To get you in the mood to party, here are a few recipes for nibbles. Simple yet creative and stylish, that’s what these crunchy foods are all about. Pair them up with fresh fruit mocktails, and you have a dash of the delicious at the get-together.
Chilli Paneer
Ingredients
200 gm paneer
50 gm maida
50 gm corn flour
1 tbsp chilli sauce
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
4-5 green chillies sliced
4 capsicums thinly sliced
2 tbsp soya sauce
2 spring onions for garnishing
Oil for cooking
Salt to taste
Method
Mix the maida and corn flour with a little water to make a paste. Cut paneer into long slices. Now dip the paneer in the paste and deep fry in hot oil till they turn golden brown. Meanwhile, take another pan, sauté the capsicum with green chillies and ginger-garlic paste with a little oil. When the capsicum is cooked, add half a cup of water, chilli sauce and soya sauce. Add salt as per taste. Now add the paneer and mix well. Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve.
Dahi Puri
Ingredients
20 puris (those used in pani puris)
Half cup boiled potatoes cut into small pieces
Half cup moong sprouts
1 cup sweet tamarind chutney
1.5 cup fresh and thick curd
A pinch of black salt
A pinch of sugar
A handful of chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp cumin seeds powder
Salt to taste
Nylon sev and chaat masala for garnishing
Method
Arrange puris on a serving plate. Crack a small part in the centre of each puri. Add salt, black salt and sugar to the curd and mix well. Fill puris with moong sprouts, potatoes, tamarind chutney and top with fresh curd. Sprinkle chilli powder, cumin seeds powder, coriander leaves. Garnish with nylon sev and chaat masala. Serve immediately.
Meat Balls
Ingredients
400 gm chicken minced
1 egg lightly beaten
1 cup cooked white rice
1 cup bread crumbs
2 garlic cloves minced
1 inch piece ginger crushed
Half cup chopped coriander leaves
2 onions chopped
1 tbsp hot-and-sweet sauce
1 tsp garam masala powder
Half tsp chicken masala powder
Oil for cooking
Salt to taste
Rings of tomatoes, onions, cucumber for garnishing
Method
Combine minced chicken, egg, rice, bread crumbs, garlic, ginger, onion, sauce, spice powders and salt in a bowl, and knead into a stiff dough. Divide the mixture into equal portions and roll into balls. Place on a plate. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry balls over medium flame turning both sides or until cooked thoroughly and are light brown in colour. Serve garnished with rings of tomatoes, onions and cucumber.
Potato Bites
Ingredients
3 large potatoes cut into small pieces
1 large onion finely chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
4-5 green chillies chopped
1 tbsp grated coconut
1 tsp coriander leaves
1 tsp chilli powder
Half tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp pomegranate seed
10-15 papdis
Sweet chutney for garnishing
Oil for cooking
Salt to taste
Method
In a large pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. When seeds begin to crackle, add chopped onions. Saute for two to three minutes till onions turn translucent. Add green chillies and sauté for a minute.
Add potatoes, turmeric, chilli powder and salt, and stir on high flame for a minute and then simmer the flame and cover the lid and cook till done. Add grated coconut and chopped coriander leaves. Finally add in pomegranate seeds and mix well. While serving, top this mixture on papdis, garnished with chutney.
