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Originally stemming from ancient Celtic traditions to mark the end of the harvest and welcome the spooky season, Halloween has officially crossed borders and taken on a life of its own. Here in India, the festive buzz around Halloween has exploded over recent years, with costume parties, themed dining, and ghoulish decor becoming a major highlight on the October calendar. Stepping right into the spirit of things, Escobar transforms seasonal dining with an artfully curated 5-course feast that merges dramatic presentation with bold, globally inspired gastronomy. Chef Alok Das has masterminded the exceptional dishes, whilst Bartender Vineet Amin has designed the sinister, enchanting cocktail pairings. Ideal for hosting an unforgettable spooky gathering or simply indulging in a taste of seasonal luxury, these recipes offer a sophisticated spin on hauntingly familiar classics. Here are Halloween-inspired dishes and four wicked cocktails, fully equipped with recipes to recreate the magic at home.
1. Devil’s Crunch
A fiery appetiser that brings together crunchy, paprika-seasoned tortilla chips, golden fried cheese balls and a punchy chilli-garlic sauce. With its crispy textures and spicy finish, Devil’s Crunch is made for those who like their Halloween treats with a little heat.
Ingredients (Makes 10 pieces)
For the nachos
• Corn tortilla chips – 150 g
• Paprika – 2 g
• Chilli powder – 2 g
• Salt – 1 g
• Neutral oil – 10 ml
For the spicy sauce
• Tomato sauce – 40 g
• Hot sauce – 20 ml
• Chilli-garlic sauce – 15 ml
• Lime juice – 10 ml
• Garlic, minced – 5 g
• Sugar – 3 g
• Smoked paprika – 1 g
For the cheese balls
• Mozzarella cheese, grated – 100 g
• Cheddar cheese, grated – 50 g
• Cream cheese – 30 g
• Cornflour – 15 g
• Chilli flakes – 2 g
• Black pepper – 1 g
• Breadcrumbs – 50 g
• Oil – for frying
Method
• Toss the tortilla chips with paprika, chilli powder, salt and neutral oil. Bake or fry until crisp.
• In a bowl, combine mozzarella, cheddar, cream cheese, cornflour, chilli flakes and black pepper. Mix well and shape into small balls.
• Coat the cheese balls in breadcrumbs and refrigerate for 15–20 minutes to help them hold their shape.
• Heat oil and deep-fry the cheese balls until golden and crisp, ensuring the coating remains sealed.
• Combine the tomato sauce, hot sauce, chilli-garlic sauce, lime juice, minced garlic, sugar and smoked paprika in a pan. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.
• Arrange the seasoned nachos on a serving plate, drizzle with the spicy sauce and place the hot cheese balls in the centre. Serve immediately.
Image credit: Escobar Bandra
2. Dark Mood Dumpling
These striking black dumplings bring a mysterious edge to the Halloween table. Made with squid-ink-infused wrappers and a savoury seafood filling of prawns and squid, they are steamed until tender and paired with a dark chilli-garlic sauce for a punchy finish.
Ingredients (Makes 10 pieces)
For the dumpling skin
• Potato starch – 100 g
• Wheat starch – 50 g
• Squid ink – 8–10 g
• Neutral oil – 5 ml
• Salt – 1 g
• Boiling water – 120–140 ml
For the seafood stuffing
• Prawns, finely chopped – 150 g
• Squid, finely chopped – 100 g
• Ginger, minced – 5 g
• Garlic, minced – 5 g
• Spring onion – 15 g
• Light soy sauce – 8 ml
• Sesame oil – 5 ml
• White pepper – 1 g
• Cornflour – 5 g
For the dark chilli-garlic sauce
• Dark soy sauce – 15 ml
• Chilli oil – 10 ml
• Rice vinegar – 10 ml
• Garlic, minced – 5 g
• Sugar – 3 g
• Water – 15 ml
For garnish
• Toasted black sesame seeds
• Micro coriander
• Additional chilli oil, as desired
Method
• Combine the potato starch and wheat starch in a heatproof bowl. Gradually add the boiling water, squid ink, salt and neutral oil, mixing until a smooth dough forms. Allow it to cool enough to handle.
