Addictive snacks

Crab cakes -
Crab cakes -

With the school holidays in full swing, there will be more entertaining to do. Whether it’s in your home or at a vacation spot. Here are some timeless and delicious snacks that you can prepare no matter where you are!

Tropical spring rolls with tamarind plum sauce

Spring Rolls -

1 tbs chopped garlic

1 tbs minced ginger

¼ cup minced shrimp

2 cups finely-shredded cabbage

2 carrots, shredded

4 blades fresh chive, finely chopped

2 tbs chopped chadon beni (cilantro)

4 Chinese dried black mushrooms, reconstituted, caps removed and chopped

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

25 spring roll wrappers or 50 wonton skins

Vegetable oil

Paste:

½ cup water

6 tbs cornstarch

Combine cornstarch with water and set aside.

Heat a clean wok, add one tablespoon oil, when hot, add garlic and ginger.

Add, shrimp and stir and fry for 2 minutes add vegetables, except chadon beni and chives, and stir and fry until well blended.

Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle on sugar.

Remove from heat and sprinkle on herbs, cool.

Place wrapper so that one edge is pointing to you, place about one tbs. filling in the centre of the wrapper and spread to make a log. Fold the lower part up to cover filling, fold again, fold in the two sides, and continue folding to make a log, seal with the flour paste.

Deep-fry spring rolls, until golden brown, and serve with plum sauce.

Makes 25 spring rolls .

Tamarind plum dipping sauce

½ cup Chinese plum sauce

1 tbs white vinegar

1 tbs tamarind sauce

1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro or chadon beni

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp hot pepper, seeded and chopped

Combine all the ingredients and refrigerate until ready for use

Makes about ⅔ cup

Crabcakes with chilli-lime mayonnaise

Chilli lime mayonnaise:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup natural unflavoured yoghurt

1 red bell pepper. roasted, seeded and pureed

1 tsp pepper sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbs freshly-squeezed lime juice

1½ tsp chili powder

2 tbs chopped cilantro or chadon beni

2 tbs finely-chopped chives

Crab cakes:

1 lb crabmeat

1 tbs Dijon mustard

2 onions, finely chopped

1 tbs vegetable oil

1 tsp hot pepper sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp salt

1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper

2 pimento peppers, seeded and minced

½ cup chopped chives

2 tbs thyme

2 tbs chopped celery

cloves garlic minced

1 tbs lime juice

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1 egg

vegetable oil for frying

Make the mayonnaise by combining all the ingredients, refrigerate until ready for use.

Make the crab cakes:

Heat one tablespoon oil in a skillet, sauté onions for about five minutes, place in a large mixing bowl and add all the other ingredients, mix well, the mixture should hold together. If mixture seems too crumbly, add a little water to bring it together.

Shape mixture into 16 to 20 patties.

Heat oil in skillet, and fry patties for about 3 minutes per side until golden brown.

Drain and serve with chilli lime mayo.

Quick saheena

Saheena - Angelo Marcelle

1 lb yellow split peas, uncooked

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp saffron powder

¼ tsp baking soda

2 tsps baking powder

2 tbs flour

1½ tsp salt

1 tsp pepper sauce

1 bunch young fully curled dasheen/callaloo bush

Wash the split peas and leave it to soak overnight.

The next day, drain the split peas and grind it in a food processor or food mill. Until the consistency is smooth.

Add the garlic, saffron powder, baking soda, baking powder, flour, salt and pepper. Allow to rest for one hour. If the mixture seems too dry add a little water.

Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon, this incorporates air and lightens the mixture, rest the mixture for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile clean the dasheen/callaloo bush by removing the tips of the leaves, stems and veins. Wash thoroughly, and chop finely. Blanch in boiling water for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Combine the split peas mixture with the dasheen/callaloo bush.

Heat oil in a deep fryer, and drop the saheena mixture by heaped teaspoonfuls into hot oil, gently flatten with the back of a spoon.

Fry until golden brown or until the saheena floats to the top of the oil.

Drain and serve immediately with tamarind chutney or mango chutney.

Makes about 6 dozen

Cassava fritters

1 lb uncooked cassava, peeled, deveined and cut into small pieces

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic

½ cup chopped chives, green and white portion

½ hot pepper seeded and chopped or 1 tsp pepper sauce or to taste

1 tbs cornstarch

2 tsp baking powder

salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

vegetable oil for frying.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process to a fine paste.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Drop by teaspoonfuls into hot oil and fry until puffed and golden.

Makes about 15 fritters.

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