Mysore Bonda

Ab ke sawan aise barase....
When it's raining outside and you are sitting in the house admiring the nature, you most certainly wish to relish crispy kanda bhajji (onion pakoda) with hot tea/coffee. This is a must have menu in most households during monsoons.
But why make the same pakodas every time. Let there be variety. Of course, there are lots of varieties in those too. Like, you can use potato, cauliflower, mixed veggies instead of only onion. I tried something which does not use besan, and also no need for veggies (that means no chopping... yayyyy!). 

The recipe for crispy Mysore bonda follows...

Take a cup of maida, 3/4th cup rice flour, 1/2 cup curd, 2 green chillies chopped finely, a small spoonful of grated ginger, chopped coriander leaves, salt (as per taste), cumin seeds 1 teaspoon & half a teaspoon of baking soda. Mix all these ingredients together and keep aside for half hour. Add a little water if the mixture is too dry, but don't make it too thin. After half hour, deep fry small balls of this mixture till golden & crispy.
Enjoy hot lip-smacking Mysore bondas with sauce or coconut chutney!

Chaha... Chai... Tea

Trrrringgg.....
The mobile alarm rings. I switch it off and laze around for few minutes. Then get up and pin up my hair with a clutcher, drink a glassful of water, put my feet in slippers and head straight to the fridge! No, no, I'm not that hungry... I open the fridge and take out the milk, ginger and lemon grass, put it on the kitchen counter. That's how my day begins!
As soon as I get up, the first thought is to have Tea! I cannot think of my day starting without the 'amrut-tulya' beverage. Even the WhatsApp day starts with loads of tea cups pouring in good morning messages.
So, the making of this drink is not everyone's cup of tea! It's an art. You need to put your heart and soul into making it. It needs perfectly boiled water, perfect combination of ingredients and perfect time. It shouldn't be over-boiled nor less boiled. And how do you attain this perfection? Practice! Practice and the love for tea will help you reach Nirvana!
Here's my recipe for 2 cupfuls of hot, steaming tea for a great start to your day.
Take a cup of water in a pan and keep it for boiling. Grate 2 teaspoons of ginger in that water. Cut 2 sprigs of lemon grass in small pieces and add to the boiling water. Now add sugar, as per your liking for sweetness. I have sugarless tea. As the sugar dissolves, put 2-3 tsps of tea powder and let it boil. Let it boil till the aroma engulfs you, and you start feeling the warmth of the tea inside you.
Now is the time to put in milk. Put milk only till you get the desired color of the tea. Let it simmer for 10 seconds. And voila! Your tea is ready.
Strain and pour it in cups. Enjoy this steaming cup (cup only, no mugs... Mugs are for coffee) of tea with your favorite person, in your favorite place, listening to your favorite music or reading your favorite column in newspaper!
Have a happy Tea...