Weekends are perfect for unwinding and treating yourself to some delicious food! For food enthusiasts, weekends are eagerly anticipated as they provide an opportunity to indulge in lavish meals that might be skipped during the busy week. While snacks are essential for on-the-go munching and staving off midday hunger pangs, vegetable snacks are often overlooked for being perceived as dull. However, vegetable snacks can be both nutritious and satisfying, offering a crunchy texture and wholesome flavour. Pair them with a creamy dip, and you've got a winning combination that's perfect for any gathering with friends and family. If you're planning to host guests at home, we've got some fantastic crispy veggie snacks that are sure to please everyone's palate.

Lip-Smacking Vegetable Snacks for Weekend Gatherings

Chef Siddhesh Parab, Corporate chef, Spice klub, Cupertion California shared with Lifestyle three lip-smacking crunchy vegetable snack recipes that are perfect for your weekend parties.

1. Corn tikki

Preparation time 10 min

Cooking time 20 min

Total time 30 min

Ingredients:

1 cup sweet corn

2 tbsp carrot, grated

2 tbsp capsicum, chopped

½ onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp coriander, chopped

¼ tsp turmeric

½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp coriander powder

½ tsp cumin powder

½ tsp salt

2 potato, boiled

¼ cup bread crumbs

2 tbsp corn flour

oil, for frying

Garnish

Popcorn 1 cup

Microgreens

Method:

1. Firstly, in a mixer jar take 1 cup of sweet corn, pulse, and grind to a coarse texture

2. Transfer the coarse sweet corn into a large bowl and add 2 tbsp carrot, 2 tbsp capsicum, ½ onion, 2 tbsp coriander

3. Add ¼ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp chilli powder, ½ tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp cumin powder, and ½ tsp salt

4. Then add 2 potatoes and mix well making sure all the spices are well combined

5. Further, add ¼ cup bread crumbs and 2 tbsp corn flour

6. Mix well forming a soft dough. Corn flour helps to make cutlet crispy and bread crumbs absorb excess moisture and prevent from breaking in oil while frying

7. Grease hands with oil, and shape the cutlet

8. Deep fry in hot oil, keeping the flame on medium

9. Stir occasionally, until the cutlet turns golden brown and crispy

10. Drain off the cutlet over a kitchen towel to remove excess oil

11. Finally, enjoy the crispy corn cutlet recipe with tomato sauce

2. Sabudana vada

Prepration time 10 min

Cooking time 15 min

Resting time 6 hours

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sabudana rinsed and soaked in 1/2 cup water overnight

2 medium potatoes boiled & mashed, 1 cup boiled & mashed potatoes

1/4 cup peanuts roasted, skin removed and then crushed

2 tablespoons cilantro chopped

1-2 green chillies chopped, adjusted to taste

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt adjust to taste

Oil to fry the vadas

Method:

1. Rinse the sabudana under running water until the water turns clear.

2. Then soak it in 1/2 cup of water for 4 to 5 hours or overnight. Then drain using a colander (there won't be any water since sabudana will absorb all of it but still drain it.

3. When done, sabudana will be soft and break easily when pressed between fingers.

4. Transfer the soaked saubdana to a large bowl and add the boiled and mashed potatoes, roasted peanuts, chopped cilantro, chopped green chillies, lemon juice and salt.

5. Mix everything together using a spatula or your hands. Then divide the mixture into 9 to 10 equal parts.

6. Shape each part into a round shape and then flatten it between your palms to shape into vadas. I got 9 vadas out of this mixture, each weighing approximately 50 grams and 2 inches in diameter.

7. Heat oil in a kadai or wok on medium heat. Add vadas carefully into the hot oil. Make sure the oil isn't very hot or very cold, it should be medium heat.

8. Fry the vadas on medium heat until golden brown and crispy from both sides. Drain on a paper towel. Serve hot with chutney or ketchup.

3. Indian vegetable fritters

Preparation time 20 min

Cooking time 20 min

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups chickpea flour

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp fenugreek powder

1/2 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp salt

3/4 cups + 2 1/2 tbsp water

1 1/2 cups onions

2 cups potato

2 1/2 cups cauliflower

2 large red chillies

1 tbsp fresh ginger

2 tbsp coriander

For cooking

3 – 4 cups vegetable oil

Coriander mint sauce for pakoras

2 cups mint leaves

1 cup coriander

1/4 cup eschalot

3 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp caster sugar

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt

2 ice cubes

Minted yogurt sauce

1 cup plain yoghurt

1/2 cup mint leaves

1/4 tsp salt

Method:

1. Make batter: Place chickpea flour in a bowl with the spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, chilli). Slow whisk in the water.

2. Mix in Vegetables: Add potato, cauliflower, onion, ginger, chilli and coriander. Mix well with a wooden spoon. It should be a thick batter, almost paste-like.

3. Preheat oven to 80°C/175°F – to keep cooked pakoras warm. Set a rack over a tray.

4. Heat oil: Heat 4cm / 1.5" oil in a large heavy-based pot to 180°C

5. Form patties: Drop 2 tbsp of batter roughly formed into a patty shape into the oil. I use my hands (as is typical in India!) but you can also use 2 tablespoons (be careful of splash age). Don't crowd the pot, it will lower the temperature too much.

6. Fry pakoras: Fry for 2 – 3 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towels. Keep cooked pakoras hot in the oven on a rack set over a tray.

7. Serve pakoras with Coriander Mint Sauce or Minted Yogurt Sauce!

8. Coriander mint sauce or mint yoghurt sauce: Place ingredients in a small food processor. Blitz until smooth.

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