Lip Smacking Non-Fried Party Starters

By Chef Amit Puri

It’s time to switch up your taste senses and ditch the old-fashioned French fries and onion rings as starters. Let’s make something delicious that melts in your mouth for your next family gathering.

Beetroot and Peanut Butter Galouti  

Serves 4

Galouti is an extremely popular Awadhi mutton kebab which is grilled on a hot iron plate and melts in your mouth. While mutton Galouti is still a favorite, over the years alternates to meat have also been developed. This version is Galouti is made with boiled beetroot, spices, and creamy peanut butter.

For Galouti paste

2 large beetroots

2 large tablespoons of creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon fried onion paste

1 teaspoon boiled cashew paste

Dry spices

Pinch of cardamom powder

Pinch of white pepper powder

Half teaspoon garam masala powder

Half teaspoon red chili powder

Pinch of chaat masala

Half teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons grated cheese

1-2 tablespoons Roasted chana dal powder for binding

To cook

8 tablespoon ghee

Method

Boil and peer the beetroot. Once the beetroot has cooled down, grate the beetroots, cook on a medium heat and dry

To prepare the Galouti paste, blend the dry-grated beetroot with all ingredients to a smooth paste.

In a mixing bowl, remove the paste and massage the dry spices

Bind the Galouti paste with channa dal powder, one teaspoon at a time. Too much channa dal would result in a dry kebab.

On a hot pan, heat ghee and grill the kebab on both sides until done. Sprinkle chaat masala and serve hot with mint chutney.

Bhut Jholokia Chicken and Guac Phulka Tacos

While this recipe calls for chicken, vegetarians could substitute meat with mushrooms, paneer, or an assortment of vegetables.

For Bhut Jholokia Chicken

2 chicken breasts, shredded

1 tablespoon refined oil

1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

Half teaspoon crushed black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Juice of 2 limes

2 tablespoons beaten yogurt

Half teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon red chili powder

1.5 tablespoons bhut Jholokia sauce (can substitute this with Sczhewan sauce or any other chili sauce available)

1 teaspoon salt

For Guacamole

1 ripe avocado

1 medium onion chopped

1 medium tomato chopped

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Juice of 1 large lime

Half teaspoon salt

To assemble and finish

4 phulkas

4 tablespoons oil

1 sliced tomato

Method

Prepare the chicken by mixing all the ingredients. Allow it to marinate for at least 2 hours.

Heat oil in a pan and add the marinated chicken, Grill until the chicken is cooked and dry and the meat is well coated with the spicy yogurt curry.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the guacamole by peeling and mashing the avocado and mixing it with onion, tomatoes, lime, salt, and coriander.

To assemble the tacos, place a heap of chicken on the tacos and drop a dollop of guacamole on the chicken.

Squeeze some lime on the taco and garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot,

Harissa Paneer Satay  

Serves 4

Paneer is an integral source of protein in an Indian meal, especially if you are a vegetarian. However, it is extremely versatile and can be reinvented in several ways. Harissa is a North African chili paste that is available in two versions, the red and the green paste.

For green harissa paste

1 bunch of fresh coriander leaves

5 tablespoons chopped parsley

3 green chilies

5 pickled jalapenos

5 bulbs of garlic

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

Juice of 3 limes

1 teaspoon crushed black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

To assemble and finish

4 tablespoons oil

10 satay sticks

500 gms of soft paneer

Method

To process the paste, wash the coriander leaves and parsley under running cold water and pat dry with a kitchen towel.

Place all ingredients in a blender and blitz to a coarse paste.

Add a teaspoon of water to get the grinding going.

To assemble, cut the paneer into thick long batons and marinate with the paste.

Refrigerate for at least 30 mins.

Skewer the marinated paneer with wooden satay sticks and grill on a medium hot pan with a little oil. -Turn the paneer at intervals to grill all sides evenly.

Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and fresh coriander.