Deep fried crunchy snacks are selling like hot cakes in the rainy days. Telegraph pictures

Bhubaneswar, July 18: The incessant rains are here and they call for steamy gossips over piping hot tea accompanied with salty and spicy fried snacks available at the next-door kiosks.

In fact, food kiosks serving sizzlers and appetisers in the city are buzzing with gastronomes preferring to indulge in preparations that are not just high on the taste-meter but are also good fill-ups.

Innumerable kiosks, bistros and high-end restaurants in Bhubaneswar are serving an array of mouth-watering monsoon-specific delicacies to the food-lovers of the city.

Fried nibbles are undoubtedly everyone’s favourite this season with onion pakoras better known as pyaaji ruling the charts.

Dipped in a pool of oil and deep fried, these pakoras are irresistible, especially with a touch of imli chutney.

Aloo pakora, mixed vegetable pakora, chilli pakora and pakoras made of soyabean nuggets are variations of this delectable dish. Every nook and cranny of Bhubaneswar streets is flooded with these kiosks.

“Every time it rains, pyaaji is a must for me. At just Rs 2 per piece I gorge on at least 6-7 pakoras at one go,” said Ankit, an engineering student.

Many in the city prefer to enjoy their monsoon fiesta the Mughlai way, relishing on sizzlers such as kebabs and tikkas straight from the tandoor.

Varieties of kebab such as chicken kathi kebab, Hyderabadi kebab, murg hariyali kabab, paneer kebab are available across mini food joints in the city at affordable prices.

“Tandooris and kebabs especially fit monsoons. My friends and I make sure to catch up in the evenings once or twice a week and share chitchats over the delectable hariyali kebabs. It feels heavenly to gorge on them in the evenings when it raining outside,” said Bhavesh Seth, a food lover.

Another favourite snack in the city is the steaming hot momo. Steamed or fried, vegetable or chicken, this tempting dish in any form is loved by one and all. Not to forget are its healthy nutrition values.

“Momos during the monsoon sell like hot cakes. A full plate chicken momo costs only Rs 60 in my shop, and I make sure to make it in a very hygienic way,” said Suman Thapa, a momo-vendor in Unit-IV, who hails from Darjeeling and is one of the first to have set-up a momo outlet.

Of course, nothing beats roasted corn prepared live, right in front of your eyes. seka makka or corn on the cob is an enticing delicacy that perfectly fits the bill for our tangy tickling tastebuds.

A dash of lemon and a sprinkle of black salt, chilli and pepper on light roasted corns give a heavenly taste.

A platter of grilled and fried steamy dishes that fit in the damp weather is also served at bistros and high-end restaurants in the city.