Crazy about Appetizers

The appetizer is what attracts me the most at any restaurant or dinner party. I'm perfectly content ordering appetizers without an entrée because I love being able to taste a little bit of everything. South Asian appetizers are especially mouth-watering. My favorite is the classic samosa, a fried triangular piece of pastry filled with a savory combination of potatoes, peas and spices, served with tangy tamarind-date sauce.

Anything made with paneer also ranks high. Paneer is a fresh non-melting cheese made by curdling heated cow's milk with lemon juice. Paneer takes on any flavor you add to it so there are hundreds of dishes made with it.

If you've traveled to South Asian countries you can't miss the street vendors. Although I've never tried the food served by these vendors, I've always been tempted by the amazing aromas. The dishes served up often tend to be on the lighter side, like roasted corn or puffed rice mixed with onion, tomatoes and chutneys. One thing that I have tried is raw guava slices sprinkled with a variety of spices. I instantly became addicted to the way the raw fruit’s tartness blended with the spices to dance on my tongue. Here in the U.S., raw guava is difficult to find so it can be substituted with other tart fruits in recipes.

This month, try two of my favorite appetizers, tava paneer and sweet and spicy grapefruit.

Tava Paneer
Makes four servings

Ingredients
Paneer - chopped into 1-inch cubes - available ready-made in the refrigerated section at most South Asian markets or you can make your own using this recipe: See the second recipe in http://abcdlady.com/2007-05/art8.php
1 red onion - chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 green pepper - chopped into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic - roughly chopped
1 1/2 inch ginger - grated
2 green chilies - roughly chopped
4 tablespoons cilantro - chopped
2 cups Greek style yogurt - available at most markets, I used 2%
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ajwain - also known as carom seed or bishop's weed, available at most South Asian markets
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil

Instructions

1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the salt and yogurt. Whip until smooth.

2. Heat a small pan on medium flame. Add black peppercorns, cumin seeds and ajwain. Dry roast until you start smelling the aroma of the spices (about 3 to 4 minutes). Cool.

3. Using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the roasted spices together into a coarse powder. Add this powder to the whipped yogurt.

4. In a blender or food processor, blend together the garlic, ginger, chilies and two tablespoons of chopped cilantro. Blend with one teaspoon of water until a thick paste forms. Add more water if necessary. Add this paste to the yogurt. Mix until well-combined.

5. Add the cubed paneer, chopped red onion and chopped green pepper to the yogurt mixture. Mix until everything is well coated. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

6. Remove from refrigerator and discard any excess marinade.

7. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high flame. Add the paneer, onions and green pepper. You should hear a sizzle. Stir the ingredients around so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.

8. After about five minutes, some of the marinade will start to settle in the pan. Spoon out the marinade since you don't want the paneer to get too soggy.

9. Continue to cook the paneer, onions and green pepper while stirring for about three to four minutes. They will start to turn slightly golden brown. Turn off the heat.

10. Transfer the mixture to a serving platter. Garnish with remaining two tablespoons of chopped cilantro.

11. Serve hot and enjoy.

Tips/Suggestions
- You may have to cook the paneer, onions and green pepper in multiple batches depending on the size of your skillet. Since this dish tastes best when served hot, if you're making this in multiple batches, keep the prepared paneer on a pan in a 250 degree oven while you're preparing the rest.

- You can add more green chilies to make this dish spicier.

- The paneer can be replaced with chicken for a non-vegetarian option. Just make sure to cook the chicken all the way through (there should be no pinkness inside).

- This appetizer can easily be turned into a quick meal by putting the paneer-red onion-green pepper combination inside a chapatti and rolling it up. Chapatti is unleavened bread made from wheat flour similar to a tortilla.

Sweet and Spicy Grapefruit
Makes four servings

Most people wouldn't think of serving grapefruit as an appetizer but this recipe kicks it up a few notches and definitely makes it appetizer-worthy. Most appetizers tend to be very rich and guests end up indulging themselves and then they're not hungry for the main course. Grapefruit with a sweet and spicy kick is a healthy and refreshing option.

Ingredients
2 ruby red grapefruits
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions
1. In a small bowl, combine the salt, sugar, red chili powder and ground cumin.

2. Cut each grapefruit into 8 segments, leaving the peel on.

3. Sprinkle all the segments with the spice blend.

4. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Tips/Suggestions
- You can adjust the spice blend to your taste by adding more or less of any of the individual spices. You can even try adding chaat masala for slightly different flavor. Chaat masala is a spice mix that usually consists of dried mango powder, black salt, ground cumin, dried ginger, black pepper and asafoetida. It is available at most South Asian markets.

- This spice blend tastes great with different fruit, not just grapefruit. Try it on oranges, green apples, raw mangoes, raw guava and tomatoes. The tartness of these fruits combined with the sweet and spicy flavors of the spices is what makes this dish so mouthwatering.

Priya Sastry calls Chicago her home. Inspired by her grandmother, she feels that cooking is a great way to connect to her rich Indian heritage. When not out experiencing the great flavors the Windy City has to offer, she enjoys concocting her own recipes in the kitchen. Fortunately, her husband doesn't mind being her taste-tester! Priya can be contacted at priyasastry@yahoo.com.