You’re sitting near a foggy window. The first rains have just begun. The air around you immediately seems more exciting with the prospect of a cancelled work day due to a heavy downpour, watching the children of the gully (street) with their paper boats, or still better, your father’s Kishor Kumar song that plays on repeat.

As you open the window, the petrichor wafts in through the gaps. While some would term this moment ‘magical’, in your experience, there is one thing that could add to the charm — a steaming plate of snacks.

Across India, people have different ways of celebrating the monsoons, the South with their parippu vadas, and the North with their ancient yaje drink. The monsoon map of India is a reflection of how the country unites to put together a visual feast.

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So while you take your pick of what you wish to toast this moment with, here are some stories behind a few famous monsoon dishes.

The pride of Maharashtra has always been the Bombay duck, which owing to its versatility, can be used in a plethora of dishes. One such dish is the bombil bhujna or Bombay duck curry. This marinade of fish with coriander and green chillies is an ode to the weather around.

For those who love themselves some seafood, this is a dish you can’t miss out on.

The love affair between the rains and fried snacks cannot be forgotten. The two........

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