CHIPS AND DIPS...

Chips and Dips offers a fabulous variety of recipes with something for every food lover depending on your tastes and preferences, from extra-rich and savoury combos to amazingly low-fat and subtle choices. Inspired by a range of ethnic traditions, the recipes include old and new favourites for bean, vegetable, cheese, and lentil dips and unbeatably tasty chips to go with them. Served hot or cold, these irresistible snacks are sine qua non for entertaining, and compliment every party for every occasion.

More than being interesting appetisers, chips and dips can be seen as hors d’oeuvres, as they go well with various alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in parties and other social gatherings. These are small bite-sized titbits, which tease rather than appease your appetite, leaving you craving for more. Chips and dips are perfect for ‘time-pass’, as they are light on the stomach and build up a healthy appetite as well.

These recipes are sure to excite your gastronomic juices and stimulate you to go straight to the kitchen and put together some interesting chips and dips right away.




WALNUT VEGETABLE PATÉ

The walnut vegetable pate serves as an interesting appetiser. Remember to fill the mould right upto the top and make sure you refrigerate overnight, so that it is easy to remove from the mould.

Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 5 minutes. Makes approx.1½ cups.

¼ cup walnuts (akhrot)
1 cup finely chopped mixed vegetables (mushrooms, spring onions, carrots, capsicum)
1 tsp chopped garlic
½ tsp mixed dried herbs
2 tsp olive oil
Salt to taste

For serving
Toasted bread
Tabasco sauce

1.Heat the oil in a pan, add all the vegetables and sauté for 2 minutes. Remove and keep aside.
2.Combine the walnuts, sautéed vegetables, garlic, mixed dried herbs and salt together and blend in a mixer with a little water to a grainy purée.

For serving
Spread little paté on toasted bread and top with few drops of Tabasco sauce.
Serve immediately.



CHUNKY ASPARAGUS DELIGHT
Whirled to a delicate smoothness and lightness, this mixture is heartily loaded with asparagus and an interesting flavouring of agar agar, sour cream and Tabasco sauce.

Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 25 minutes. Makes 8 pieces.

For Asparagus Mousse
½ cup asparagus, cut into ¼” long pieces
2 cups asparagus water ???
5 gms agar agar (unflavoured china grass)
1 tbsp sour cream
A dash of Tabasco or Capsico sauce
Salt to taste

For serving
Sour cream
Cream crackers

1.Boil the asparagus in water till they become tender. Keep aside.
2.Mix the vegetable stock and agar agar and boil till the agar agar melts.
3.Strain the liquid and add salt. Mix gently.
4.Arrange the asparagus stem in a 3” x 5” baking dish and pour the agar agar mixture on top of it.
5.Once the mixture is set cut into squares.
6.Refrigerate for at least an hour. Remove and cut into 8 bite sized pieces

For serving
Place one asparagus mousse piece on a cream cracker, top with some sour cream and serve immediately.

Handy tip : Vegetable stock…mrs rege copy from one of the old books.



ACHAARI DIP
Never before would you have seen such a variety of Indian spices assemble together to create a lip-smacking Achaari dip. Enjoy!

Preparation Time: A few minutes. Cooking Time: 2 minutes. Makes 1 cup.

¾ cup hung curds (dahi), whisked
¼ cup chopped coriander
½ tsp finely chopped green chillies
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste

For the achaari spices
¼ tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
¼ tsp mustard seeds (rai / sarson)
½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
½ tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
¼ tsp onion seeds (kalonji)
A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
½ tsp oil

For serving
Plain Khakhras

For the achaari spices
1.Heat the oil in a pan, add the fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and onion seeds.
2.When the seeds crackle add the asafoetida and switch off the gas.
3.Remove and keep aside.

How to proceed
1.Combine the achaari spices, coriander, green chillies, salt and sugar together in a mixer and blend to a fine paste using little water.
2.Pour it into a bowl, add the curds and whisk well. Serve immediately with khakhras.



TAHINI DIP
A traditional Middle Eastern dip made of roasted lentils and seeds mixed with hung curds. This creamy dip is nutrient-rich too, and includes a generous dose of proteins and iron.

Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 20 minutes. Makes approx.1 cup.

¼ cup sesame seeds (til)
2 tbsp chana dal (split Bengal gram)
2 tbsp fresh curds (dahi)
½ tsp vinegar
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tsp green chillies
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera) powder
½ tsp oil
Salt to taste

For serving
Cream Crackers

1.Dry roast the sesame seeds and chana dal separately. Grind them together in a mixer to a fine powder. Keep aside.
2.Whisk together the curds, vinegar, garlic, green chillies, oil and salt in a bowl.
3.Add the roasted powder and mix well.
4.Sprinkle chilli powder, and cumin seed powder on top of the mixture.
5.Keep refrigerated for atleast an hour. Served chilled with cream crackers.

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