Category Archives: Snacks & Appetizers

Taco Fiesta Potatoes

The base is made with roasted potato slices that are topped with a crunchy walnut taco meat,
cashew sour cream, and salsa.  If you do not have time to layer everything individually,
try plating the potato crisps on a large platter and layer everything all at once.
The walnut taco meat and cashew sour cream can be made a day or two in advance to save
some time.  The crisps also make a fun and kid approved dinner.

Taco Fiesta Potatoes          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients
2                                russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4” slices
1                                tbsp grapeseed oil(or oil of your choice)
                                  Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Walnut Taco Meat

1                                 cup walnuts toasted, (if preferred)
1 – 1/2                         tsp chili ipowder
1/2                              tsp ground cumin
1/4                              tsp fine grain salt
1/8                              tsp cayenne pepper

To Assemble

  • 1                       recipe cashew sour cream(recipe to follow)
  • 1/2 to 3/4          cup salsa
  • 2 – 3                  green onions, thinly sliced
  •                          freshly ground pepper
Make the Potato Crisps
  1. Pre heat the oven to 425 degree.
  2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Place the potato slices in a single layer on the baking sheet and drizzle them with oil.
  4. Rub the potatoes to disperse the oil evenly.
  5. Sprinkle the potatoes generously with salt and pepper.
  6. Roast the potatoes for 30 – 35 minutes, flipping them once halfway through, until tender and lightly browned.
  7. Allow the potatoes to cool for 5 minutes before assembling.
 
Make the Walnut Taco Meat:
In a mini food processor, combine the walnuts, oil, chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne and process
into a fine crumble.(You can also chop and mix the ingredients by hand if preferred) Set side.
 
To Assemble:
Top each potato slice with 1 teaspoon of the Cashew Sour Cream, followed by about 1 teaspoon each of
Walnut Taco Meat and salsa.
 
Cashew Cream
Cashew  Cream can be used in a variety of recipes as a substitute for dairy or even sour cream.
 
In a bowl, combine 1 cup raw cashews and enough water to cover them and soak for 8 hours or overnight
(for a quick soak method, put the cashews in a bowl, pour boiling hot water over them until the cashews are covered,
and soak for 2 hours).  Drain and rinse the cashews and transfer them to a blender with 1/2 to 1 cup water.  Less
water will give you a thicker sauce.  Blend on high speed until the cream is smooth.  If using the cashew cream for savoury
recipe, add a pinch of salt, if desired.
 
To make Cashew Sour Cream:
 
Add the following ingredients to the blender with the cashews and water and blend on high speed until smooth.
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt, or to taste.

Chevro(Bombay Mix)

Chevda consists of a variable mixture of spicy, dried ingredients, which may include fried lentils, peanuts, chickpea flour noodles, corn or vegetable oil, chickpeas, flaked rice and curry leaves. This is all flavoured with salt and a blend od spices that may include coriander and mustard seeds.  The traditional Indian food can be eaten as part of a meal; as a standalone snack, though it is consumed with the hands. Chevdo can also be eaten with lemon sprinkled on it, tamarind chutney, Channa Batata, and Bhel. Chevdo is known by different names in different countries. It also consists of different ingredients. In England and Ireland it is known as Bombay Mix. The name originated from the city of Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), India. Alternative, regional versions include:- In Eastern African countries with large populations of families of Indian descent, especially KenyaTanzania and Uganda, it is known as chevdo or chevra and is often prepared with some sugar sprinkled in. A variation of chevdo without root vegetables (where the potato crisps are replaced by matoke (plantain) is defined as Jainchevdo. Pawa Flattened rice (also called beaten rice) is a dehusked rice which is flattened into flat dry flakes. These flaakes of rice swell when added to liquid, whether hot or cold, as they abosorb water, milk or any other lliquids. The thickness of these flakes vary between almost transluccently thin to nearly 4 times thicker than a normal rice grain. Mamra Mamra is puffed rice. 

