On a rainy day, while you are indoors binging on your favourite TV show or listening to some feel-good music or reading a good book, all you need is a hot cup of tea and some delicious pakodas to relish over. Ah! We saw you imagining that. But considering how health conscious everyone is becoming, pakodas or bhajjiyas may be complete no-no. 

Celebrity chef, TV personality and food expert Ranveer Brar, however, says that yummy pakodas can be less oily. And a little addition of tamarind water to the batter will add character to the taste of the pakodas. The secret to making your favourite snack healthy is to fry it in hot oil. The hotter the oil, the better as the pakodas will soak in less oil, making it not just healthy but also a tasty monsoon snack. That is doable. Isn’t it?

Sharing some valuable cooking secrets for the monsoon season, Ranveer says, “Adding more spice to your food can take away all the germs that come with the rains since spices are antibiotic and antiseptic in nature. If you notice, dishes are more tangy and spicy during monsoon for a reason.” 

He also advises on making a few changes in how you store ingredients during the rains. “Keeping muslin bags of rice in spice bottles helps as rice soaks moisture faster and thus prevents the spices from getting ruined,” he suggests. 

The celebrated chef will soon be appearing on Sony BBC Earth’s upcoming food anthology Secrets Behind Food which will be premiering July 23.