Baked Parmesan Garlic Sweet Potato Fingers
Ingredients
Sweet potato, washed, peeled and shredded finely – 200 gm
Egg – 1
Breadcrumbs – 70 gm
Grated Parmesan cheese – 50 gm
Cooking oil or low-fat cooking spray – 20 ml
Method
Preheat oven to 170° C. Take a baking sheet and apply a thin layer of cooking oil or cooking spray and set aside. In a mixing bowl, place shredded sweet potatoes, egg, half of the breadcrumbs and the grated Parmesan cheese and mix gently. On a plate, spread the remaining breadcrumbs into a thin layer. Form the sweet potato mixture into small finger-like shapes using clean hands. Roll them in the breadcrumbs on the plate and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Spray these with cooking spray or lightly brush with the cooking oil. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until evenly browned.
Chef Speak: It is an excellent snack with a dip; it can also accompany any grilled meat or vegetable dish.
Cajun Roasted Zucchini Chips
Ingredients
Medium-sized zucchini – 100 gm
Cooking oil spray
Salt – To taste
Crushed black pepper – To taste
Cajun seasoning mix (available as a pre-mix in the market)
Method
Preheat oven to 100 degrees Celsius. Line a baking sheet with grease proof paper or aluminium foil, and spray with cooking oil, keep aside.
Slice zucchini into thin round slices. Sprinkle salt, pepper and Cajun spice mix (sprinkle lightly as after baking, zucchini will shrink and it will become more concentrated due to the water loss from zucchini).
Lay out slices on prepared baking sheet, and spray the top lightly with cooking oil spray. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25 - 30 minutes. Rotate baking sheet, and bake an additional 20-25 minutes, until chips are brown and crisp.
Chef Speak: These should be eaten within an hour after removing from the oven, as they start to get a bit soggy and chewy if left out.
Honey and Balsamic roasted chickpeas
Ingredients
Boiled and drained chickpeas (130-140 gms of dried chickpeas would weigh approximately 250 gms after boiling) – 250 gm
Organic honey – 1 tbsp
Olive oil – 1 tsp
Aged Balsamic vinegar – 1 tbsp
Demerara sugar – 5 gm
Salt – to taste
Crushed black pepper – to taste
Paprika powder – 1/2 tsp
Ginger powder – 1/2 tsp
Method
Preheat oven to 170°C
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl until evenly coated.
Spread the chickpea mix in one layer on a non-stick baking sheet.
Bake for 20-25 minutes stirring gently every 3–4 minutes to ensure even roasting. Watch them closely towards end of the roasting time and stir more frequently to avoid having a few burnt chickpeas.
Chef Speak: It is an excellent snack on its own or it can also be tossed in a salad to add some crunch.
Spicy ‘n’ sweet Almonds
Ingredients
Cooking oil – 2 tbsp
Peeled almonds – 200 gm
Demerara sugar – 50 gm
Fresh thyme, coarsely chopped – 10 gm
Tabasco sauce – 1/2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Method
Preheat oven to 165°C and brush a baking pan with oil.
Mix almonds, demerara sugar, thyme, salt, and Tabasco sauce in a bowl.
Toss to coat evenly and transfer to prepared baking pan.
Roast until sugar melts and coats nuts, for about 15 minutes, stirring every 3–4 minutes.
Transfer to a lightly greased plate and cool completely.
Break apart any almond lumps and store in airtight container.
Chef Speak: For the health-conscious, and for those who miss the crunch in a well-fried potato chip!
Vegetable crudités with basil yogurt dip
Ingredients
For the Dip
Medium-sized onion, peeled, chopped and sautéed – 50 gm
Fresh basil leaves – 20 gm
Low fat cream cheese – 100 gm
Low fat yogurt – 200 gm
Lemon juice – 3 tbsp
Salt and crushed black pepper – to taste
For the crudités
Cucumber, cleaned and cut into thin batons – 50 gm
Red and Yellow bell pepper, cut into thin batons – 50 gm each
Celery stalks, cut into thin batons – 50 gm
Medium carrots, cut into thin batons – 50 gm
Method
Sauté the chopped onions till golden brown and let it cool down in a bowl.
Add the rest of the ingredients for the dip and mix gently. Place the cut vegetable batons in iced water to make them crunchy. After 15 minutes, remove the vegetables from the iced water and enjoy with the dip
Chef Speak: Quick, easy and sumptuous.
Alok Anand is the Executive Chef at Taj Coromandel
