Nutritious and flavourful Continental snacks

T-Mag Wednesday 08/August/2018 16:23 PM
By: Times News Service
Nutritious and flavourful Continental snacks

Continental food or the food that’s prepared in Europe has gained in popularity throughout the world over the past few years. And when it comes to light finger bites or easy snacks, choices are plenty in Continental cuisine. This week let’s make some delectable Continental appetisers and stick to our policy of keeping it simple, nutritious, and flavourful.

ASIAN CHICKEN WINGS
Crispy oven baked chicken wings coated in a sweet, spicy Asian glaze is a delectable appetiser cum snack that will wow all your guests for sure.
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soya sauce
• 2 tablespoons Thai chilli sauce
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 kg chicken wing pieces
Preparation
Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees C. Add brown sugar, soy sauce, Thai chilli sauce, oil, garlic and ginger to a bowl and mix well. Set aside. Line a baking tray with aluminium foil. Place chicken wing pieces on the tray, skin side up. Baste the top side of the chicken with the marinade and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the chicken and baste the other side. Bake for another 10 minutes. Serve wings immediately or keep warm.

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CORN CHEESE BALLS
Corn and cheese balls are a delicious snack to pair with a hot cup of tea or coffee. Bond with friends and family with this easy recipe.
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons plain flour
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 3/4 cup boiled and crushed sweet corn kernels
• 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup finely chopped coriander
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped green chillies
• Salt to taste
• Bread crumbs for coating
• Oil for deep-frying
To be mixed into a batter/slurry
• 1 cup plain flour
• 3/4 cup water
Preparation
Heat butter in a deep non-stick pan, add the flour and cook for 1/2 minute. Add milk and allow to simmer till the mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan, while stirring continuously. Remove from flame and transfer to a plate. Add corn, cheese, coriander, green chillies, and salt. Allow it to cool completely. Once cooled, mix well and divide the mixture into 15 equal portions and shape each into a round ball. Dip a few balls at a time in the flour-water mixture and roll them in the breadcrumbs till they are evenly coated from all sides. Heat oil in a wok and deep-fry the balls, a few at a time on medium flame till they are golden brown in colour. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve immediately with tomato ketchup.

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DYNAMITE PRAWNS
These crispy fried prawns are coated in a spicy tangy mayo sauce. A perfect recipe for a favourite appetiser.
Ingredients
• 15-20 large prawns peeled and deveined
For the batter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 egg
• 4 tablespoons corn flour
For the sauce
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 5 tablespoons red chilli sauce
• 3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
• 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
Preparation
Wash the prawns, and drain on kitchen paper. Pat dry with kitchen paper. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the batter ingredients, and whisk. Add prawns and mix well until coated. Heat oil in a large pot and fry the prawns for about 1-2 minutes. To make sure the oil is at right temperature, first test it by adding a bit of the batter to the oil. If it sizzles, it means the oil is at the right temperature. Fry only 2 or 3 prawns at a time. Drain the prawns on kitchen paper. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and then add the fried prawns to coat with the sauce. Serve immediately.

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WATERMELON FETA MINT STICKS
Refreshing watermelon, aromatic mint and salty feta, come together to create a sweet and savoury snack that’s not only quick to make but perfectly healthy for any party.
Ingredients
• Watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Firm block of feta cheese, cut into 1/2 - 3/4-inch cubes
• Mint leaves
• Balsamic vinegar
Preparation
Thread a piece of watermelon onto a toothpick stick, followed by a mint leaf, a cube of feta, another mint leaf, and another piece of watermelon.
Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Store covered in the refrigerator for upto 1 hour, if desired. Just before serving, drizzle each stick with balsamic vinegar and serve.

Oneza Tabish is a food blogger, consultant, and columnist based in Oman. She is also the owner of Oman’s popular Facebook group ‘What’s Cooking Oman.’