Snacks And More - Femina

Time for parties and celebrations! Chef Kaviraj Khialani draws up an interesting snack menu for your cocktail party. Check it out...

Chicken Tikka And Olive Bullets

(Crisp potato casings stuffed with cheesy chicken tikka and olives, served with Indiana dip)

Serves: Six to eight

Time required: 30 minutes plus marination time

For the potato casing:

2 cups boiled and mashed potato

salt to taste

1 tsp chopped mint leaves

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

1 tsp chaat masala

breadcrumbs as required

For the chicken tikka mixture:

1 cup cubed boneless chicken

1/2 cup whipped yoghurt

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

a pinch kasuri methi powder

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 tbsp oil

8-10 black olives, sliced

8-10 green olives, sliced

1/4 cup grated cheese

oil for deep frying

For the Indiana dip:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp Schezuan sauce

1 tsp chopped green chillies

1 tsp lime juice

To prepare the potato casing mixture:

In a bowl, combine together the mashed potato, salt, mint and coriander leaves, chaat masala and a little breadcrumbs (fresh). Mix well and set aside.

To prepare the chicken tikka mixture:

Mix together the yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala and kasuri methi powders, and breadcrumbs, and marinate the chicken in this mixture for 20 minutes.

Heat the oil (for deep frying) in a pan, add the marinated chicken, cover and cook on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Once the excess moisture dries up, remove and chop up the cooked chicken.

To prepare the stuffing: Mix together the chopped chicken, olives and cheese and divide into 16-18 equal portions. Set aside.

To prepare the Indiana sauce: Mix all the ingredients together well and chill until serving time.

To shape the bullets:

Divide the potato mixture into16-18 walnut-sized portions and lightly flatten them. Place a portion of the stuffing in the centre and seal the edges shaping each into a bullet shape.

Heat the oil in a pan and deep-fry the bullets until golden brown.

Remove and serve hot with the Indiana sauce.

Chef's variations:

You can also stuff the potato bullets with onion, tomatoes, green chillies, coriander leaves, lime juice, and chat masala. Assorted seafood in a cheesy white sauce can be used for stuffing too.

Mushroom, Babycorn And Paneer Satay

(Crunchy peanut sauce served with skewered vegetables on a sizzling platter)

Serves: Four

Time required: 30 minutes

250 g fresh button mushrooms

200 g babycorn, blanched

250 paneer, cubed

1/2 each green, red and yellow peppers (capsicum)

For the marinade:

salt to taste

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp chopped garlic

1/2 tsp mustard paste

1 tbsp white wine

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

For the satay sauce:

1 cup peanut butter

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp chopped garlic

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

salt to taste

2 tbsp crushed peanuts

2 tsp lime juice

1 tbsp chopped mint leaves

Clean, wash and cut the vegetables into attractive shapes - mushrooms into halves, baby corns into slices, peppers into dices and cut the paneer into cubes. Set aside. Mix together all the marinade ingredients and apply on the chopped vegetables and paneer. Skewer them and set aside.

To prepare the satay sauce:

Dilute the peanut butter with water and set aside. Heat the oil in a pan, sauté the garlic, add the chilli flakes, diluted peanut butter, salt and crushed peanuts. Mix well over medium heat for about five to seven minutes. Remove from heat, garnish with the lime juice and mint leaves and set aside.

For the presentation:

Heat a little oil or butter in a pan, sear the marinated and vegetable skewers for 30 seconds on each side, turning to enable even cooking on all sides. Add a few spoons of the satay to coat the skewers well.

Serve hot on a sizzling platter with some satay sauce in a bowl on the side.

Cajun Spiced Potato Chaat

(Crisp fried potato wedges, topped with Rasili chutney)

Serves: Four to six

Time required: 45 minutes

400 g potatoes

oil for deep frying

For the marinade:

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

For the rasili chutney:

1/2 cup Manchurian sauce

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tbsp chilli-garlic sauce

For the garnish:

1/4 cup fried noodles

2 tbsp grated cheese

2 tbsp chopped assorted peppers

To prepare the potatoes:

Wash the potatoes and cut into wedges, keeping the skin on and parboil, remove and set aside.