Ingredients

  • 2                 cups Chana Daal
  • 4                 medium russet potatoes
  • 3                 cups pawa or poha(rice puffs)
  • 3                 cups momra
  • 3                 finely sliced jalapeno(optional)
  • 1/4              cup raisins(optional)
  • 1                 cup peanuts
  • 1/2              cup almonds
  • 1/2              cup cashews
  • 2                 tbsp sugar
  • 2                 tsp salt
  • 1                 tsp haldi
  • 1                 tsp paprika
  • 1/2              tsp chilli powder
  • 1                 tsp dried cilantro
  • 6                 curry leaves
  • 1/2              tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/2              tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1/2              tsp cumin seeds
  • 1                 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1                 lt oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Wash and soak the Chana Daal in cold water overnight
  2. Peel and wash the potatoes.  Grate them and soak it in cold water overnight for a few hours.
  3.  Add a teaspoon of salt to the grated potatoes.  Best Potatoes to use to make crisps are the new potatoes as they do not have too much starch.  By soaking in salted water , it adds flavour to the potatoes and helps to make the crisps, crispy.
  4. Next Morning
  5. Wash the grated potatoes two more times with cold water and drain them using a colander and sorted them on a clean  cheese cloth.  Washing the grated potatoes removes the starch.
  6. Drain the chana daal using a strainer.
  7. Pre heat the oven to 300 degree.
  8. Spread the nuts on a baking try and bake it for about 15 minutes.  Switch of the oven and let the nuts cook.
  9. Heat the oil in in a wok or a karai.
  10. To check if he oil is hot drop a potato chips in the oil.  If it rises quickly, then the oil is ready.
  11. Pat the potatoes with a dry dishcloth and then drop a handful of the potatoes in the oil.  Reduce the heat and allow them to cook till they are crispy.
  12. The potato crisps will float to the top.  Drain it in a colander.  Repeat with the rest of the potatoes.
  13. Fry the chana daal.  The daal will float up as it cooks. Fry it till it is crispy.
  14. Cook the Pawa(flaked rice)  Take half a cup of pawa and drop it in the oil, it will start to puff up.  Pawa cooks very fast, remove from the oil and drain it in the strainer.
  15. Fry the mamra the same way and drain it.
  16. Fry the sliced jalapeño, remove from the oil and drain it on paper towel
  17. Fry the raisins, remove from the oil and drain it on paper towel.
  18. Transfer everything to a large bowl.
  19. Add sugar, salt, haldi, paprika, chilli powder and dried cilantro.
  20. In a small saucepan heat 1/4 cup oil, Add curry leaves, mustard seeds, fanugreek seeds, cumin seeds and sesame seeds.  When the seeds start to pop, pour the mixture in the bowl with the rest of the fried ingredients.
  21. Mix everything together.
  22. Serve it with Ambli and lemon juice.
  23. Store it in an air tight container.
  24. Chevro will stay for a couple of months.

Sausage Rolls

A sausage Roll is a British savoury pastry snack, popular in Commonwealth nations and beyond.

Ingredients

  • 1             onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2          cup firmly packed carrots,
  • 1-1/2       lb lean ground beef
  • 1/2          cup bread crumbs
  • 1/2          tsp finely chopped ginger
  • 1/2          tsp finely chopped garlic
  • 2             tbsp Ketchup
  • 2             tbsp HP sauce
  • 1             tsp salt(or to taste)
  • 1/2          tsp finely ground black pepper
  • 2             tbsp chopped parsley
  • 1             pkg puff pastry, partially thawed
  • 2             tbsp bread crumbs (extra for dusting)
  • 1             egg beaten
  • 2             tsp sesame seeds(optional)
  •                Extra Ketchup  to serve

Instructions

  1. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper.
  2. In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon mix onions, carrots, ground beef, bread crumbs, ginger, garlic, Ketchup, HP sauce, salt, black pepper. and chopped parsley.
  3. Roll pastry on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thick.
  4. Cut into 4 inch stripes.
  5. Brush with egg and sprinkle some bread crumbs.
  6. Put the meat mixture in a large ziplock bag and snip 1 corner.  Pipe mince mixture down 1 long edge of 1 pastry strip.
  7. Roll up firmly to enclose filling.  Repeat with remaining mince mixture, pastry and egg, reserving a little egg.
  8. Put sausage rolls on prepared trays and freeze for 30 minutes.
  9. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  10. Brush sausage rolls with egg, then scatter over sesame seeds.
  11. Cut each roll to desired size(2 to 2-1/2”), make a small cut in the centre(to let out steam).
  12. Bake sauceage rolls for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
  13. Let it cool for 10 minutes, before serving.
  14. Serve with Ketchup or chilli sauce

