Introduction othing can compare with the joy of sitting in the balcony on a cold monsoon's day, hearing the pitter-patter of the raindrops playing with the window sills, and watching the water cascading down the endless skyline. The experience Nwould be incomplete without a plate of hot pakoras to munch! Would watching movies with friends on a lazy Saturday afternoon be the same without a bowl of peanuts or butter popcorn? Would a party ever be complete without a range of rich snacks replete with paneer tikkas, baby corn fries, and all other favourites? Many such times in life, happiness takes precedence over diet, nutrition and other such sensibilities. And nobody is to blame life is to be lived to the fullest! But, what if you could enjoy all these priceless moments, with all your favourite snacks, without compromising on health? Do I see an incredulous look peeping out of your eyes? I tell you, it is not impossible at all and I prove this to you in each of our health books. Pick any dish and you can make it healthy by using the right ingredients and cooking methods. In this book, let me pick the crunchiest and most enticing part of a meal the starters and show you how to go about it. As you explore the five sections of this book on Healthy Starters you will figure out the ways and means of making healthy yet scrumptious snacks. Let us pick all-time favourites ranging from paneer and breads to kebabs and satays, and figure out the right way of handling these items Paneer is like a celestial dancer almost irresistible. Have you ever been faced with a plate of paneer pakoras, and frantically wondered whether to indulge or stick to the noble path of dieting? The dilemma would never arise if the paneer snacks are made intelligently. Check out our first section on Paneer Delights, where we have used low-fat paneer to trim down the calories drastically while still providing you with much-needed calcium. We have also avoided ruinous techniques like deep-frying! Instead, we have used the paneer as a topping in recipes like Red Pepper Triangles with Italian Relish, page 13, or steamed it like in the Steamed Paneer Dumplings with Spicy Sauce, page 23. However, remember that even low-fat paneer is rich fare and has to be had only in moderation! We move on to Veggie Wonders, where we have included multi-nutrient veggies, which not only provide you with loads of vitamins and minerals but also have other health benefits like anti-oxidant power, effect against diabetes, cholesterol, etc.
Feast on low-cal delights like Herbed Cucumber Slices, page 34, and Vegetarian Sushi with Peanut Wasabi Sauce, page 39. Paneer, veggies well, what about the breads? It is always good to have a bread-based snack on the table, since it is a universal food that is liked by people of any nationality. In the Whole Wheat Bread Delicacies that are showcased in this book, we have avoided the use of plain white bread, which is low in fibre and nutrients while being high in calories, and used fibrous and nutrient-rich whole wheat bread instead. A host of vegetables and greens boost the nutritional value further. For example, in the Open Carrot Sandwich, page 41, carrot contributes vitamin A, while mushrooms add a good dose of proteins to the Mushroom Croustadas, page 53. You can also use multi-grain bread to enhance the dishes further. Amongst the Tikkis, Rolls and Kebabs, you will find a range of recipes that'll make you realise that these Indian delicacies can be made without using potatoes, which is normally a key ingredient. Plus, we have also not deep-fried them, which itself reduces the calories by approximately 60 per cent. Ingredients like oats and broccoli used in Oats Tikki with Healthy Green Chutney, page 59, and Broccoli Tikki, page 65, makes these delicacies even healthier. You will find a variety of satays and dips in the Satay Fare section. The delicious dips and sauces we have used make each satay special and scrumptious without the use of fat-laden ingredients. Barbeque sauce used in the easy-to-make Sizzling Pineapple Satay, page 80, and the Crispy Vegetables in Barbeque Sauce, page 83, makes the recipe irresistible, while the Rajma Tikki Satay with Spring Onion Dip, page 89, are all notable in their own unique way. Now, do you agree that it is possible to serve a great variety of delectable and crunchy yet nutritious starters? It is all about choosing the right ingredients, the correct cooking techniques, and applying one's know-how and creativity. Learn these skills and you will never have to compromise on good food. Enjoy every moment, feast to your heart's content and share the joy with others too. Even while hosting a party, pay attention to the nutrition scales when planning the menu let your guests leave satisfied, loaded with health and happiness, and not with a cartload of fat! Best wishes!