Mix together the marinade ingredients and marinate the potato wedges for a few minutes. Heat the oil in a pan and deep fry, until crispy and golden brown. Remove and keep aside.

To make the rasili chutney:

In a bowl, mix together the Manchurian sauce, tomato ketchup and chilli garlic sauce. Chill.

To serve:

In a serving plate, arrange the potato wedges attractively, top with the rasili chutney and garnish with the fried noodles, grated cheese and sautéed brunoise of peppers.

Serve immediately.

Chef's variation:

Try the same recipe with chicken nuggets and batter-fried prawns, cauliflower, cottage cheese or tofu.

Nutty Cheese Squares

(Almonds, pistas and raisins flavoured with mint and coriander, encased in a cheesy potato mix)

Serves: Four

Time required: 45 minutes

For the potato mixture:

4-5 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed

salt to taste

1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs

2 tbsp corn flour

1 tsp chopped mint leaves

1 tsp chopped coriander leaves

1/4 tsp shahjeera

oil for deep frying

For the stuffing:

1/4 cup grated cheese

1 tbsp chopped almonds

1 tbsp chopped pistachios

1 tbsp chopped raisins

1/2 tsp chaat masala

For the cowboy's dip:

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 small chopped onion

1/2 tsp crushed and roasted red chillies

1/2 cup tomato puree

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp boiled rajma (kidney beans)

1/2 capsicum, chopped

To prepare the potato mixture:

In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the oil to form a smooth mixture and set aside.

To prepare the stuffing:

Mix together all the ingredients. Set aside.

To shape the nutty squares:

Roll out half the potato mixture to 1.5 cm thickness; spread the cheese and nut filling over the layer. Roll out the rest of the potato mixture to cover. Seal the edges well. Using a knife, cut out squares from the same and coat with breadcrumbs. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry until golden brown. Serve hot with the dip.

To prepare the cowboy's dip:

Heat the oil, sauté the garlic and onion, add the chilli flakes and tomato puree, salt and pepper; the boiled rajma and capsicum and mix well. (You can also use a pinch of a few herbs like oregano or thyme, and cook for four to five minutes). Remove. Serve warm with the nutty cheese squares.

Chilli Chicken Wonder Wraps

(Shredded pepper chicken in Thai sauce in soya wrapper)

Serves: Four

Time required : 45 minutes plus marinating time

For the pepper chicken:

1 cup shredded boneless chicken

salt and crushed black pepper

1 tbsp soya sauce

1 tsp chilli sauce

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp chopped green chillies

1 tbsp oil

1/2 cup shredded capsicum

2 tbsp Thai red curry paste cooked with 1 cup thick coconut milk

For the soya wrapper:

1/2 cup soya bean flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 tbsp maida

salt to taste

water as required

For the date and walnut spread:

1/4 cup chopped dates

3 tbsp chopped walnuts

1/4 cup cheese spread

To prepare the pepper chicken:

Clean, wash and marinate the chicken with the rest of the ingredients, except the oil, shredded peppers and red Thai curry paste. Set aside for 20 minutes. Heat the oil in a pan and sear the chicken along with the marinade on high heat for a few minutes. Cover and cook for two to four minutes. Remove. Add the shredded peppers and mix. Check for seasoning. Mix with the reduced cooked Thai curry. Set aside.

To prepare the soya wraps:

Mix the soya bean and wheat flours, maida, salt and water to prepare a smooth and pliable dough. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Divide into eight equal portions and roll out to a 15 cm diameter 'roti'. Cook each on a tava on both sides. Remove and set aside.

To prepare the spread:

Mix together all the ingredients well and chill until serving time.

To assemble the wraps:

Take each prepared wrap, spread a layer of the date and walnut mix, top with peppered chicken, wrap and fold, securing the edges. Cut into two or three slices. Arrange on a serving plate and serve hot.