Rolled pastry                   Ziplock bag with meat mix
                                        corner snipped                          Meat Mix on Pastry    Sausage Rolls

rolle pstry

 meat mix in ziplock bag                                      Mince on the pastrysausage roll

Thai Chicken Boat Salad(Parviz Paroo)

 
(Called Lard Gai – Gai means Chicken in Thai)
 
Ingredients
  • 1                  lb organic mince chicken thigh
  • 2                  inch ginger cut into small matchsticks
  • 1                  tblsp garlic chopped fine
  • 1/2               cup salt-reduced chicken stock
  • 2                  tbsp rice vinegar(or to taste)
  • 1                  Thai red chilli finely chopped or
  • 1/2               tsp cayanne pepper(or to taste)
  • 1                  med shallot or red onion finely chopped
  • 1/2               cup chopped green onions
  • 2                  tbsp lime juice
  • 1                  tsp lime rind
  • 1                  tbsp honey and a little stevia(or sugar of your choice)
  • 1/4               cup fish sauce(or to taste
  • 1                  cup chopped basil
  • 1/2               cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/4               cup chopped mint
  • 3                  Organic California Endives
  • 1/4               cup toasted sunflower seeds or chopped cashew(optional)

Instructions

  1. In a wok or a large frypan, on medium-high heat, cook the mince chicken breaking up the chicken with a wooden spoon. Add the ginger, garlic, heated chicken stock and cook for about 5 minutes stirring frequently.  Add the rice vinegar and cook till the liquid has evaporated and the chicken is dry.
  2. Add the chilli, shallots, green onion, and lime juice and rind, honey and stevia(sugar) and fish sauce, cook for 2 minutes, transfer the mixture to a bowl.
  3. Add the lime juice and most of the basil and coriander to the warm mince mixture.  Gently fold through, allowing the herbs to wilt.
  4. Taste and adjust chilli, sweetness and lime, let it cool.
  5. Rinse the endive and pat it dry.
  6. Fill the endive with the minced chicken.
  7. Sprinkle with basil coriander leaves and sunflower seeds(or chopped nuts )
Note:
Tamarind can be substituted for lime juice.
You can use home made chicken stock.

DRIED CHERRIES, PECANS & ROSEMARY BRIE EN CROUTE

Serves: 14

It’s easy to impress your guests with this elegant appetizer that features creamy Brie cheese topped with an unexpected combination of sweet and savory ingredients, all wrapped up in flaky puff pastry. This is a recipe I found in a magazine advertisement for Pepperidge Farm. It was a hit at thanksgiving party.


Ingredients

  • 1             egg
  • 1             tbsp. water
  • 1/3          cup dried cherries, softened
  • 1/4          cup chopped toasted pecans
  • 1/4          cup honey
  • 1/2          tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves or
  • 1/4          tsp. dried rosemary leaves, crushed
  • 1/2          Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
  • 1             (15-ounce) Brie cheese round
  • 1             pkg Crackers (your choice)
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk.
  3. Stir the cherries, pecans, honey and rosemary in a small bowl.
  4. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface.
  5. Roll the pastry sheet into a 14-inch square(1/8” thick).  
  6. Cut off the corners to make a circle.
  7. Spoon the cherry mixture in the center of the circle. Top with the cheese. Brush the edge of the circle with the egg mixture.
  8. Fold 2 opposite sides  over the cheese.. Trim remaining 2 sides of the square to 2 inches from the edge of the cheese.  Fold sides up cheese and press edges to seal.
  9. Place seamside down onto baking sheet.
  10. Decorate top with pastry scrap or additionional rosemary, if desired.
  11. Brush with the egg mixture.
  12. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Let stand for 45 minutes. Serve with the crackers.


Ingredient Note: To soften the cherries, stir the cherries and 1/2 cup hot water in a small bowl. Let stand for 1 minute. Drain the cherries and pat dry.

Mandha (Samosa Pastry)

Mandha is the pastry used for Samosa.

Mandha

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2                   cups white all purpose flour
  • 1                          cup water
  • 1/4                      cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4                      cup white flour

Instructions

  1. Make a dough with white flour and water.
  2. Divide the dough into 10 small balls.  (about 40 gm ea)
  3. Roll each ball into a 5 inch round.
  4. Brush each round with oil and sprinkle with white flour.
  5. Stack them up.
  6. Roll the stack into an oblong.
  7. Microwave this for 4 min.
  8. Remove from the microwave, cut the pastry in half length wise and cut and shape of the mandha.
  9. Wrap it in plastic and let it stand for 10 minutes.
  10. You can wrap this in foil and freeze it.

