When it comes to evening snacks, most of us tend to go for fried, oily food. Health takes a backseat in our pursuit to satiate our hunger pangs. Now it’s not really easy to pack in nutrition in snacks, but at least you can try.
On this World Vegetarian Day, which is being observed on October 1 every year, here are different recipes for evening snacks that are way better than your packaged noodles or chips.
Potato and cheese balls
Ingredients
50g – Boiled and mashed potatoes
5g – Red crushed chili
5g – Crushed black pepper
Cubed – Cottage cheese as required
200g – Amul cheese
5g – Fried and crushed cumin seeds
4 – Green chilies (thinly chopped)
1/2 – Fresh coriander (bunch chopped)
1 – Egg (optional)
10-12 – Mint leaves
Breadcrumbs as required
Oil as required (to fry)
Salt to taste
Method
* Take a bowl, add mashed potato, salt, crushed red chilies, black pepper and cumin seeds, mix well.
* Then take a small portion of potato mix and stuff with the cube of cottage cheese, amul cheese and green masala and make cutlet shape.
* When all is done, dip in lightly beaten egg, then roll in bread crumbs.
* Put them in the fridge for 1/2 an hour.
* Shallow fry in oil from both sides until golden brown.
*Serve any kind of sauce or chutney.
Note: If you are not using egg, then you can use cornflour batter and then crumb the balls.
Banana Pancakes
Ingredients
2 – Ripe bananas
2-4 tsp – Sugar (brown)
1/2 cup – Water
1/4 cup – Milk
1 cup – Flour
Oil
Cardamom powder
Salt to taste
Method
* Peel the bananas and put them in a bowl. Smash them with a fork until they become runny and squishy.
* Add the flour slowly and mix it. Add the milk. The batter is now sticky.
* Add some brown sugar, a pinch of salt and crushed cardamom. Fold it nicely. The cardamom powder helps kill the pungent taste of bananas.
* Add water to the batter and mix it well.
* Take a heated pan, brush it with oil and start putting a spoon full of batter on the pan, just like mini pancakes.
* Lace it with oil on the sides. Flip it and cook it from both the sides.
* Once the pancakes are cooked serve it with a dollop of whipped cream or chocolate sauce.
Fresh Tomato & Basil Bruschetta
Ingredients
1 – French loaf bread
2 tsp – Extra virgin olive oil
6 – Basil leaves
1 – Medium size tomato (chopped)
1 – Medium size onion (chopped)
2 – Cloves of garlic (chopped)
Cheese
Salt to taste
Pepper
Oregano
Method
* Start by making the tomato topping. In a bowl, take
a chopped tomato, chopped onion, chopped garlic and some olive oil.
* Sprinkle some pepper, salt to taste and some oregano. Mix it well. Add basil leaves in the mixture and mix it. The freshness of tomatoes and the beautiful flavour of basil and olive oil make this dish so delicious. Keep it aside for 2-3 minutes.
* Preheat the oven for 5 minutes.
* Now take the French loaf bread. Slice it in such a way that they are neither too thin nor too thick in width.
* Brush a generous amount of olive oil on the loaf.
* Take the grill out of the oven. Place these slices on the grill and put them back in the oven for 5-7 minutes till the bread becomes brown and crispy.
* Once done, take the slices out and put tomato toppings one by one. Sprinkle loads of cheese on the slices. The more the cheese, the better the bruschetta.
* Put these slices back in the oven for 5-10 minutes till the bread becomes nice and crusty and the cheese starts melting.
* Take the slices out of the oven and serve it hot.
