I am always fascinated by the rain. Nothing compares to the myriad joys and the sort of contentment that it brings to my heart. There is something very comforting about the rain - be it the gentle pitter-patter sound of the raindrops falling against the window or the singing of a cuckoo during a rainfall or the pleasant earthy smell after a spell of rain. I could happily sit all day long by the window and watch raindrops fall from the sky. I had a similar pleasant experience today as it rained all afternoon and continued through the evening.
Since the end of February, the denizens of Bhubaneswar had been experiencing sweltering heat. The last couple of days in particular had been scorchingly oppressive, with the day temperatures hovering around forty degrees. An unexpected spell of heavy rain however lashed the city this afternoon, providing the much needed relief from the sultry weather conditions. The showers returned once again in the evening, thus ensuing a pleasant climate.
Such rain-soaked evenings call for some delicious snacks to go with a hot cup of tea to enjoy the weather. My comfort buddies for the evening were a cup of masala tea, a pack of Terra Chips (the Mediterranean flavour) and the onion chutney that I prepared. The star of the evening however was Terra Chips.
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| With its vibrant flavours and intriguing colours, Terra Chips make the perfect companion on a rainy evening |
It is only recently that I came across these unique vegetable chips and I have been their fan ever since. They make for a wonderful gourmet snacking - be it during business meetings or social parties and special occasions, or at any time when one craves for something sweet and salty or feels like munching on the run! Instead of snacking on fat-laden processed junk foods, one could try a pack of Terra Chips. Not only would he get to experience the goodness of real vegetables in the pack but also would feel fuller for a considerable period of time.
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| Diverse flavours in a single pack! |
The Terra chips also make the perfect tea time snack. Made from exotic vegetables like blue potatoes, taro, batata and a few others and complimented with varied flavours, every bite of these real vegetable chips will definitely boost your mood. Besides their wonderful taste, the Terra chips are unique for their colour too. As you open a pack, you are greeted by intriguing colours. Currently it is available at the stores only in select metro cities but it can also be purchased online from Amazon and Big Basket. Apart from the Mediterranean range, the Terra Chips pack has three other variants too - the Original, the Blues and the Sweets Medley. Each of the flavours packs a punch and makes one to dig deep into the pack.
Luckily I had stocked a few packs of the Mediterranean flavoured Terra Chips beforehand, so I didn't have to go out. I only needed a perfect dip to compliment the chips. So heating two tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan, I added about a cup of finely chopped onions and one-fourth teaspoon of kosher salt. Frying the onions for close to twenty minutes, I cooked them thoroughly until they were caramelised. They were then kept aside to cool down. After the onions cooled down, I poured them into a mixing bowl and adding a cup of sour cream, three-fourth cup of mayonnaise, one-fourth teaspoon of garlic powder, one-fourth teaspoon of white pepper powder and half a teaspoon of kosher salt to it, I mixed them all stirring nicely and thus my onion dip was ready.
Now I was all set to enjoy the rainfall. Wrapping myself in a shawl and reclining on my cozy deckchair by the window, I spent the evening watching the first rains of the summer while munching on the Mediterranean Terra chips, dipping them in the onion chutney and sipping the masala tea - it was absolute bliss. There couldn't have been a more perfect way of celebrating a rainy evening.
So keep your kitchen stocked with Terra chips and you too could have an enjoyable evening the next time it rains.