Mandha Rolls

                                                                                   

Curry Puff

Curry Puff is a small pie filled with meat and baked.
Puff pastry can be bought at any grocery store in their freezer section.  Some bakeries sell puff pastry by the pound.
These pies can be made into any size you want.

Ingredients

  • 1            lb ground beef or lamb
  • 1/2         tsp crushed ginger
  • 1/2         tsp crushed garlic
  • 1/2         tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2         tsp freshly ground cumin
  • 1            tsp salt
  • 2            tsp madras curry powder
  • 1            tsp sugar
  • 1            small onion finely chopped
  • 1            pkg frozen puff pastry

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, cook the meat.  Add 1/4 cup water, ginger, garlic, black pepper. cumin and salt.  Cook stirring and breaking the lumps for 10 minutes, till the meat has changed colour and all the liquid has evaporated.
  2. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add curry powder, sugar and onion and mix well.  Let it cool completely.
  3. Follow the instructions for the pastry.
  4. Roll the pastry to a 1/4 of an inch.  Cut it into 4” square.
  5. Add a tsp of fill in half the square diagonally, brush the sides with egg wash.  Fold it into a triangle, put it on a greased baking dish 1” apart.
  6. Egg wash it.
  7. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Curry Puff using Samosa Press

  1. Roll the pastry into two  8 1/2 inch squares.
  2. Dust the samosa pres with white flour.
  3. put 1 pastry on the press.
  4. Put a teaspoon full of the filling on each section of the press.
  5. Egg wash the second piece of pastry.
  6. Put this on top of the meat and with a rolling pin roll it.  It will make 8 pastries.

Puff PastryPuff Pastry 3

            sealed puff pastry

                       

Microwave Dokra(Fatuma Karmali’s recipe)

Dokra

Ingredients

  • 1                      cup sooji
  • 1                      tbsp chana flour
  • 2                      tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 – 2        cups buttermilk
  • 1/2                  tsp salt
  • 1/4                  tsp citric acid
  • 1                      tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4                  tsp freshly crushed jeera
  • 1/4                  tsp ginger paste
  • 1/4                  tsp garlic paste
  • 1/4                  tsp green chillies(or to taste)
  • 1                      tsp chopped cilantro
  • 1                      tsp baking powder
  • 2                      tbsp hot water
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, mix everything except baking powder and hot water, and mix well.
  2. Add the baking powder and hot water and mix.  The mixture will start rising.
  3. Pour the mixture into a greased plastic plate.
  4. Sprinkle with red chilly powder.
  5. Tap the plate gently o a tea towel to to remove the bubbles and level the surface.
  6. Put the plate in the microwave, cover with the microwave cover and cook for 5 minutes.
  7. Cool for 5 minutes and remove from the plate with a spatula.
  8. Serve with garlic chutney.
Note:
You can use a pyrex pie plate and increase the time, a couple of minutes.

 

Gruyere and Pecan Pastry Parcels

IMG_0989.JPG
Makes 36

Ingredients

  • 4             oz gruyere cheese, choppe
  • 3             oz ricotta cheese
  • 1             stick celery, finely chopped
  • 1/2         tsp, chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1             egg, lightly beaten,
  •                pinch cayenne pepper
  • 2             tbsp chopped pecans
  • 6             sheets fillo pastry
  • 2             oz butter
Instructions
  1. Combine cheese, celery, rosemary, egg, pepper and nuts in bowl; mix well.
  2. Brush 3 sheets of pastry with some of the butter; layer together.
  3. Cut sheets into 2 inch squares.
  4. Top each square with a level tsp of cheese mixture.
  5. Bring corners together in the centre, press edges together firmly.
  6. Repeat with remaining pastry, butter and filling.
  7. Place parcels on lightly greased oven trays, brush lightly with butter, cover, refregerate 1 hour.
  8. Just before serving : bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 min or until browned and crisp.
Parcels can be made a day ahead, cover and refregerate.
Uncooked parsels can be frozen.

