Anshu's Food Odyssey

Lately I have been getting a lot of requests from my readers to post some different and unique snacks recipes . Therefore, thought of coming up with some delish starters that you can make and serve during tea time or as party appetizers . For me, the most loved Indian tea time snack happens to be the ever popular Punjabi Aloo Samosa and talking about the continental recipes, I am a great fan of Italian cuisine; the aroma of dried herbs, garlic, basil and cheese is simply to die for. Well, what if we do a fusion of these two beautiful flavours/techniques? Thought over it for a couple of days and suddenly this idea of trying out these " Garlic & Herbed Baby Corn Samosa Cigars " popped in my mind. So, one may ask, why I call them Samosa Cigars? That is because the crust covering the baby corns inside is made using the same technique that we use to make the samosas. The only difference is, it is flavored with some fresh garlic, some chopped basil and a bit of dry Ita

Everyone is getting health conscious these days with most of the people trying to get away from the deep fried stuff; I guess that is the reason air fryer recipes are flooding the internet and are getting immensely popular among the foodies. Frankly speaking, initially I was little skeptical about the taste of air fried snacks so, was in a dilemma whether to purchase an air fryer or not. After thinking a lot, eventually I ordered one and these " potato corn balls " are the first thing that I made using the same. To my surprise, it exceeded my expectations with a perfect crisp texture from outside and a soft, melt-in-mouth texture on the inside. Moreover, a total guilt-free appetizer, me and my family fully enjoyed it to our heart's content. For me, this gadget turned out to be one of the best buys till date and I am surely gonna try it for making other guilt free recipes too like fritters, cutlets, samosas and kachoris; stay tuned and until then enjoy these healthy

Organizing a get-together at home and struggling with the appetizer menu? Well, here's for you a delicious snack recipe - the crispy potato and semolina fingers . Infused with aroma and flavors of Italian herbs and spices, these are absolutely delightful and are sure to leave your guests asking for more. The fingers can be made hours in advance and when your guests arrive all you need to do is simply fry and serve. Not to mention, although the base of these delicious fingers is of potatoes and rava yet they are versatile enough to be loaded with any and every vegetable of your choice. Do try them out and I bet you won't be disappointed. Garlic & Herb Potato-Semolina Fingers Ingredients Boiled potato (medium sized) - 2 Semolina (rava/sooji) - 1/3 cup Water - 2/3 cup + 1 tbsp Cornflour - 1 tbsp Salt - as per taste Garlic powder - 1 tsp Dried oregano - 1 to 2 tsp Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp Green chilies (finely chopped) - 2 Pitted black and green

Made primarily with chickpeas, also known as gerbanzo beans, hummus is a Middle Eastern classic, gradually getting popular day by day all across the globe. This luscious and creamy dip bursting with flavors of garlic and dried herbs makes for an excellent accompaniment with pita chips, tortilla crackers and even raw veggie fingers. Not to forget, it can also be used as a spread for your sandwiches, burgers and parathas. If you are planning for a party or a get-together the upcoming weekend, and are in a quest of options for some Non-Indian appetizers on your entree menu, then I suggest this hummus recipe is just for you. The best thing about it is, with only a handful of ingredients, it come together in no time. Also, it has that additional touch of juicy red bell-peppers which lends it a super-duper taste and color.... for the best outcome, serve it with some spicy falafels (chickpea croquettes) on the side, and I guarantee, your party is a definite hit !! Red Bellpepper Hummus

Earlier during this week, I shared with you a traditional Indian sweet recipe of " Besan Sooji ki Barfi " for the upcoming festive season. Today, I am again here with another recipe for festive gatherings - not a sweet or a dessert though but, an exotic savory tart delicacy which can be made well ahead of time, kept frozen and baked just 30 minutes prior to arrival of your guests. Baked Chicken Pineapple & Cheese Pop Tarts The stuffing I have filled in these flaky tarts is of chicken and pineapple; needless to say, one can be as creative as possible with the same - you can choose from any combination ranging from chicken-ham, cream cheese-shrimp and potato-bacon to vegetarian versions like spinach-ricotta, French onion-mushrooms and even the classic tomato-mozzarella; the choices are endless. Baked Chicken Pineapple & Cheese Pop Tarts Also, these tarts have been made using the homemade pie crust dough, you can always use the store bought ones that certa

One of the most easiest and delicious appetizers, Aloo aur Paneer ke Kebab , make for an awesome starter recipe, absolutely perfect for any and every kind of party; be it a small informal family gathering, a birthday celebration or a high tea reception. And yes! my husband just loves these kebabs...so even when there is no gathering at our home, I often make it for him, especially on the rainy days...not to explicitly mention, sitting in the balcony enjoying a lovely weather, they make for a lip-smacking treat with a cup of hot tea on the side. The best part is, since they don't require any fancy ingredients, they can be put together in just no time. Waiting for the recipe? Let's get started with the ingredient list below. Potato and Cottage Cheese Croquettes Ingredients Boiled and mashed potato - 1 cup Grated/mashed paneer (cottage cheese) - 1 cup Bread crumbs - 1/2 cup + extra for coating Chopped coriander - 1/4 cup Chopped curry leaves - 6 to 8 Chopped green ch

