Appetizers Archives - Little Spice Jar

Crispy Feta Cheese Filo Pastry Spirals

Marzia — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 11:30:00 +0000

Crispy Feta Cheese Filo Pastry Spirals are insanely delicious! Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake until golden brown and crispy. Drizzle them with hot honey for a deliciously cheesy treat!

The crispy feta cheese filo pastry spirals your guests will go bonkers for!

Imagine this: butter-basted sheets of filo loaded with a combination of crumbled feta cheese and shredded mozzarella made into a perfect swirl. Then we’ll drizzle more melted butter and bake it in a dish until they’re perfectly flakey and golden.

Ugh! These take me right back to Greece! We had these filo pastry wrapped feta parcels as an appetizer in Mykonos a few years back. They were made with sheep’s milk feta and sprinkled with herbs like fresh thyme. And honestly, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Greek dishes like Spinach Puff Pastry inspired by Spanakopita, Baklava, and of course, Saganaki, but when you want something cheesy and delicious, phyllo-wraped feta is honestly the crispiest thing to enjoy.

Can I also say that these remind me of Turkish Börek? I can’t tell you how much cheese stuffed in phyllo dough we had in Turkey. The taste is incredible!

If you’re sensing a theme here, that I travel to eat food, you would be correct in assuming that!

Ingredients for Feta Cheese Filo Pastry:

Feta Cheese: You can crumble a block of feta for this recipe or purchase crumbled feta. If you buy feta packed in brine, I suggest draining it and letting it dry a bit on a paper towel so that the brine doesn’t cause the delicate sheet of phyllo to tear when you fold it.
Shredded Mozzarella: Combining the two cheeses adds a different flavor profile. I tried the recipe with feta cheese alone and found it wasn’t as delicious as when I added mozzarella into the mix. Feel free to cut back on some feta and mozzarella and introduce a third (or, dare I say, fourth) type of cheese into the mix.
Phyllo Pastry: you’ll want to work quickly with filo sheets. I like to use a damp towel to cover the sheets of phyllo dough while rolling. This keeps them from drying out and makes folding a bit easier.
Butter: You can use both unsalted and salted butter for this recipe. The only caveat is that if your cheese has a lot of salt, I suggest using unsalted butter to curb some of the saltiness. If you’re serving this with honey, salted butter yields better results by balancing the sweetness better.
Sesame Seeds: These are for sprinkling on top before baking. Feel free to omit the sesame seeds or use black sesame seeds here if that’s what you like!
Honey: It is completely optional. The phyllo-wrapped feta we had in Greece was always served drizzled with honey. But I somewhat enjoyed the Turkish Börek swirls a bit more, and those never had honey! Also, you can use homemade or store-bought hot honey or regular honey for this recipe.

How to make the most delicious Greek feta cheese in phyllo:

Start the prep. Start by preheating the oven and melt the first batch of butter in the microwave. We’ll use this for brushing. In a bowl, combine the crumbled feta and shredded mozzarella and mix as best as you can. Spray your baking dish with cooking spray; alternately, you can line it with parchment paper to keep the rolls from sticking.
Fill up the rolls. Lay a sheet of phyllo pastry in front of you on a clean work surface. You’ll want to cover the remaining stack of phyllo sheets with a damp towel to keep them from drying out. Then brush the single sheet of phyllo with melted butter. Buttering the layers helps them bake up extra crispy. Then fold the sheet over in half. Sprinkle with roughly 2-3 tablespoons worth of the cheese mixture. Start rolling the phyllo over the filling until you reach the other end.
Wrap it up. Then twist one side of the phyllo dough together to create a coil. You’ll want to keep twisting until you have a ‘cinnamon roll-like’ wrap. Place this in the prepared baking pan and continue wrapping the remaining phyllo the same way.
Bake until golden. Melt the remaining butter in a small bowl. Drizzle or brush the rolls with this. Then sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Cook them in a preheated oven until they’re golden and crispy.
Drizzle and serve. Drizzle the rolls with hot honey if you’d like. Doing this while they’re hot out of the oven does cause the rolls to soften slightly, so you may want to drizzle once they are slightly cooled.

FAQs about this recipe

Can I use a variety of cheese in these rolls?

My recipe is inspired by Trader Joe’s Greek Spirals. They use a variety of cheeses to make those, so I’m confident you can swap some of the cheese for different kinds. Here are some to try: Goat cheese, gouda, blue cheese, white cheddar, akawi, provolone, and gruyere.

Greek baked feta parcels typically are speckled with herbs; how would I do that?

You can use a tablespoon of fresh thyme, oregano, some chopped parsley, a tablespoon of chopped dill, or a combination of all four to make these a bit more flavorful on the inside. Feel free to add a little black pepper too! It works beautifully with the honey drizzle!

Can I bake more than one box of phyllo dough at a time?

Yes, I suggest using a large baking sheet (the way you would for a large batch of cinnamon rolls) Place the rolls so that the seam side is tucked, either into the baking tray or to the roll next to it so that it doesn’t unravel during baking. The baking time increases if you make a larger batch, but just look for them to turn golden brown and crispy!

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Yield: makes 12-14 rolls

Crispy Feta Cheese Filo Pastry Spirals

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Crispy Feta Cheese Filo Pastry Spirals are insanely delicious! Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake until golden brown and crispy. Drizzle them with hot honey for a deliciously cheesy treat!

