There's something magical about 4 p.m. in India. Work slows down, kitchens come alive, and the smell of frying pakoras fills the air. This is chai time, and it's practically sacred. Evening chai isn't just about the tea. It's about that perfect snack that makes the tea taste better, that gives you an excuse to sit down for ten minutes, that turns an ordinary afternoon into a small celebration. Every region in India has its own chai-time favourites. North India swears by samosas and kachoris. The West brings chivda and bhajiya. South India offers murukku and banana chips. East India adds its own spin with shingaras and beguni. But what they all share is this understanding: chai needs company, and that company better be crispy, warm, and absolutely delicious.
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These aren't fancy restaurant snacks. They're the foods your grandmother made on rainy days, the treats street vendors perfect over decades, the recipes that haven't changed because they don't need to. Let's talk about ten traditional Indian snacks that make evening chai worth looking forward to, complete with recipes, regional variations, and the best ways to eat them.
Here Are 10 Best Indian Evening Snacks for Chai Time
1. Pakora:
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Pakora is basically India's answer to "what should I make when it's raining and I want something warm and crispy?" The answer is always pakora. These gram flour fritters can be made with almost any vegetable: onions, potatoes, spinach, paneer, cauliflower, even bread.
Recipe:
Mix 2 cups besan (gram flour) with ½ teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds), ½ teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, salt to taste. Add finely chopped vegetables (2 cups total: onions, potatoes, spinach). Add water gradually to make a thick batter. The consistency should coat the vegetables without being too runny. Heat oil for deep frying. Drop spoonfuls of batter into hot oil. Fry on medium heat until golden and crisp (3-4 minutes). Drain on paper towels.
Regional Variations:
- Punjab: Aloo pakora (potato slices dipped in batter)
- Maharashtra: Kanda bhaji (onion pakora with whole onion rings)
- South India: Bajji (vegetable slices like chilli, brinjal, potato in thick coating)
- Bengal: Beguni (brinjal pakora, often served with puffed rice)
Best Way to Eat: Hot and fresh with green chutney or tamarind chutney. Serve with ginger chai. The crunch of pakora with the warmth of spiced tea is unbeatable.
2. Samosa:
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If there's one snack that unites all of India, it's the samosa. This triangular, crispy pastry filled with spiced potatoes is everywhere: train stations, office canteens, wedding receptions, roadside stalls. And for good reason.
Recipe:
For dough: Mix 2 cups maida (all-purpose flour), ¾ teaspoon ajwain, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup ghee or oil. Rub ghee into flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add water gradually and knead into stiff dough. Rest for 30 minutes. For filling: Boil 3-4 potatoes, peel and mash. Heat 2 tablespoons oil, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 2 chopped green chillies. Add peas, mashed potatoes, ½ teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon amchur (dry mango powder), salt, chopped coriander. Cool completely. Divide dough into balls, roll into ovals, cut in half. Form cones, fill with potato mixture, seal edges with water. Deep fry on medium heat until golden brown (4-5 minutes).
Regional Variations:
- Punjab: Classic potato-pea filling
- Kerala: Filled with beef or chicken mince
- Gujarat: Smaller, crispier, often with different spice blends
- Hyderabad: Lukhmi (square-shaped samosas with spiced meat)
Best Way to Eat: With tamarind chutney and mint chutney. Break open the samosa, pour chutney inside, and take a big bite. Pair with strong masala chai.
3. Kachori:
Kachoris are like samosas' rounder, bolder cousin. Flakier, crispier, and often with a more intense filling. They're especially popular in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
Recipe:
For dough: Same as samosa dough. For filling: Soak ½ cup moong dal for 2 hours, drain well. Coarsely grind without water. Heat ½ tablespoon ghee, add ¼ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, pinch of asafoetida. Add ground dal, salt, roasted fennel powder. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Cool. Divide dough into balls, flatten, place filling in centre, seal and gently roll into thick discs. Deep fry on low heat until golden and crispy (5-6 minutes).
Regional Variations:
- Rajasthan: Pyaaz kachori (onion filling), Mawa kachori (sweet version with khoya)
- Delhi: Khasta kachori with moong dal filling
- Bengal: Koraishuti kochuri (green peas filling, winter special)
- Gujarat: Filled with mung dal and spiced with ginger
Best Way to Eat: With potato curry or chole (chickpea curry). In Rajasthan, they eat it with kadhi. The combination of crispy kachori and tangy kadhi is legendary.
4. Bhajiya/Bhaji:
Called bhajiya in Gujarat and bhaji in Maharashtra, these are thick, crispy fritters usually made with onions or mixed vegetables.
Recipe:
Slice 2 large onions thinly. Add to a bowl with 1 cup besan, ½ teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon ajwain, salt, 2 tablespoons chopped coriander, 2 chopped green chillies. Mix well. Add 2-3 tablespoons water to bind (onions will release moisture, so add very little water). The mixture should hold together when pressed. Heat oil, drop spoonfuls and fry until deep golden and crisp.
Regional Variations:
- Gujarat: Kanda bhajiya (onion), methi bhajiya (fenugreek leaves)
- Maharashtra: Kanda bhaji served with fried green chillies
- Karnataka: Eerulli bajji (onion rings in thick batter)
Best Way to Eat: With green chutney and hot masala chai. Gujaratis love it with chilled buttermilk too.
5. Vada Pav:
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This is Mumbai's answer to the burger. A spiced potato vada (fritter) stuffed inside a pav (soft bread roll) with chutneys. It's street food royalty.