 

Bhel Puri

Bhel Puri is one of the street foods of India.Bhel puri can be served in many ways, but it is usually served in a paper folded in the form of a cone and is consumed using a paper spoon or by the ‘papdi‘ which is itself an edible component of the ‘Bhel Puri’. This is the most commonly sold chaat in the streets of Mumbai. Almost every street has its own friendly bhelwala with his inimitable blends of chutneys and masalas. Bhel is a delectable combination of papadis, puffed rice, sev, onions, potatoes, raw mango and chutneys. The proportions of the various chutneys can be changed to adjust to your personal preferences. Toast the puffed rice to make bhel crisp before using it to make bhel. If you store the puffed rice, sev and papadi and refrigerate or freeze the chutneys, you can rustle up a heavy snack in a jiffy for your hungry kids returning from school Bhelpuri is a typically Gujarati balance of sweet, salty, tart and spicy flavours, with different textures as well, including crispy and crunchy from from the puffed rice and fried sev.  Other commonly used ingredients include tomatoes, onions and jalapeño added to the base.Different chutneys impart a sweet,tangy or spicy flavour. There are two popular chutneys used: a dark brown sweet one made mainly from dates and tamarind and a green spicy chutney made from cilantroleaves and green chillies and mint.You will find different
 recipes for bhel.
 
 IMG_2021 (1)

 Different ways of serving Bhel

  • Ingredients
  • 4            cups Mumra(puffed rice)
  • 1/4          tsp each salt and turmeric powder
  • 1             tbsp oil
  • 1             cup sev
  • 1             cup Chevro
  • 12           medium size puris
  • 1             tsp salt
  • 2             boiled potato diced  in 1/2 ”
  • 2             cups chickpeas
  • 1/4          tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4          tsp freshly ground cumin
  • 1/2          tsp green chutney
  • 2             tbsp diced raw Mango(optionl)
  • 2             tbsp Pomagrante
  • 1             medium onion, finely diced
  • 2             tbsp chopped cilantro
  • 1             tbsp chopped mint leaves
  • 1/4          tsp chat masala

To serve

  • Mint chutney
  • Red garlic chutney(optional)
  • Tamarind chutney

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl mix turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt.  Add the Mamra and toss it around. Bake the Mamra in a  preheated 300 degree oven for 20 min till the Mamra are crispy.  Remove from the oven and let it cool.
  2. In a medium bowl put the diced potatoes and Chickpe    Add black pepper, cumin, green chutney and 1/2 tsp salt and mix well.

To assemble

  1. Take  6 soup bowls.  Break the puris in bite size pieces and divide it between the 6 bowls.
  2. Add the potatoes, and chickpeas, then chevro, Mamra, and sev on the puri.
  3. Sprinkle onions, cilantro, mint,  mangoes and pomagrante.
  4. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper and cumin.
  5. Put some chutney before serving.

Chutneys

Mint Chutney

Mint Chutney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 1        cup cilantro
  • 1/2     cup mint leaves
  • 2        jalepino(or to taste)
  • 1        small onion
  • 1/2     tsp salt
  • 1        lemon/lime(zest anf juice)

Instructions

  1. Rinse the cilantro and mint leaves in cold water.
  2. Put everything in a blender and blend to a fine paste.

Green Chutney Ingredients

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red Chutney

Red Chutney

 
 
 
 

Ingredients

  • 1/4       cup chopped garlic
  • 1          tbsp red chilli powder or
  • 10        fresh red chilli pepper
  • 1/4       cup oil
  • 1/2       tsp salt
  • 1          lemon/lime(juice)

Instructions

  1. Blend the garlic and chillies in a blender to a fine paste.
  2. In a small saucepan heat the oil, add the paste and saute for a few minutes.
  3. Add the salt and lemon juice and serve.

Red Chutney Ingredients

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tamarind Chutney

Ambli(Tamarind)Chutney

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

  • 1          lb tamarind(amble)
  • 1          lb dates
  • 1          tsp salt
  • 1/2       tsp red chilli powder(optional)

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan boil the tamarind and dates with 1 lt water.
  2. When cool squeeze the pulp out add more water as needed.  It should be quite thick.  Pass it through a colander to get all the seeds and strings out.
  3. Add the salt and red chillies.
  4. This will make about 2 litres.
  5. Make ice cubes and freeze them.  Use as needed.

Note:

You can freeze these chutneys.

Make them into ice cubes and freeze them.