• Finely chop the prawns and squid. Mix with ginger, garlic, spring onion, light soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper and cornflour.
• Divide the dough into small portions and roll each into a thin wrapper.
• Place a portion of the seafood filling in the centre of each wrapper. Fold and seal the edges securely.
• Arrange the dumplings in a steamer and steam for approximately 8–10 minutes, or until the seafood filling is fully cooked.
• For the sauce, combine dark soy sauce, chilli oil, rice vinegar, garlic, sugar and water in a small pan. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.
• Serve the black dumplings with the dark chilli-garlic sauce, a drizzle of chilli oil, toasted black sesame and micro coriander.
Image credit: Escobar Bandra
3. Vampire’s Brie
Creamy, warm Brie meets crisp potato crackers and tangy cranberry jam in this indulgent appetiser. The deep-red jam adds a dramatic, blood-inspired finish, while the combination of buttery cheese and crunchy crackers makes it a delicious centrepiece for a Halloween spread.
Ingredients (Serves 10)
For the baked Brie
• Brie cheese – 500 g
• Garlic – 10 g
• Fresh thyme – 5 g
• Olive oil – 15 ml
• Cracked black pepper – to taste
For the potato crackers
• Potatoes – 300 g
• Potato starch – 50 g
• Parmesan cheese – 30 g
• Salt – 3 g
• Black pepper – 1 g
• Oil – for frying
For the cranberry jam
• Cranberries – 200 g
• Sugar – 80 g
• Lemon juice – 15 ml
• Water – 50 ml
Method
• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Score the top of the Brie and add the garlic, thyme, olive oil and cracked black pepper.
• Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the cheese is soft and creamy.
• Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until tender. Drain, mash until smooth and mix with potato starch, Parmesan, salt and black pepper.
• Roll the potato mixture into a thin sheet and cut into cracker shapes.
• Deep-fry the crackers until golden and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper.
• To prepare the cranberry jam, combine cranberries, sugar, lemon juice and water in a saucepan. Simmer until the berries soften and the mixture thickens to a jam-like consistency.
• Serve the warm Brie on a dark platter with the crispy potato crackers and glossy cranberry jam.
Image credit: Escobar Bandra
4. Scarlet Spell Risotto
A vibrant red risotto that combines the earthiness of beetroot with the richness of tomato, Parmesan and butter. Finished with bocconcini cheese decorated as spooky faces, Scarlet Spell turns a classic Italian-inspired dish into a Halloween showstopper.
Ingredients (Serves 10)
For the risotto
• Arborio rice – 700 g
• Beetroot purée – 200 g
• Tomato purée – 150 g
• Vegetable stock – 2–2.5 litres
• Onion, finely chopped – 100 g
• Garlic, minced – 20 g
• White wine – 150 ml
• Butter – 100 g
• Parmesan cheese, grated – 150 g
• Olive oil – 40 ml
• Salt and black pepper – to taste
For the bocconcini cheese faces
• Bocconcini cheese – 10 pieces
• Black olives – as required
• Red bell pepper – as required
• Basil oil – for garnish
Method
• Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until translucent.
• Add the Arborio rice and toast for approximately two minutes, stirring to coat the grains in the oil.
• Pour in the white wine and allow it to reduce.
• Gradually add the hot vegetable stock, stirring frequently and allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding more. Continue until the rice is creamy and al dente.
• Stir in the tomato purée and beetroot purée until the risotto develops a rich scarlet-red colour.
• Finish with butter and grated Parmesan. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
• Cut small pieces of black olive and red bell pepper to create spooky eyes and mouths on the bocconcini.
• Spoon the risotto into shallow bowls, top each portion with a decorated bocconcini face and finish with a drizzle of basil oil.
Image credit: Escobar Bandra
5. Death by Chocolate – Chocolate Mousse Coffin
No Halloween feast is complete without a suitably dramatic dessert. This rich chocolate mousse is set in coffin-shaped moulds and served with tangy raspberry sauce, white chocolate skulls and chocolate crumbs. Decadent and delightfully macabre, it is the perfect finale to the menu.
