Roll

Lamb mince (with enough fat for tenderness; 20%) combines with grated onion (squeezed dry), ginger, garlic, green chilli, fresh coriander, mint, garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, salt and a small spoon of besan (chickpea flour, helps the mince cling to the skewer). Mixed vigorously for 3 minutes to develop the proteins. Rested for 1 hour. Shaped into long sausages on metal skewers (or wooden skewers soaked for 30 min). Grilled hard over charcoal (or under a screaming-hot grill) 8-10 minutes turning often, until charred and just-cooked. Pulled off the skewers onto warm parathas; rolled with sliced onion, fresh coriander, mint chutney; eaten by hand.

Snacks 1 hour 48 minutes Serves4