When the time is short and the tummy is not, when the group suddenly calls and tells you that they are coming over in a few minutes, when the kids at home demand a quick snack and there is no turning them down or when you simply want something quick and delicious to eat. Its moments like these which call for a quick simmer of a few vegetables, maybe some whipped cream over a piece of brownie or maybe having to quickly fry bite-sized chicken pieces with a simple dip. Quick, simple and delicious, that’s the order of the day.
Full meals are always looked forward to, but in my opinion it’s the untimely hunger and the snack which we prepare as a result of it, which are looked forward to the most. Keeping the hungry bellies and anxious taste buds waiting for too long is never a good idea. Always think on your feet and come up with interesting recipes. One trick is to go for a variety of ingredients which can be mixed in a bowl and served in a jiffy.
Here are some of the quick and simple snacks you can try……..
Hari Bhari Chaat
Ingredients:
- Chickpeas 1 cup (boiled)
- Potatoes boiled 1 cup
- White pepper 1 tsp
- Cumin powder 1 tsp
- Salt to taste
- Yogurt 1 cup
- Green coriander 2 tbsp
- Mint few leaves
- Tomato ½ (finely chopped)
- Onion ½ (finely chopped)
- Green chili 1-2
- Chips
Cooking Directions:
- In a bowl add the chickpeas, potatoes, white pepper, cumin powder, and salt.
- Put yogurt in a blender with the mint and the coriander and blend well.
- Pour the yogurt into the chickpeas bowl and mix well.
- Garnish with onions, tomatoes, green chili and crushed chips.
Serve.
Pizza Puffs
Ingredients:
- 7.5 oz refrigerated biscuit dough
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp thyme
- Dried parsley for topping
- 10 small cubes of mozzarella cheese
- 2 tbsp pizza sauce
Cooking Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Divide the biscuit dough into 10 equal pieces.
- Now take a piece of biscuit dough and flatten it by pressing.
- Coat it slightly with pizza sauce and then turn the sides of the dough upward to make a cup shape.
- Put a cube of cheese in the cup of dough and sprinkle oregano, thyme, garlic powder and parsley on top of the cheese. Make sure that the edges of the dough perfectly cover the sides of the cheese so that when the cheese melts it does not drop outside.
- Similarly prepare the rest of the puffs. Place the pizza puffs on a greased baking dish and bake for just 10-15 minutes until the cheese melts completely and turns slightly brown from the top.
Rich Fries
Ingredients:
2 Large Potatoes cut like French fries
Gram Flour 3-5 table spoons
Cumin seed 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Chili powder to taste
Oil for frying 2-3 cup
Cooking Directions:
Cut potatoes in a long and square shape then wash and drain all the water. Put Gram flour, salt and chili powder and cumin in the potatoes and mix with your hands. You can add one or two table spoons of water.
Mix and wait for 10-15 minutes. Warm the oil for frying in a pan and before frying again mix it well so that all the paste is equally pasted on the potato chips.
Deep fry and serve with Rice, Fish, Tea etc.
Strawberry Sundae
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cereal
1/2 cup vanilla or strawberry flavored yogurt
1 Tablespoon strawberry jam
4 big fresh strawberries – sliced
1 big fresh strawberry – whole
Cooking Directions:
Place a tablespoon of strawberry jam and 2 sliced strawberries at the bottom of a glass.
Put 1/4 cup of the cereal on top of the jam and cover that with 1/2 of sliced strawberries.
Put 1/4 cup yogurt over strawberries. And then again make a layer of the cereal.
Garnish the top with the whole strawberry.
Peanut Crisp
Ingredients:
300 gm brown sugar
110 gm margarine (softened)
110 gm shortening
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
300 gm all-purpose flour
2 cups salted peanuts (crushed)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
Cooking Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Add the brown sugar and eggs one by one and beat for 3-4 mins until they become foamy.
Mix all the dry ingredients together including the flour, baking soda and peanuts.
Gradually add the dry mixture and the vanilla extract to the batter and fold using a wooden spoon.
Take a greased cookie sheet and drop 1 tablespoon of batter at distances.
Place the cookie pan in a preheated oven for 10-12 mins until it becomes light brown and crisp.
After that take them out from the oven and cool to room temperature before serving.
Serve.
Contributed by Waseem Khan.
