Dinner With Friends: Halloween Edition

A head's up. There will be no recipes today. 

I threw a simple dinner for my friends as we geared up for the Halloween festivities. Not that it is culturally required but why waste a chance to watch scary movies, gouge down plentiful of comfort food and have a gala time at it.

So just to let you guys, this is what me and my friends had and the movies we saw while having the food.

Call of the Middle-East: Hummus

I am going to go out on a limb here and say I never had hummus before I landed in Bangalore. It was just something that was not as easily available in the densely Bengali world of Kolkata.

Though late, I lapped up the opportunity of savouring Lebanese and Middle-eastern food once I got exposed to it.

So you might ask, why Hummus? First of all, it is dang easy. So easy that you can say hummus and be ready with a spread to be had in less than 5 minutes.
Second, adding the caramelised onion and garlic like I did here, makes this hummus so delicious that you can base an entire meal around it without missing any protein.

Throw in a salad and get yourself some pita bread (ideally) or crackers and get into the world of this Mediterranean/ Middle-Eastern delight.

The Hot And Cold Chocolate Day

Is there anything more alluring than chocolate? I ask because although I am not a fan of chocolate in desserts (there are so many other flavours to explore), and hence don't use chocolate as much in my day to day cooking, you cannot deny its power.
So why not up the ante even further. Pair a gorgeously decadent dark chocolate fudge cake with a deliciously creamy and luscious white chocolate ice cream.
You can always choose a lighter option like whipped cream flavoured with white chocolate to go with the cake but this is what I whipped up for a recent dinner. So here's the recipe for both.

The Curry Delight

Chicken Keema Curry

The Spicy food that we Indians generally have is quite an addictive food pattern. Once you have gone the spicy way, and your tongue starts relishing the heat of the magic-box spices, there's no going back. Although there is one tiny problem. Some of the most alluring dishes are definitely time consuming to make. Plus, what about the novice cook or people just getting introduced to Indian cooking? 

My answer is mince chicken. Easy to eat, easy to make and so very versatile. Its absolutely idiot proof. So what are you waiting for? Just follow this simple recipe and start your 20 mins dinner plans today.

From Choux to Gougeres (Cheese Puff)

Cheese Puffs

I know making an eclairs or a profiterole seems pretty daunting. That baked dough with the airy texture might seem very elusive to the unseasoned baker. Yet, the heart wants them anyway. So here's what I make when I feel like eating something light and cheesy and wonderfully yummy!

So you have to master the basic choux pastry technique. I would say, stop worrying about names and just delve into the utter brilliance of these cheesy delicacy.

I have used Gruyère cheese for this recipe.  You can play around with a variety of cheeses like Romano and Parmesan, to see which of them tastes the best for you.

I have had quite a bit of success with adding cooked Bacon bits and goats cheese to the dough. In fact go wild and make it according to what suits your taste bud.