Paneer Delights index 1. Grilled Hot and Sweet Paneer... 7 2. Hara Tava Paneer... 11 3. Red Pepper Triangles with Italian Relish... 13 4. Mini Soya Paneer Pancakes... 17 5. Makhmali Paneer Tikka... 19 6. Steamed Paneer Dumplings with Spicy Sauce... 23 Veggie Wonders 1. Pithore... 25 2. Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms... 29 3. Baby Corn Phudina... 31 4. Herbed Cucumber Slices... 34 5. Zucchini Toast... 36 6. Vegetarian Sushi with Peanut Wasabi Sauce... 39 Whole Wheat Bread Delicacies 1. Open Carrot Sandwich... 41 2. Oats Moong Toast... 45 3. Mini Low-Cal Pita Pockets... 47 4. Toasts with Pineapple Dip... 51 5. Mushroom Croustadas... 53 6. Toast with Spinach Dip... 57
Tikkis, Rolls & Kebabs 1. Oats Tikki with Healthy Green Chutney... 59 2. Khumbh ke Kebab... 63 3. Broccoli Tikki... 65 4. Sprouts Tikki... 69 5. Baked Dragon Rolls... 71 6. Spinach and Chana Kebab... 75 Satay Fare 1. Spicy Baby Corn Satay... 77 2. Sizzling Pineapple Satay... 80 3. Crispy Vegetables in Barbeque Sauce... 83 4. Broccoli and Paneer Satay in Red Pepper Sauce... 85 5. Rajma Tikki Satay with Spring Onion Dip... 89 6. Charmoula Vegetable Satay... 91 Basic recipes 1. Low-fat Curds... 94 2. Low-fat Paneer... 95
Herbed Cucumber Slices The all-time favourite Indian cooler, cucumber, is topped with flavoured Lebanese hummus. An innovative and irresistible way to relish the healthy cucumber, this snack can be had at any time of the day. Preparation time: 15 to 17 minutes. Cooking time: 7 to 8 minutes. Makes 20 slices. 1 small red capsicum ¼ tsp oil for greasing 1 cup cooked kabuli chana (chick peas) 1½ tsp lemon juice 1 tbsp thyme 1 tsp crushed garlic (lehsun) 1 tbsp olive oil A pinch freshly ground pepper Salt to taste 1 cup thickly sliced unpeeled cucumber (approx. 20 slices) For the garnish A few sprigs of parsley 1. Apply ¼ tsp of oil evenly over the red capsicum. Pierce it with a fork and roast it over an open medium flame till it turns black. 2. Immerse it immediately in the water and remove the skin, stem and seeds and cut into thin strips. Keep aside for the garnish. 3. Combine all the remaining ingredients, except the cucumber slices and blend in a mixer to a smooth mixture. 4. Arrange the cucumber slices on a flat, dry surface and top each cucumber slice with a little mixture. Serve immediately garnished with red capsicum strips and parsley sprigs. Nutritive values per slice Energy Protein Carbohydrates Fat Fibre Folic acid 23 calories 0.8 gm 2.8 gm 1.0 gm 0.2 gm 8.5 mcg
Herbed Cucumber Slices
Broccoli Tikki This cheesy and crunchy delicacy is sure to steal the hearts of both young and old alike. The dish, otherwise stuffed with mozzarella cheese cubes, is stuffed with low-fat paneer and very little cheese to give it a healthy twist. Preparation time: 15 to 20 minutes. Cooking time: 10 to 15 minutes. Makes 10 tikkis. For the stuffing 3 tbsp grated low-fat paneer (cottage cheese), page 95 1½ tbsp grated mozzarella cheese Other ingredients 2¼ tsp oil ½ cup finely chopped onions 2 tsp finely chopped garlic (lehsun) 4 tsp finely chopped green chillies 1 cup finely chopped broccoli ½ cup boiled, peeled and mashed potatoes 2 tbsp cornflour Salt to taste For serving Red garlic chutney, page 63 or tomato ketchup
For the stuffing 1. Combine the paneer and cheese in a bowl and mix well. 2. Divide the mixture into 10 equal portions and keep aside. How to proceed 1. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a broad non-stick pan, add the onions, garlic and green chillies and sauté on a medium flame till the onions turn translucent. 2. Add the broccoli and sauté on a medium flame for another 4 to 5 minutes or till the broccoli is almost cooked. 3. Remove from the flame, add the potatoes, cornflour, salt and mix well. 4. Divide the mixture into 10 equal portions and shape each portion into flat rounds. 5. Press a little in the centre of each round to make a depression. 6. Place a portion of the prepared filling in the centre of each round and roll again to make a 37 mm. (1½ ) flat round tikki. 7. Heat the oil on a non-stick tava (griddle) and cook the tikkis, using 1/ 8 tsp of oil, till they turn golden brown in colour from both the sides. Serve hot with garlic chutney or tomato ketchup. Nutritive values per tikki Energy Protein Carbohydrates Fat Fibre Calcium 39 calories 1.9 gm 4.4 gm 1.6 gm 0.2 gm 67.5 mg
Broccoli Tikki
Baked Dragon Rolls P ick any dish and you can make it healthy by using the right ingredients and cooking methods. In this book, let me pick the crunchiest and most enticing part of a meal the starters and show you how to go about it. As you explore the five sections of this book on Healthy Starters you will figure out the ways and means of making healthy yet scrumptious snacks. From Paneer Delights like Red Pepper Triangles with Italian Relish, page 13, to Veggie Wonders like Herbed Cucumber Slices, page 34. From Whole Wheat Bread Delicacies like Open Carrot Sandwich, page 41, to irresistible Tikkis, Rolls and Kebabs like Oats Tikki with Healthy Green Chutney, page 59, not to forget mouth-watering Satay Fare like the Sizzling Pineapple Satay, page 80, all the recipes in this book are notable in their own unique way. Learn the skills imparted in this book and you will never have to compromise on good food! Enjoy every moment, feast to your heart s content and share the joy with others too. Best wishes! Padma Shri awardee, Mrs Tarla Dalal is India's best selling author in any field, with over 5 million cookbooks sold to date. Her website, www.tarladalal.com is India s largest food site with over 5 lakhs members. She is also the first to launch a bi-monthly food magazine, Cooking & More, which is the best selling cookery magazine in India, under her own name. ISBN 978-93-80392-09-7 Let s connect, http://www.facebook.com/pages/tarladalal/207464147348