What evening snack can we make without breaking too much sweat? At times, you want something light, while at others, you feel like having something filling. Sometimes, the climate and the mood decide the choice of the snack. You may also feel a craving for something different or a street-food-style chaat item. The health concerns, the cravings, and the need for a quickie snack all need to be balanced. It’s not a tough task if one puts their mind to it. There are more than enough quickie snacks that can be rustled up for two people. Check out our spread below.
Oats Poha Bhel Puri
Bhel Puri happens to be one of the most sought-after street snacks in India, and it is easy to make. Each household may also have its variation of this popular Indian evening snack. However, you could as well give it a healthy twist by bringing in some minor changes. Instead of using only Bhel, mix it up with some Poha and oats to make it a healthy snack. So, use thin poha and oats in equal quantities and use half the quantity of murmura (1:1:1/2).
Join Now >
Fry the Oats, Poha, and Bhel for a few minutes in a wide pan to make them crisp. Then add the regular mixing stuff like chopped onion, tomato, coriander leaves, green chillies or chilli powder, salt, and lemon juice. Toss it and mix it well. You may also add a tablespoonful of coriander pudina chutney and tamarind chutney if you have it. This gives it a nice khaara cum tangy, sweet taste that makes for a perfect evening snack.
Sandwiches
A few slices of bread and some regular stuff from your refrigerator can be turned into yummy sandwiches for a filling evening snack. If you have a sandwich grill, nothing like it because that gives it a special twist. A combination of finely chopped vegetables like cucumber, onion, tomato, capsicum, etc., can be used for the filling. All you need is to toss these veggies with salt, pepper, and any other pizza topping like chilli flakes that may take your fancy.
If you have coriander/pudina chutney, use it as a spread, place a cheese slice over it, spread the vegetable filling, and grill it. If you don’t like cheese slices and instead love the grated cheese as topping for an open sandwich, you could do it on a Tawa. You could even use corn, cabbage, carrot, sprouts, etc. Every Indian household favourite Paneer and potato can be also be used for the sandwich if that is what takes your fancy.
Rava Appe
Rava or Sooji is a versatile Indian ingredient that can be quickly rustled up into many dishes like Upma, Dosa, Idli, Kesari, and Kheer. It can also be made into appe or paniyaram for a quickie evening snack. This recipe is instant and healthy and only needs few veggies available at home. Mix Sooji and curd in equal quantities and set aside for ten minutes.
Mix one small finely chopped onion, 1/4 cup of grated carrot, one finely chopped green chilli, and a few sprigs of coriander leaves into this mixture. Add water and salt as required to make it into a thick idli-like batter. You could also add a seasoning of mustard, jeera, and curry leaves into it for a better flavour. Heat the appe pan, grease it with oil, and put a spoonful of the mixture into each depression. Cover and cook till the underside turns slightly brown, turn over and cook again.
Rice Cutlet
Do you have some leftover rice from the lunch that you do not want to carry over for tomorrow? You could easily turn it into a yummy evening snack! Mash one cup of cooked rice along with one big boiled potato in a mixing bowl. Add salt, chopped onion, chillies, and coriander leaves. You may also add jeera powder, ginger garlic paste, garam masala, and amchur, etc. Next, add a bit of cornflour/ rice flour/gram flour (besan) to mix well to hold shape, make small balls and flatten them. These could be shallow fried in a pan with a little oil for a tasty evening snack.
