Top 5 Christmas Party Snacks

Christmas and New Year’s is just around the corner and we’re here to help our readers cook up some yummy dishes for a house party or a potluck.

We got our readers, friends and family to share from their treasure trove of recipes and have received an overwhelming response. We’re sharing their recipes with you one by one. We start with ‘Top 5 Christmas Party Snacks’ from the very talented and beautiful Kasturi De. 

A content writer by profession but a hard core food lover by heart, Kasturi De discovered her passion for baking a few years back.

She soon changed her profession from a freelance writer to being a home chef for a Kochi based company called Masalabox, for a few months. She occasionally takes orders for birthday parties and theme-based cakes. In the long run, she aspires to open a quaint bistro in the foothills of the Nilgiris.

Here’s her top five snacks recipes for a Christmas Party:

1. CHEESY PRAWN BALLS 

(Serves 5)

½ cup flour

½ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper powder

50 grams butter, chopped

½ cup water

2 large eggs

½ cup cheese, grated

50 grams prawns, chopped

Oil, for deep frying

Method: Whisk flour, sugar, salt and pepper powder together. Place butter and water in a pan and put over medium heat. Once the butter melts, remove pan from heat and dump the flour mixture into the water. Stir quickly with a wooden spoon and put back on low heat. Stir constantly till dough comes away from sides and forms a ball. Take off heat, add the grated cheese and keep stirring for a few minutes till dough is lukewarm and cheese is incorporated. Lightly beat eggs and add little by little to the dough till it forms a smooth thick paste. If eggs are small, you might require to add more egg. Add in the chopped prawns and mix. Wet your hands and form small balls. Heat oil in a kadai and fry the prawn balls till puffed and golden.

2. MUSHROOM QUICHE*

(Serves 8)

For the pastry:

170 grams flour

110 grams cold butter, chopped

¼ teaspoon salt

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon iced water

 For the filling:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 large onion, chopped

4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped

200 grams mushroom, chopped

½ bunch spinach, chopped

½ cup milk

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup fresh cream

1 teaspoon oregano

¾ cup grated cheese

½ teaspoon pepper powder

Salt, to taste

Method: To make the pastry, rub the flour, butter and salt together till it resembles bread crumbs. Add the egg yolk and mix. Add the iced water little by little till the dough comes together. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Roll out dough to fit a 23 cm loose bottom flan tin. Line the dough with foil or butter paper and fill with dried beans. Blind bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans with the paper or foil and bake for another 10 minutes. Reduce the oven to 160 degrees.

To make the filling, heat a pan and add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter melts, add the chopped onion and garlic. Saute till aromatic. Add the chopped mushroom and spinach and fry on full flame till water evaporates. Cool this mixture and evenly spread over the pastry case.

Beat the eggs and cream together along with salt, pepper and oregano. Pour over the mushroom-spinach mixture and bake for 30 minutes or until set and golden. Sprinkle cheese over the quiche and bake for another 5 minutes or till cheese melts.

*Pastry recipe – Adapted from “The Complete Matthew Hayden Cookbook”

3. BEETROOT CUTLETS 

(Serves 5)

1 beetroot, diced finely

1 medium carrot, diced finely

½ cup peas

3-4 medium potatoes

¼ teaspoon red chili powder

½ teaspoon cumin powder

Salt, to taste

½ tablespoon oil

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

½ cup flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups breadcrumbs

Oil, for deep frying

Method: Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds. Once they start spluttering, add the beetroot, carrot and peas. Sprinkle little salt, cover and cook till almost tender. Open lid and add red chili powder and cumin powder. Increase flame to high and cook till all water evaporates. Let it cool down.

In the meantime, pressure cook potatoes till tender. Mash well and add to the beetroot mixture. Mix well. Check for seasoning. Make cutlets of any shape out of this. Dust each cutlet with flour. Dip in beaten egg and coat well with breadcrumbs. Deep fry in hot oil.

4. SAVOURY MUSHROOM LOAF 

(Serves 5)

1 cup flour

2 large potatoes, boiled and grated

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper powder

50 grams butter, melted

1 tablespoon milk, if required

For the filling:

1 tablespoon oil

1 green chili, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 onions, finely chopped

100 grams mushroom, sliced

25 grams green bell pepper, chopped

25 grams red bell pepper, chopped

25 grams yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 teaspoon soya sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon tomato sauce

Salt, to taste

Method: Mix grated potatoes with the flour in a mixing bowl. Add salt, pepper and baking powder. Add the melted butter and mix well to form a firm dough. Add little milk if required.

Heat oil and add the green chili, garlic and onions. Saute for a while. Add the mushroom and the bell peppers. Saute on high heat. Add all the sauces and a little salt and cook till dry. Cool the filling.

Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Grease a flat baking tray. Divide the potato dough into two portions. Roll out one portion into a rectangular shape, ¼ “thick. Place on the greased tray. Sprinkle little flour on the rolled out dough. Spread the mushroom filling. Roll out the other half of the potato dough. Place on the filling so as to cover the sides. Join the edges to form a loaf. Brush gently with a little milk. Bake at 170 degrees for 30-40 minutes on upper shelf of your oven.

5. PRAWN CUTLETS 

(Serves 5)

20-25 big prawns

½ cup flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups breadcrumbs

Oil, for deep frying

Marinade:

1 teaspoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon green chili paste

1 teaspoon soya sauce

1 teaspoon pepper powder

Salt, to taste

Method: Devein and wash prawns and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Butterfly the prawns by slitting the prawns down their back but do not slice through entirely. Flatten slightly with your hand or gently with a mallet. Marinate prawns with the ingredients listed under ‘marinade’. Keep refrigerated for 2-3 hours.

Dust each prawn with flour. Dip in beaten egg and coat well with breadcrumbs. Deep fry till golden brown. Serve with mayonnaise or tartar sauce.

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