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home » recipes » starters

starters

Snacks or starters are often bought from street vendors, but many of these can be easily made at home. These recipes are some simple dishes to start a meal.

Many of these recipes could also be served as the basis of a light meal.

a platter of onion bhaji

onion bhaji

Onion bhaji are one of the great staters or snacks. The trick to making vengaya bhaji is to ensure there is more onion than batter.

three differently coloured capsicums stuffed with paneer

paneer stuffed capsicums

Spiced paneer stuffed capsicums, bharwan simla mirch, are perfect for a vegetable dish on their own, as part of a feast, or as a starter.

a serving plate of crisp fried spinach with chaaat dressings

spinach chaat

A dish from the street-vendor tradition of Delhi. Palak chaat is made from crispy fried spinach leaves and chaat dressings.

pieces of tandoori chicken

tandoori chicken

The classic North Indian tandoori chicken. Originally from Persia, it is not hot, but has a gentle and subtle spice background. Part of the flavour comes from the slightly charred outside of the chicken.

a bowl, with Parsi scrambled eggs and a roti

Parsi scrambled eggs

Scrambled eggs done the Parsi way. Akoori can be served at breakfast, as a snack, for lunch, or for a light evening meal.

a bowl of fruit chaat

fruit chaat

Fruit chaat, or phala chaat, is a mix of fruits, tossed with potatoes and chaat masala.

two masala dosa on a plate with serving dish of coconut chutney

masala dosa

Masala dosa - spiced potato in rice and lentil crepes - are one of life's great joys. Simple, easy, fast and ca be served as a starter, snack, lunch or as a light dinner.

a bowl of mussels, cooked in recheado masala, with a portuguese dinner roll

Goan mussels

Goan mussels is a slightly hot Portuguese-inspired dish. Xinaneao recheado can be served as a starter, a snack, or even a main meal.

a plate of fish tikka pieces

fish tikka

This fish tikka, or Maachi tikka, is simple fried marinated fish dish. Easy to make and can be prepared overnight then finished just before serving. It is a very Mumbai-style dish.

paneer tikka, marinated in green chutney, on a serving plate

green paneer tikka

Green paneer tikka, or paneer pudina tikka is a great starter or finger food for cocktails. The marinade is fresh, aromatic and has quite a chilli hit.

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  • essays
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  • ingredients
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    • accompaniments
    • baking
    • basics
    • breads
    • breakfasts
    • desserts
    • drinks
    • eggs
    • fish and seafood
    • meat and poultry
    • rice, pulao and biryani
    • salads
    • snacks
    • soups
    • starters
    • vegetarian
  • techniques
© 2015-2023 Keith Pfeiffer
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