Ingredients (Serves 10)
For the chocolate mousse
• Dark chocolate (60–70%) – 600 g
• Fresh cream – 800 ml
• Egg yolks – 120 g
• Caster sugar – 100 g
• Butter – 80 g
• Vanilla essence – 10 ml
• Gelatin – 8 g
• Cold water – 40 ml
For the raspberry sauce
• Raspberries – 500 g
• Sugar – 100 g
• Lemon juice – 20 ml
• Water – 50 ml
For the white chocolate skulls
• White chocolate – 300 g
For garnish
• Chocolate crumbs – as required
Method
• Bloom the gelatin in cold water for 5–10 minutes.
• Melt the dark chocolate and butter together over a bain-marie, stirring until smooth.
• Whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar over gently simmering water until the mixture reaches 71°C.
• Mix the yolk mixture into the melted chocolate. Add the bloomed gelatin and vanilla essence, stirring until incorporated.
• Whip the fresh cream to soft peaks. Allow the chocolate mixture to cool slightly, then gently fold in the whipped cream.
• Pipe the mousse into coffin-shaped moulds and refrigerate for at least six hours, until set.
• For the raspberry sauce, simmer the raspberries, sugar, lemon juice and water for 5–8 minutes. Blend, strain to remove the seeds and reduce to the desired consistency.
• Temper the white chocolate, pour it into skull-shaped moulds and leave to set.
• Carefully unmould the chocolate mousse coffins. Plate with raspberry sauce, white chocolate skulls and chocolate crumbs.
Image credit: Escobar Bandra
Cocktails
1) Possessed Eyeball Martini
Glass: Martini or coupe glass
Ingredients:
• Vodka – 60 ml
• Raspberry – 20 ml
• Pineapple juice – 45 ml
• Lemon juice – 20 ml
Method:
• Add vodka, raspberry, pineapple juice and lemon juice to a shaker.
• Add ice and shake hard for 10–12 seconds.
• Double-strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass.
Garnish: One edible eyeball on a cocktail pick, balanced across the glass. For a homemade alternative, use a lychee stuffed with a blueberry or raspberry.
Image credit: Escobar Bandra
2) Witches’ Brew
Glass: Martini glass
Ingredients:
• Gin – 60 ml
• Elderflower syrup – 20 ml
• Lemon juice – 20 ml
• Food-grade edible blue glitter – a small pinch
Method:
• Moisten the rim of the glass with lemon juice and dip it in black salt.
• Add gin, elderflower syrup, lemon juice and edible blue glitter to a shaker.
• Add ice and shake for 10–12 seconds.
• Fine-strain into the prepared glass.
Garnish: Rosemary sprig or a decorative spider prop. Use only food-grade edible glitter, never craft glitter.
Image credit: Escobar Bandra
3) Brain Hemorrhage
Glass: Shooter glass
Ingredients:
• Peach schnapps – 40 ml
• Irish cream – 20 ml
• Grenadine syrup – 10 ml
Method:
• Pour the peach schnapps into a shooter glass.
• Slowly float the Irish cream over the schnapps using the back of a bar spoon.
• Add the grenadine drop by drop. It will sink and create red streaks through the cream.
• Serve immediately without stirring.
Garnish: No additional garnish is required. The cream and grenadine create the brain-like appearance.
Image credit: Escobar Bandra
4) Graveyard Martini
Glass: Martini or coupe glass
Ingredients:
• Baileys – 30 ml
• Kahlúa – 30 ml
• Espresso – 30 ml
• Sugar syrup – 5 ml (optional)
Method:
• Dip the rim of a chilled glass in chocolate syrup, then into chocolate crumbs.
• Add Baileys, Kahlúa, espresso and optional sugar syrup to a shaker.
• Add ice and shake hard for 12–15 seconds to create a light foam.
• Fine-strain into the prepared glass.
Garnish: Drizzle chocolate syrup inside the glass and add a light dusting of chocolate crumbs. For a graveyard-inspired finish, add a small chocolate tombstone decoration.
