Patra recipe is a Gujarati version of the crispy colocasia leaves snack that has been made in homes across Gujarat for generations. It is called by various names in India such as patra (Gujarat), aalu Vadi or aluchi Vadi (Maharashtra), pathrode or pathrado (parts of Karnataka), each with its own variant. This air fryer patra recipe is prepared by rolling up colocasia leaves with a batter made with a mixture of spices and chickpea flour. The outcome is tender layered spirals that are tangy and slightly spiced, with a nice bite. Preparing this air fried patra is not as complicated as it looks. The recipe consists of a besan batter flavoured with spices and tamarind which is spread generously on the leaves, then rolled and steamed until firm. Once cooled, the rolls are sliced into pretty spirals. These slices are air fried instead of traditional deep-frying method. It will provide you with that crispy texture with minimal oil usage. It is surprisingly easy to make and thus fit into a busy schedule. The rolls can be steamed up to a day in advance and stored in the fridge, then air fried before serving. It makes for a great make-ahead snack for guests or evening tea. This patra recipe is definitely worth trying. Once you taste that crispy tangy goodness, there's no turning back.

Fruit leather is quite common in Indian snacking for sweet nothings, and mango is the most common variety. What you need to add to your peak summer recipes that you must try is this jamun papad, which is tangy yet sweet. The jamun fruit is quite delicate, and unlike mango, it lacks cohesive strength, so this recipe includes apples to bind the fruit leather and add more sweetness. Jamun papad is made by mixing deseeded jamun, also known as Indian blackberry, with pressure-cooked apple and drying the pulp into a thick sheet until it sets into a chewy, tangy fruit leather. Unlike store-bought candy or fruit rolls, this jamun papad recipe contains no added sugar and uses just two ingredients, relying entirely on the apple's sweetness and the jamun's astringent flavour. What makes this jamun papad recipe particularly appealing is the role of the apple. When pressure-cooked, the apple releases natural pectin, which is a plant-based thickening agent that binds the fruit pulp without any gelatine, agar agar, refined sugar, or preservatives. Jamun is also a nutritionally dense seasonal fruit, rich in vitamin C, iron, and antioxidants, and has long been used in Ayurvedic practice to support digestion and blood sugar regulation.

Pithla recipe is the ultimate comfort food in Maharashtra homes that is simply made with gram flour or besan and onions, which is why it is also called kanda besan. This dish is a little different as it uses raw mangoes or kairi in the dish to turn the dish slightly green and also sour. It is on the spicier end, with the raw mangoes adding a bit of sourness and a spicy chilli-garlic chutney that is added to the tadka. The tadka is made with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and hing, followed by spices and the besan. What makes this raw mango pitla recipe appealing is how light it tends to be, and it can be made thin and soup-like (jhunka-style) or kept thick like a dip-style pithla, depending on the amount of water added. Marathi cooking relies on fresh garnishes or fried nuts, and this recipe is no exception, using crushed fried peanuts as a final finish. It is best eaten hot with the gluten-free flatbreads of jowar or bajra rotis. It is the perfect dish to make when you run out of vegetables, eggs or meat and want something quick yet filling. Its preparation is similar to the besan kadhi, but this one does not have yoghurt, and the gram flour is roasted before the onions are added. Pithla recipes dominate eateries called Zunka Bhakar Centres with a side of chilli garlic chutney.