Herb and Cheese Dip - Dips and Chips

A quick fix appetizer, no cooking required! Get a french baguette and you are good to go!

1 package cream cheese
1 small package feta cheese
1 cup basil leaves
1 cup mint leaves
3 - 4 garlic cloves (pass through a garlic press)
1/2 tsp pepper
2-3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature.
Mix all ingredients in a food processor till well mixed.

Serve with a sliced baguette.

Bhuna Kaleji - Liver fry

Something to much on with your drinks!

250 gms chicken livers (cleaned and trimmed)
1 TBS ginger paste
1 TBS garlic paste
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
4 TBS oil
2 TBS finely chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp finely chopped mint leaves


Marinate the livers in the spices and ginger-garlic paste for at least 30 minutes. Heat oil in a frying pan or wok and add the marinated livers. Saute - gently - so you don't break the pices- for about 5-7 minutes till the livers change colour. Cover and let cook on low heat for about 3-4 minutes. When you take off the cover- there will be some water- let the livers cook on medium heat till the water evaporates. Stir occasionally. Stir in the coriander and mint leaves.
You can serve this hot- with roti or parathas. Or you can serve it by itself as finger food - it goes very well with a glass of beer.

Feta stuffed dates - wrapped in prosciutto

This appetizer looks fancy - but it is so simple to make...
Make sure you buy the best ingredients, since there is no cooking as such, its the quality of the dates and the cheese that make this dish really sing.


20 dates (Mejdool variety) - either buy the seedless ones or just pop out the seed at home.
100 gms Feta cheese - I usually try and get the Greek Feta.
20 slices of good prosciutto

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Crumble the cheese and carefully stuff the dates with the crumbled cheese. Do not over fill, or you will end up with busted dates.
Wrap the prosciutto slice around the date and secure with a toothpick.
Arrange the dates on a cookie sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes till the bacon starts to crinkle.

Serve warm - not hot.


** Prosciutto is a dry-cured ham that is usually thinly sliced and served uncooked; this style is called prosciutto crudo in Italian and is distinguished from cooked ham, prosciutto cotto.

Guacamole - Dips and Chips

I love avocados. That's it. Plain and Simple. So of course guacamole is a dish that's made very often in our house. Excellent as a dip of course, top up your tacos and fajitas and burritos with it or use it as a spread instead of mayo!

This is the basic recipe - I learnt this one from the local taco shop! Along with an awesome spicy salsa recipe- which will also appear on the blog.

How to spot a ripe avocado- this is a common refrain- the only way I know is - the avocado skin darkens as the fruit ripens. If you lightly squeeze the avocado a perfectly ripe one will gave just a bit of give. It's something that you will instinctively know when you use avocado regularly.

2 ripe avocados
1 large lemon - juiced- please get rid of the seeds
2-3 large garlic cloves - crushed through a garlic press
1 tsp salt
1 TBS cilantro leaves- finely chopped

Slice open the avocado and get rid of the seed. Scoop out the flesh and place it in a bowl. Add the lemon juice, salt and garlic and mash it all into the avocado. It need not be smooth- a bit lumpy is actually what we are looking for.
Add the cilantro leaves and fold them in.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap till you use it.

Dips and Chips - Hummus

Hummus is now available everywhere and in multiple flavours. But I saw it for a first time when we were in Saudi. We all loved it - and it has no cooking required- so of course it's great!
My neighbour was from Syria - she taught me this way to make hummus and I have stuck to the recipe for 20 years now.


One can of Garbanzo beans.
4-5 garlic cloves
salt
1 1/2 TBS tahini (seasame paste)
Juice of 2 lemons
Olive oil
1 TBS curly parsley chopped fine


Wash and drain the beans. Add the beans, garlic cloves and tahini to a blender. Add the juice of one and half of the lemons and blend. If needed add in really little water. Blend to a smooth puree.

Taste it for salt (remember the beans have salt- that's why we wait to add the salt)
Taste it for tang- you should get a bite of the lemon juice- add more if needed.

To serve - put the hummus in a shallow bowl- run your spoon on top to make depressions on the surface and pour some really good olive oil on top. Sprinkle chopped parsley. Serve with warm pita bread.


PS If you do not have tahini - just add white sesame seeds ( tahini is simple sesame paste)

Appetizers - Sesame prawns on toast

• 1 lb cleaned raw prawns
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder or grated garlic
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions 
• 1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
• 10 slices thinly sliced bread , crusts removed
• 4 tablespoons sesame seeds approx
• oil , for deep-frying

Chop everything together from prawns to sesame oil - preferably in a chopper. You can either slice the bread into 3 pieces each or just quarter it. oil should be medium hot...you want the prawns to cook and the toast should not burn in that time. Spread the prawn paste onto the bread pieces - slight mound in the centre- don't over heap or the prawns will not cook. Put the sesame seeds on a small plate and lightly press the toast - prawn side onto the seeds. Fry the toasts in medium hot oil - prawn side down first for 2-3 minutes. turn over and fry till golden brown. Drain onto paper towel. Serve with sweet chili sauce.


This is a fast and easy appetizer - and ever popular with a crowd. You can do a baked version for the calorie conscious but it really doesn't turn out the same.

Appetizers - Butterflied Prawns

This is a fun fun companion to any kind of alcohol - especially if the cook is imbibing!

25 Large prawns ( peeled, with tails left on and slit down the back and vein removed)
2 eggs ( beaten, add salt and garlic powder)
1/2 cup of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
salt, pepper, garlic powder, oil for deep frying

wash, peel, de-vein, butterfly and pat dry the prawns.
beat the eggs with salt and some garlic powder
Mix flour, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and garlic powder

Heat oil.

Dip the prawn in the egg mixture then in the flour mixture and coat them thoroughly. Deep fry on moderate heat for about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve with a sweet chili dipping sauce and some finely chopped cabbage and carrots for garnish.