5 quick snacks recipes for a cracker of a party

Hosting a party is one of the most enjoyable things you could do. It includes choosing your guest list, making a playlist with all your favourite songs and turning your home into a fun place for everyone. And of course, having the time of your life and making memories together with dear ones. Let’s not forget though that as the host, you’re probably also going to be stressed making sure everything goes well. This is especially true if the get-together happens at your house without a definite plan, as friends don’t always need invites to gather and turn that into a party! Food is the biggest highlight of any gathering and sometimes you may be caught off guard by how many people showed up or by something going wrong that you didn’t foresee. Worry not, there are some easy snack recipes out there that can help you whip up a party favourite treat in no time! The list below is some easy snack to make at home.

Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are one of the most delicious snacks when made correctly. The yolk is the main player here, which might seem like a big no-no for those that despise the yellow centre in their boiled egg. However, this recipe is guaranteed to change a few minds: 

• You’ll need 6 eggs, ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard, ⅛ teaspoon salt, freshly ground black pepper and smoked paprika for garnish. 
• Once the eggs areboiled and peeled, slice the eggs into half lengthwise and separate the yellows from the whites. 
• Firstly, mash the yolks into a fine crumble using a fork, then add vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper and mix well. 
• Heap this mixture into the evenly cut egg whites and sprinkle smoked paprika to garnish the dish. 

Satisfaction guaranteed!

Garlic Paneer

For those of us looking for a fiery pop of flavour, garlic paneer is the best way to go. Paneer is essentially a white slate waiting to be written upon, which allows us to add a variety of ingredients to make a tailored-to-fit dish. 

• You will need 1.25 cups of cubed paneer, 1tbsp vinegar, 6 large garlic cloves, 5-6 kashmiri red chillies, ½ cup of chopped onions, 1tbsp sugar, 1tbsp oil, 1/2tbsp of cumin, salt to taste and chopped coriander for garnish. 
• Blend together the chillies, garlic, sugar, salt and vinegar with 2-3tbsp of water. 
• Then heat apan with oil and allow the cumin to sizzle. 
• Then add the onions to the oil and fry until golden. 
• Add the blended mixture to the oil and cook until it thickens and the oil separates.
• Add the paneer to the pan and saute for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with coriander and serve hot. 

This is sure to be a hit at your party!

Potato Yoghurt Kebabs

A mixture of Indian spices, yoghurt and potatoes leads to one of the most melt-in-the-mouth recipes. It is lightly fried and served with a delicious dip, making it a super snack packed with good flavour. 

• For this recipe, you will need 6 boiled potatoes, ½ tbsp grated ginger, 2tbsp chopped green chillies, 4tbsp gram flour, 3tbsp cornstarch, and 1 cup thick greek yoghurt. 
• You’ll also need 1tbsp red chilli powder, 1tbsp garam masala, 1tbsp cumin powder, 2tbsp dry mango powder and salt to taste.
• First, grate the boiled potato into a bowl and leave aside. 
• Mix yoghurt, flour, ginger, chillies and spices and mix evenly. 
• Knead this mixture into a smooth dough. Form equal-sized balls and lightly pat them into a disc shape. 
• Pat cornstarch into the disc evenly and refrigerate the balls for 10 minutes at least. 
• Heat the oil in a pan for a minute and cook each kabab for 2-3 minutes or until it is golden brown. You can also use barbeque grillersto speeden up the process.
• Turn it to the other side and repeat. Once done, transfer to a serving dish and serve hot with a dipping sauce. 

Onion Pakodas

It can’t get better than onion pakodas when it comes to evening snack ideas in India. Monsoon evenings are incomplete without freshly fried pakodas and piping hot tea. If you’re in the mood to make memories and reminisce the past with your best friends, make sure to put onion pakodas on the menu! 

• For this recipe, you’ll need thinly sliced and separated onions, 1.25 cups of besan or gram flour, 1.5 teaspoons of finely chopped ginger, ½ teaspoon of carom seeds, 1 sprig curry leaves, 2-3 green chillies, chopped mint leaves, salt as needed and oil for deep frying. 
• Add onions, chillies, ginger, pudina, curry leaves, salt and mint leaves all into the same mixing bowl. 
• Leave this aside for 5 minutes. Sprinkle besan, ajwain and salt for taste. Add more besan and water to the mixture intermittently until the dough is moist but not soggy. Leave the oil on the flame for a few minutes until it is extremely hot. Keep in mind, the pakodas should float to the top and not sink, and it should become golden but not brown. 
• Add small pieces of pakodas to fry in batches and remove onto a tissue so that it can absorb the oil. You can useladles to avoid any spillage of oil. 

Serve hot with tea or coffee. 

Guacamole

For those looking for a lighter snack that can become more versatile, guacamole is an easy snack to make at home. Creamy avocados are a truly magical fruit as their fat is the good kind and they can adopt many different flavours while also making foods more mellow.

• Making guacamole is not difficult at all: you’ll need 2 avocados, 1 finelychopped onion, 1 chopped ripe tomato, 1 juiced lime, 1 garlic clove finely minced, chopped coriander, and salt and pepper to taste. 
• First, peel and mash the avocados into a large bowl. 
• Add the onions, tomatoes, garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper together and mix well. 
• Keep tasting to adjust the salt, pepper and lime juice. 
• Chill the mixture for at least half an hour to blend the flavours well. 

Serve with salted chips or nachos for a fantastic combination of flavours!