8 Must-Try Monsoon Food Delicacies from Across India

8 Must-Try Monsoon Food Delicacies from Across India

The country’s food culture is varied and rich in every way. Each offers a unique taste of Indian monsoon foods irrespective of the state or city. So, if you are an avid food lover and travel to India during monsoon, you can get treated to some of the exclusive culinary delights. 

Read along to know about such delectable monsoon snacks across the country.

Try These 8 Monsoon Food Delicacies from Across India

Monsoon comes with mouth-watering delicacies that you can try. Also, India is enriched with cultural diversity reflected in the food people eat across different regions. These delicacies can be enjoyed throughout the year, but consuming them during monsoon offers a unique experience.

However, one must also not forget about the water-borne diseases like typhoid, cholera, viral hepatitis, etc., that one can get during monsoon. In this scenario, purchasing an all-inclusive monsoon insurance cover available on Bajaj Markets is an effective way to protect your finances from unforeseen incidents. With such plans, policyholders can get coverage for all expenses incurred while treating these vector or water-borne diseases.

Nonetheless, let’s take a look at the must try rainy season snacks that can give you company this monsoon:

1. Arbi (Colocasia) leaves, Across India

Besides the best root vegetables, Arbi or Taro leaves of Colocasia massively grows in monsoon and are widely consumed across various regions of the country. Although their corms are mostly used in cooking, the stalks of leaves can also be used for making delicious curries, snacks, stir-fries, etc. Such leaves are healthy and rich in protein, fibre, and resistant starch.

Gujarat and Karnataka follow a similar process of preparing Patra or Pathrode, wherein they stuff the Colocasia leaves with rice flour and various other ingredients, such as jaggery, spices, and tamarind. These leaves are also used to make pakode, also known as patode in Uttar Pradesh.

2. Rugda Mushroom, Jharkhand

Commonly available in Jharkhand in monsoon, Rugda mushrooms, also known as Putu, grow naturally in the humid forests of Jharkhand. It is the best alternative to meat, accompanied by its high nutritional value. These are also used to make delicious curries for their meat-like flavour, quite similar to chicken liver. 

3. Bamboo Shoot, Northeast India

Bamboo plays a vital role in the culture of North-east India. Among 125 species of bamboo reported from India, 60 are found here. The bamboo shoots that grow in abundance during monsoon are used to make different monsoon food, such as pickles, condiments, soups, salads, stir fries, and more. Bamboo shoots are mostly crunchy and offer a woody flavour. As per studies, these shoots are rich in fibre and low in calories.

4. Phodshi Bhaji, Maharashtra

Phodshi bhaji, popularly known as Safed Musli, Karli, or Mulshi, is a leafy green vegetable available for just two weeks after the monsoon starts in Maharashtra. These leaves offer an earthy flavour and can be cooked in varied ways, such as stir fry, sabzi, and more. A great monsoon Indian food can also be prepared with these leaves by adding chana dal and prawns. Moreover, Phodshi can also be used to make crispy pakoras.

5. Gavti Almi Mushrooms, Goa

Available in Goan markets during monsoon, Gavti Almi mushrooms is an edible and wild mushroom. These grow on termite mounds and can’t be cultivated commercially. Therefore, these mushrooms are available only for a few weeks during the monsoons, which are very expensive and high demanding across the state. Some popular monsoon foods prepared with these mushrooms are xacuti, tonak, alami chilli fry, and so on.

6. Singhara (Water Chestnut), Across North India

Singhara, or water chestnut, is primarily an aquatic vegetable that grows in fresh lakes in India. It is basically a seed of a fruit of a floating aquatic plant. This can be eaten as it is or dried or ground into flour. Moreover, they are crispy and crispy in texture. These aquatic vegetables are healthy, free from gluten, cholesterol, and fat. Besides, these are loaded with vital nutrients like magnesium, vitamin B and E, copper, potassium, etc.

7. Dhingri (Himalayan Oyster Mushroom), Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand

Dhingri or Himalayan Oyster mushrooms are one of the most highly cultivated mushrooms in the world. They naturally grow in temperate and tropical forests on decaying and dead wooden logs. They are found in a wide range of colours like white, cream, pink, light brown, etc. based on the species. They are extremely versatile in flavour and are cooked in different monsoon snacks.

8. Lingdu/Dhekia Shaak (Fiddlehead fern), Himachal, Uttarakhand, Assam

Fiddlehead ferns, popularly known as dhekia shak, look unique and are commercially harvested in northern and north-eastern India. These green leaves are used to make pickles in Himachal and consumed as vegetables in different north-eastern states of India. They are usually tender, crisp, and succulent. It is better to cook soon after being picked because they  don’t stay fresh for too long. These ferns have a delicate, grassy, and woodsy flavour.

The list doesn’t end here. One can try out phenomenal monsoon foods or delicacies while sitting home enjoying the refreshing downpour months after the scorching heat.