Sumptuous snacking
As we get set to party hard and bid adieu to 2012, the spirits need to flow in freely, quite literally! No New Year bash is complete without beverages, alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Cocktails, mocktails, whiskey, vodka, wine or rum are savoured best, when accompanied with right appetisers. Whether planning to throw a house party or pub hopping, we all look forward to the ‘eats’ along with our liquid diet.
“We have special chicken snacks that go well with cocktails. Our specialty is Chicken Harisa, in which chicken is marinated with coriander, mint, parsley and other exotic herbs and then grilled. It has very less oil in it and the flavour of herbs. It is quite spicy and tangy,” says Ansh Srivastav, owner, Halfway House cafe and lounge.
He also suggests another innovative option. He adds,“Chicken and olives rulab is also an interesting option. It makes use of the inner part of chicken breast that is known as chicken supreme and is immensely soft and juicy. It is marinated with the paste of sun-dried tomato paste and paprika, giving the rulab a very tangy taste. Olives are mixed with pine nuts and then the mixture of chicken and olives is rolled on a stick and fried.”
Just about every appetiser might not go down with every form of alcohol. One needs to exercise caution. “It is quite simple. Red wine is best consumed with red meat like mutton or beef, while white wine goes well with white meats like chicken and fish. I would recommend mutton seekh malmali or involtini di verdure (beef rolls) with red wine and saffron malai murg with white wine. Vodka is best avoided with sour and bitter appetisers,” says Vineet Wadhwa, owner, Fio country kitchen and bar.
If you are a vegetarian, do not get disappointed. There are numerous options.“We have some zaffrani paneer tikkas and mirch malai kebabs that taste sweet and spicy at the same time and go well with the cocktails and other alcoholic beverages,” Pankaj Rana, executive sous chef, Rhino
“One can also try out potatoes and corn croquettes (bhutta kebab). They are something that can be prepared in less than 20 minutes. These are crispy, and crunchy and go very well with your drinks. For non-vegetarians, chicken chermoula is a great option,”he adds. The latter is made using rich Indian spices like cinnamon, cumin seeds and red chilli to give it a rich flavour along with dried apricots and pistachios.
As the temperature in the city takes a sharp dip and we all look for warming-up options around this time of the year, nothing like a glass of your favourite drink and some fried finger food to go with it. “I love spices in my food and what’s better than a fried hot snack, on a cold winter evening. My favourites are the fried corncakes, the sweet and spicy crispy fish and the dry red chilly chicken. They are spicy and taste just right with any beverage,” smiles Yuvraj Kohli, China Doll. To add to the long list of popular Chinese appetisers, chef Chua Kek Eng, Yo China cafe says,“Dumplings like the Pacman dumpling (that looks pretty) and spring rolls are quite popular as appetisers among youth.”
Post new comment