Recipe:
For vada: Boil and mash 4 potatoes. Heat 2 tablespoons oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, turmeric, 2 chopped green chillies, ginger-garlic paste. Add mashed potatoes, salt, lemon juice, chopped coriander. Cool. Shape into balls. For batter: Mix 1 cup besan, pinch of turmeric, salt, water to make thick batter. Dip potato balls in batter and deep fry until golden. For assembly: Slit pavs, spread green chutney on one side and sweet tamarind chutney on the other, place hot vada inside. Serve with fried green chillies and garlic dry chutney.
Best Way to Eat: Immediately after making, while the vada is hot and the pav is soft. Wash it down with cutting chai (half cup of strong tea).
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6. Murukku:
Murukku is a rice flour-based spiral snack that's crispy, savoury, and mildly spiced. It's a staple in South Indian homes, especially during festivals like Diwali.
Recipe:
Mix 2 cups rice flour, ¼ cup urad dal flour, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, a pinch of asafoetida, salt, 2 tablespoons hot oil or melted butter. Add water gradually and knead into a soft dough. Fill murukku maker, press spirals directly into hot oil. Fry on medium heat until golden and crisp. Store in airtight container.
Regional Variations:
- Tamil Nadu: Thenkuzhal (pressed through star-shaped disc)
- Kerala: Mullu murukku (thorny spiral)
- Andhra: Janthikalu (lightly spiced, thin strands)
Best Way to Eat: With filter coffee or chai. Also great for munching while working or watching TV. Keeps for weeks.
7. Mathri:
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Mathri is a flaky, crispy, savoury biscuit made with flour, ghee, and spices. It's especially popular in Rajasthan, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh.
Recipe:
Mix 2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup ghee, 1 teaspoon ajwain, ½ teaspoon black pepper, salt. Rub ghee into flour thoroughly. Add water gradually to make stiff dough. Rest for 20 minutes. Roll into thick discs, prick with fork. Deep fry on low heat until golden and crisp (8-10 minutes). Store in airtight container.
Regional Variations:
- Rajasthan: Methi mathri (with fenugreek leaves)
- Punjab: Plain or with black pepper
- Delhi: Nimki (diamond-shaped, crispier)
Best Way to Eat: With pickle and chai. Mathris are meant to be dipped in chai, so the flaky layers soak up tea. Perfect for dunking.
8. Chivda/Mixture:
Chivda (poha chivda) or mixture is a crunchy, spiced mix of flattened rice, nuts, and sev. It's the go-to snack when you want something immediately without cooking.
Recipe:
Heat 2 tablespoons oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, 2 dried red chillies, pinch of asafoetida. Add 2 cups thick poha (flattened rice), roast until crisp. Add ½ cup roasted peanuts, ½ cup thin sev, 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut, salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric, sugar to taste. Mix well. Cool and store.
Regional Variations:
- Maharashtra: Poha chivda with fried curry leaves
- Gujarat: Fafda chivda (with crispy fafda pieces)
- Karnataka: Khara mixture (spicier, with boondi and cashews)
Best Way to Eat: Straight from the jar with chai. No prep needed. Just grab a handful.
9. Bonda:
Bonda is a deep-fried snack with spiced mashed potato centre and crispy gram flour coating. It's especially popular in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Recipe:
For filling: Boil and mash 3 potatoes. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, chopped green chillies, ginger, turmeric. Add mashed potatoes, salt, lemon juice. Cool. Shape into balls. For batter: Mix 1 cup besan, pinch of turmeric, soda, salt, water to make smooth batter. Dip potato balls in batter and deep fry until golden.
Regional Variations:
- Karnataka: Mysore bonda (larger, served with coconut chutney)
- Tamil Nadu: Urulaikizhangu bonda (potato bonda)
- Kerala: Sukhiyan (sweet version with dal and jaggery filling)
Best Way to Eat: With coconut chutney and filter coffee or chai. The soft potato with crispy exterior is addictive.
10. Aloo Tikki:
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Aloo tikki is a shallow-fried potato patty that's crispy outside and soft inside. It's popular across North India as a standalone snack or part of chaat.
Recipe:
Boil and mash 4 potatoes. Add 2 tablespoons cornflour, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon amchur, salt, chopped coriander, green chillies. Mix well. Shape into flat patties. Shallow fry on both sides until golden and crisp. Serve hot with tamarind chutney and green chutney.
Regional Variations:
- Delhi: Served as tikki chaat with chole, chutneys, yogurt
- Punjab: Thicker, spicier, often stuffed with paneer
- Uttar Pradesh: Smaller, crispier, served with imli chutney
Best Way to Eat: As is with chutneys, or make tikki chaat by topping with boiled chickpeas, yogurt, chutneys, and sev.
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The Perfect Chai-Snack Pairing
The magic of chai-time snacks isn't random. There're reasons why pakoras taste better with chai. The warmth of tea balances the richness of fried snacks. The spices in masala chai (cardamom, ginger, cloves) echo the spices in the snacks. The liquid helps wash down the oil. And honestly, the ritual of dipping a mathri in chai or taking a sip between samosa bites just feels right.
These ten snacks represent different corners of India, but they all serve the same purpose: making chai time special. Whether you're making crispy pakoras on a monsoon evening, frying samosas for unexpected guests, or just reaching for that jar of chivda after a long day, you're participating in a tradition that's been perfected over generations.
The recipes might vary slightly from household to household, region to region, but the essence remains the same. Good chai deserves good company, and that company comes in the form of warm, crispy, perfectly spiced snacks that make you pause, sit down, and actually enjoy the moment. So brew that chai, heat that oil, and make something delicious. Your 4 p.m. self will thank you.