Speaking from the position of a person who doesn’t have a sweet tooth, festivals like Diwali tend to send us into the sugar rush zone. For instance, whenever I visit someone’s house to exchange gifts, they serve us with a glass of sherbet or juice and along comes a bowl of mithai. Saying no seems rude so you just have to pick up the smallest piece you can locate in that fraction of second. Moreover, if you have to go to several houses after that like me, good luck to you. I always wish people would simply keep a bowl of chips, if nothing else, to give rest to the sweet tooth.
Seems like people fall short of savoury options when it comes to the festival of lights. Now, serving the same old namkeen, sandwiches, samosas and kachoris gets boring after a point. Apart from the obsession with sweets, the next best craze is that of cards parties. A lot of people host Diwali-themed card parties at their houses and from personal experience, I can say that they are really fun. A great way to get together on a festival and spend quality time. However, the experience can be enhanced if the menu is interesting.
The same cliché nachos and crisps along with dips are passed around while everyone waits for their turn to throw a card. If you’re hosting a Diwali cards party this year, it is time that you get a little creative. Whip up these lip-smacking fusion snacks for your guests this year and we’re sure they’ll have a blast (of flavours).
1. Medu Vada Sandwich
If you are familiar with South Indian cuisine, you would have surely heard, if not tasted, medu vada. A crispy fried donut-shaped delight, medu vada is generally accompanied with coconut chutney. To give it a unique twist, slice the vadas into halves and layer them with spices like pav bhaji masala, garam masala along with mix veggies and sautéed onions. Sprinkle some coriander for an additional flavour and your medu vada tawa sandwich is ready without any bread.
2. Bread Katori Chaat
Easy to make and delicious in taste, this katori chaat is an interesting take on the traditional papdi chaat. Take a slice of bread and layer it with boiled potatoes, soaked black chana, tomatoes and onions. Pour some fresh curd along with salt and pepper. Sprinkle some sev and pomegranate seeds to add a pop of colour. The freshness of the chaat will be a great change among the host of fried snacks.
3. Baby Batata
Batata refers to potato in Maharashtrian. This recipe makes use of baby potatoes which are also used in the preparation of dum aloo. The potatoes are peeled and batter-fried with a coating of all-purpose flour and spices. With a layer of bread crumbs, the potatoes are fried and served with a tangy tomato sauce.
4. Idli Manchurian
Another South Indian delicacy like vadas, idlis are also paired with sambhar and coconut chutney. This snack dish is a great option, especially when you have leftover idlis at home. Dice them into smaller pieces, dip them in corn flour and a host of spices and shallow fry them until they turn brown. You can add a bit of schezwan sauce to the idlis along with mustard seeds, finely chopped onions and tomatoes. The bite-sized idlis are the perfect finger food for Diwali parties.
5. Spicy Taco Chaat
Come Diwali, it wouldn’t be fair to leave the chatpati chaat alone in a corner right? So here’s what you can do. Fit in the chaat on your menu but in a modern way. If you’ve got a potato chaat filling with onions, tomatoes, coriander, turmeric and lemon zest, all you have to do is stuff it in your taco shells and serve. One crunch in and the explosion of flavours will leave everyone blown away.
6. Samosa Tostadas
A Western tadka to an Indian snack, these tostadas are actually Mexican in origin. The filling of the flaky Indian puff pastry of potatoes, chickpeas and spices is placed on top of fried tortillas (Mexican flat-bread) and served as Samosa Tostadas. This will surely impress your guests with the unique combination of flavours.
7. Naanza
From pizza comes naanza and now you’ve got the hint. Replace the pizza base with the delectable Indian naan bread and top it with all things tasty. Be it tomatoes, onions, bellpeppers or baby corn, broccoli and mushrooms, you can let your imagination run wild. Just make sure to finish off with a generous coating of cheese before baking.
