Tri colour Hummus

Key Ingredients:

Hummus is one of the best loved dips and here it is made more interesting with the addition of spinach and capsicum

Ingredients

Chickpeas, boiled 200 gms
Spinach, blanched and chopped 20 gms
Green capsicum, finely chopped 20 gms
Red capsicum, finely chopped 20 gms
Tahini paste 20 ml
Olive oil 300 ml
Lemon juice 7 tsps
Salt to taste
Black olives, sliced 20 gms

Methods

Put the chickpeas, garlic, tahini paste, olive oil, lemon juice and salt into a mixer jar and blend to a thick and smooth paste
Divide into 3 equal portions and put into separate bowls.
Add spinach and the capsicum to one portion and mix well.
Add chopped olives and red capsicum to another portion and mix well.
Leave the third portion as it is.
Place the three coloured hummus on a mezze platter and serve with pita bread.

Babaganoush

By Firangi Tadka

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Dip

Key Ingredients:

Large brinjal
Olive oil
Tahini

Lebanese version of the popular Indian baingan ka bharta – makes an excellent appetizer

Ingredients

Large brinjal 1
Olive oil ¼ cup + 2 tbsps + to top
Sea salt 1 tsp
Garlic cloves, finely chopped 4
Tahini (sesame seed paste) ¼ cup
Lemon juice 2 tbsps
Fresh parsley, finely chopped 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp

Methods

Preheat oven to 200º C.
Quarter the brinjal. Rub each piece with approximately ½ tbsp olive oil, sea salt and sprinkle half the garlic equally on them, coating them completely.
Place the brinjal slices on a greased baking tray, put the tray in the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes.
Bring the tray out of the oven, scoop out the roasted part from the peel and put into a mixer jar.
Add remaining garlic, tahini, lemon juice and sea salt and blend. While grinding, pour ¼ cup olive oil gradually and blend till you get a smooth paste.
Transfer into a serving bowl, sprinkle red chilli powder, parsley and pour little olive oil before serving.

Quick and Easy Hummus

Prep: 9 hours

Cook: 0 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Dip

Key Ingredients:

Chickpeas
Sesame paste
Garlic
Olive oil

Creamy and bursting with flavour of garlic, this dip can be had with vegetable sticks too

Ingredients

Chickpeas (kabuli chane), soaked overnight and boiled till soft 1 cup
Garlic cloves, finely chopped 4
Red chilli sauce 1 tsp
Sesame paste or Tahini ½ cup
Salt to taste
Olive oil 1 cup
Lemon juice ¼ cup
Red chilli powder ½ tsp
Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped 1 tsp

Methods

Put chickpeas, garlic, red chilli sauce, sesame paste, salt and ¼ cup olive oil in a mixer and grind to a paste.
If the paste is thick add 2 more tbsps oil to make it thin and smooth.
Add 2 tbsps lemon juice and blend further.
Once paste is ready, transfer it into a serving bowl and pour 2 tbsps oil on top.
Garnish with red chilli powder and coriander leaves.
Serve this dip with any flat bread such as pita bread, normal toast or even khakra.

Spanish Eggplant Spread

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Dip

Key Ingredients:

Eggplant (brinjal)
Olive oil
Parsley
Vinegar

A delicious eggplant dip that goes well with bread as well as pita

Ingredients

Eggplant (brinjal), peeled, cut into small pieces and soaked in water 1 cup
Olive oil 4 tbsps
Spring onions, finely chopped 6
Fresh parsley, chopped ½ cup
Garlic cloves, finely chopped 4
White vinegar 2 tbsps
Salt to taste
Bread bun 1

Methods

Heat 2 tbsps oil in a non-stick pan, add garlic and spring onions (keeping aside 1 tbsp spring onions for garnishing) and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Add brinjal, mix, cover and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes or till brown. Transfer into a bowl and set aside to cool.
Put brinjal mixture, ¼ cup parsley and remaining olive oil in a mixer and grind to a smooth paste. Add vinegar and salt and mix well. Transfer into a serving bowl.
Cut a bun into several slices and toast them in the same pan in which brinjal was cooked so that they soak in the flavour. Transfer them onto a serving platter.
Sprinkle the reserved spring onions and remaining parsley on top of the brinjal spread and serve with toasted bread slices.

Tzatziki

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 0 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Dip

Key Ingredients:

Hung yogurt
Cucumber
Garlic
Black olives
Extra virgin olive oil

Another delicious dip from the Middle East

Ingredients

Hung yogurt (chakka) 1 cup
Medium cucumber, peeled, grated and squeezed to completely drain excess moisture 1
Salt to taste
Garlic cloves, finely chopped 3
Black olives, cut into rings ½ cup
Extra virgin olive oil 3 to 4 tbsps
Garnish
Coriander powder ¼ tsp
Red chilli powder ½ tsp

Methods

Take hung yogurt in a bowl and whisk till creamy. Add cucumber and mix well.
Add salt, garlic and olives and mix well.
Add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and mix well.
Transfer into a serving bowl. Drizzle the remaining oil along the edges of the dip.
Sprinkle red chilli powder and coriander powder.
Serve with pita bread arranged on a serving platter.

Vegetable Queso Fundido Dip

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Dip