Organizing a get-together the coming weekend and looking out for a simple yet exotic chicken recipe that can just make your friends go gaga over the dining table? Well! you are on the right page as today I bring for you a special chicken kabab recipe which is loaded with some amazing and fresh flavors, simply enough to tickle the taste buds of your each and every guest. The best part is, you can bake it in the oven or grill on a stove top grill pan, whichever way suits your convenience...and if you want to make things even more interesting and exciting, simply organize a bar-be-que in the open; I bet, it would just take your party to another level altogether. So, ready for the recipe? Let's get started with the ingredient list. Hariyali Chicken Tangdi Kabab Ingredients Whole chicken legs - 4 Hung curd - 2 to 3 tbsp Coriander & Mint paste - 3 to 4 tbsp Green chili paste - 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp Lemon juice - 1 tbsp Roasted gram flour - 1 tbsp Salt

Sprouted moong and spinach when combined together, makes for a healthy, nutritious and wholesome food. Lately, I used this combination in preparing these fried muthiyas, that turned out to be awesomely delicious and flavorful. And no, they are not the traditional Gujarati muthiyas, which are made with gram flour and whole wheat flour; instead they have just been named so because of their cylindrical shape. Actually they are simple fried snacks that make for perfect choice to be nibbled with your evening tea or to be served as a light appetizer for your parties and get-togethers. Do try them once and I promise, you would make them quite often. Sprouted Moong and Spinach Fingers Ingredients Sprouted Green Moong - 1 cup Spinach (washed and roughly chopped) - 2 cups Spring onion greens (finely chopped) - 1/4 cup Boiled and mashed potato - 1/2 cup Onions (finely chopped) - 1/4 cup Ginger (grated) - 2 tsp Green chilies (finely chopped) - 2 to 3 Coriander (finely chopped) - 1

So what do you normally do with your leftover tikkas and kebabs? I usually prefer to make pulaos and biryanis from them....with some chilled raita and greens on the side it really turns out to be a delicious and wholesome meal, that too with a minimal effort as a lot of pre-prep work is already been taken care off. Needless to say, my this recipe is also an outcome of one such experimentation when I cooked a delectable pulav with leftover mushroom tikkas. But, don't worry !! though I used the leftovers, you can even make it afresh by first preparing the tikkas and then using the same for the pulav; here is the complete recipe for the same (ek mein do ka mazaa 😜 - mushroom tikka bhi aur tikka pulav bhi....ENJOY !!).   Mushroom Tikka Pulav/Pulao/Pilaf Ingredients (for tikka, serves 4) Mushrooms (cleaned and stems removed) - 15 to 18 pieces Capsicum (cubed) - 1/2 cup Onions (cubed) - 1/2 cup Tomatoes (deseeded and cubed) - 1/2 cup Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp Green chi

Sunday being the only holiday during the week for my husband, he just wants to relax and have good food; starting right from the breakfast to lunch to dinner, his demand for something special in the menu is never-ending. Same thing happened today also when he came up asking for some good snacks with the evening tea. And his definition for ' good' is something which often gets zeroed down to all the fried stuff. Considering his well-being (like all the caring wives 😉), this time I opted not to feed him with anything fried and instead came up with these baked parcels that are further loaded with the goodness of soya and paneer, making them all the more healthy and nutritious. The best thing is, they were just loved by my husband and he could not resist admitting "baked snacks not at all taste bad as I always thought them to be....". So, just in case you are also looking for snacks that are healthier and at the same time delicious, this is a recipe must try. Make them

Any party or gathering is absolutely incomplete without snacks and appetizers. So, this time when I had few guests at my place over dinner, I made a lot of variety including Chicken Shami Kebabs, Chicken Malai Tikka and Cheesy Potato Boats ; out of the entire lot, I must admit the much appreciated were the Jackfruit Cutlets  loaded with the filling of mozzarella cheese and dried cranberries. Not only they were quite new for the guests as far as innovation is concerned, they even tasted divine with a perfect amalgamation of spicy, sour and sweet flavors. If you too are amongst the ones looking for some innovative appetizers that are bit different from the usual potato or cheese snacks, then these jackfruit cutlets are just for you and are surely going to leave your guests asking for more. Do read the recipe below. Jackfruit Cutlets Ingredients (yields 12 to 15 cutlets) Raw jackfruit (peeled and cubed) - 500 gms Boiled & grated potato - 1 Finely chopped onions - 1/4 cup