Raipur’s love affair with monsoon delicacies

All of us have our reasons for loving the monsoons. For some, it is the pleasant weather, for some, the season’s sale, for others, the mouth-watering food to go with tea or coffee. Be it the desi bhutte-ka-kees or moong bhajjiyas or even the savoury aaloo kachori, city youngsters just love baarish wale snacks. With the steady pitter-patter of raindrops, that gradually turns into a glorious downpour, we end up craving a nice hot cuppa and some of these savouries.Read on, as we take you across the city for a mouth-watering trail of monsoon snacks…
It is raining corn delights
Streets of Raipur are buzzing with vendors selling varieties of corn delights. Dishes like corn manchurian, corn pizza, corn spring roll, corn chat, bhutte ka kees, and the regular corn on the cob sprinkled with tangy masalas and lime are among the favourites with the college-goers. “I love how some shops have experimented with corn and added new flavours, too. For example, corn chaat is my personal favourite,” shares Akansha Shrivastava, a student of BBA.
One can spot bhutte walas across the Marine Drive, slow roasting the corn on the cob. “If you happen to cross the Telibandha Lake, you will find a bhutta wala every five meters! And they are experimenting with so many masalas like peri-peri, jeerawan and the regular chaat masala and lime. The new American corn cob that has come up is also a hot favourite in our group,” says yet another collegian Shashank Tiwari from Hidayatullah National Law University. Irrespective of what season highlights are, there is the staple bhutte ka kees that every Raipurian swears by. “Though it is available all year round, it is the seasonal desi bhutte ka kees that we wait for throughout the year. The mild flavours mingling with grated corn appeals to all your senses. Best enjoyed with an extra shot of jeerawan and squeezed lime juice,” shares Shivam Thakur, who frequents Marine Drive.

Monsoon and pakoras are an endless love affair
A plate of hot pakoras served right out of the wok along with a garma garam chai is a popular combo among the collegians here in Naya Raipur! From kanda bhajiyas to aalo pakoras, college goers line up to grab their favourite snacks. Akansha Ahuja, who has been doing rounds for these snacks says “The city has a huge variety in terms of fried food. There is Old Raipur ka famous moong bhajiya, and almost every other kiosk is selling aaloo pakodas, pyaaz pakoda, paneer pakoda and mirchi pakodas. However, it the kind of green chutney they serve is what serves them apart, because that is what adds character to the fritters.” Besides the humble pakora, aaloo kachori is yet another dish that has been doing rounds of not just the city corners but in workplaces too. Mridul Saha, a management student shares, “It is a ritual in our college these days. Every lunch break, one of us calls for hot aaloo kachori from the eat street and rest of us also add on our requests. If we cannot go out to enjoy the weather and its offerings due to class, it can certainly come to us!”

Street chow is a fav!
“Baarish aaye aur noodles na bane? Impossible!” quips Yash Matai, a young entrepreneur in Raipur and adds, “Shastri Nagar has a variety to offer like cheese noodles, Punjabi tadka noodles, peri peri flavoured and egg chow. I prefer having egg noodles, and sometimes the peri peri one too.”
Nupur Jain, a business analyst who recently moved to the city from Bhilai shares, “This city has given the humble noodles so much character. There is so much variety to choose from, that I’ve been trying different types from the corner shop around our office in Naya Raipur road. I guess it’s only a matter of time, before they add sev and bhajias to it.”

From tandoori chai to filter coffee
The chai-coffee lovers are the happiest in this season as they indulge in season’s favourite tandoori chai and filter coffee. 25-year-old Mrigisha Chaudhary expresses, “I feel monsoon is incomplete without chai. And these days the craze for tandoori chai has engulfed us all in the city. I often go on long drives with friends looking for that tiny little shack serving the perfectly brewed desi chai in the cold windy weather. Even the smallest of kiosks have started adding more flavours to tea to make it more appealing, and we are more than happy about it.”
On the other hand, coffee lovers are always on the hunt for their caffeine fix at the tapris across the Telibandha Lake khau galli. “Lately Raipur has started serving filter coffee on tapris. I want to sit with a coffee mug and a nice book at the hostel as it pours,” shares Kavita Singh a student of English literature.