By Nandini Bhushan
Street food in India is a vibrant and integral part of culinary culture, offering diverse flavours, textures and aromas. The rich journey of Indian street food varies widely from region to region, reflecting the country’s diverse culinary tradition. From east to west and north to south, every corner offers its own unique street food made with locally available ingredients. Cheap and easily available, these street foods are consumed by millions.
Also try: Indian Street Food Recipes: Dahi Bhalla
Nadir Monje
Deep-fried lotus stem fritters also known as Nadir Monje is a traditional street food from the beautiful state of Kashmir. The lotus stem is thinly sliced, coated with a spiced batter and deep-fried until golden brown. Enjoy the spicy and crispy Nadir Monje.
Ingredients
(Serving 3 to 4 persons)
Lotus stem (Nadru) : 250 gms
Gram flour: 1 cup
Rice flour: 2 tsp
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
Ajwain: ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying
Step 1
Clean the lotus stem thoroughly to remove all the mud. Next, peel the skin and cut it into thin rounds. Rinse and pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
Step 2
In a mixing bowl combine rice flour, gram flour, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, carom seed and salt. Gradually add water to make a smooth thick batter.
Step 3
Heat oil in a frying pan. Once the oil is medium hot, dip the sliced nadru in the batter to coat them evenly.
Step 4
Carefully drop each of the coated slices in the oil. Drop a few slices at a time. Do not overcrowd the pan.
Step 5
Fry until the nadru turns golden brown and crispy, flipping them occasionally. This process should take about four to five minutes.
Step 6
Once done take them out on an absorbent paper towel to remove the excess oil. Serve hot with a pinch of chat masala and chutney of your choice.