Ingredients

12 ounces crumbled feta
8 ounces shredded mozzarella
1 (16-ounce) box phyllo pastry dough, thawed
13 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for topping
hot honey or regular honey, optional

Instructions

PREP: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Melt 10 tablespoons of butter in the microwave until liquid. In a bowl, combine the crumbled feta and shredded mozzarella cheese.
BASTE: Lay a sheet of phyllo pastry in front of you on a clean work surface. Cover the remaining stack of phyllo sheets with a damp towel to keep them from drying out. Brush a single sheet with butter. Fold one side of the sheet to create a half sheet.
FILL: Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons worth of cheese mixture one inch from the border of the phyllo sheet. Start by rolling the phyllo over the filling and continue to roll until you reach the other end.
WRAP: Twist one side of the phyllo dough to create a coil. Gently but firmly twist the phyllo to create a 'cinnamon roll swirl' and wrap the phyllo (see post photos.) Place the wrapped roll in an 8x12 or 9x13 baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray and lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and cheese mixture.
BAKE: Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the same bowl. Evenly drizzle or brush the butter all over the rolls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake for 48-56 minutes or until golden and crispy.
DRIZZLE: Drizzle the feta spirals with hot honey once they cool slightly, if desired. Serve while they’re still slightly warm!

Roasted Garlic Potato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

Marzia — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 10:30:00 +0000

A creamy and luxurious Roasted Garlic Potato Soup. When you roast garlic it becomes sweet, not harsh at all! We’re adding it to a smooth and silky potato soup and the flavor is just out of this world!

I am so in love with this soup.

This velvety smooth roasted garlic potato soup has got me falling head over heels with every bite I take. Warm and creamy bites of potato soup with hints of roasted garlic, sauteed leeks, and onions, topped with gruyere grilled cheese croutons. It’s so smooth that it feels like you’re sippin’ on silk! It’s the ultimate comfort food!

It’s no secret that soups are some of my all-time favorite food to make. I have an overabundance of soup recipes here on LSJ. But honestly… can you ever have enough soup recipes?

And if you look at my soups and stews you’ll find one thing in common – almost all of them have one thing in common. They don’t always contain potatoes. *gasp*

I have a strong suspicion that I consumed a lifetime’s worth of potatoes before I turned 5. Because all of a sudden, potatoes became my least favorite food. In my thirties, I’ve learned to love them again so don’t worry cheesy potato recipes like my cheddar mashed potatoes with definitely be coming around more often!

Moving along… One of the key components in this recipe is the roasted garlic. It’s the absolute best part about this roasted garlic potato soup, other than the parmesan, and all the aromatics we use. I love how just a simple 40 minutes in the oven really brings out all the sweeter notes in garlic. It’s not pungent or offensive, but rather mild, sweet, and a more well-rounded flavor. Each sip of this silky-smooth potato soup is like a little dance across your tongue.

It honestly tastes divine! But don’t worry, if you too have an aversion to potatoes, I make a mean roasted cauliflower soup with truffle oil that you can try instead!

Ingredients for roasted garlic potato soup:

Garlic: Start by slicing the top of a whole head of garlic and exposing the cloves of garlic. We’ll season, wrap this in foil, and roast it for this roasted garlic soup recipe.
Potatoes: I prefer to use russet potatoes for my leek and potato soup recipe. You can use other types of potatoes, such as Yukon gold potatoes, but the starchiness of russet potatoes really helps make this recipe extra smooth. We’ll boil the potatoes until fork tender before adding them to the soup.
Butter and Olive Oil: We’ll saute the aromatics in the butter and use the olive oil to drizzle on the garlic before we roast it in the oven.
Onions and Leeks: These are the aromatics that add tons of flavor to the soup. We’ll saute them in butter to really bring out all that natural flavor as they slightly brown.
Flour: Helps thicken the soup. In the past, I’ve used a bit more flour than you find in the recipe now. I find a slightly thinner soup is more my preference!
Chicken Broth: I typically use homemade chicken broth or chicken stock but vegetable broth would also work for this recipe.
Milk and Heavy Cream: milk and heavy cream add creaminess and a smoother taste and texture to the bowls of warm soup. We’ll add these ingredients at the end and then let them simmer and warm through before we use the immersion blender to blend the soup.
Thyme and Chives: the thyme adds flavor to the soup and the chives are a nice garnish to this roasted garlic potato soup recipe!
Parmesan cheese: adds nuttiness that plays up beautifully with roasted garlic and all the other ingredients in this comforting soup.
Gruyere and bread: These ingredients are entirely optional and really only necessary if you want to make the gruyere grilled cheese croutons to serve on top of your soup recipe. You could even use sharp cheddar cheese or other types if you like something else in your grilled cheese sandwiches.
Seasonings: You’ll need both kosher salt and black pepper for the seasonings.

How to make roasted garlic potato soup:

Roast the garlic. Preheat the oven. Slice off the top of the garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Wrap garlic head in foil, place on a baking tray, and roast until garlic is tender. Let the garlic head cool to room temperature before attempting to squeeze it out.
Bring to a boil. While the garlic is roasting, bring a large saucepan of water to boiling. Add the whole potatoes and boil them until they’re tender. Allow them to cool, peel, and then dice them to add to the soup later. You can also make the potatoes a day in advance, and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge before peeling them. It’s a great way to speed up total time on the day you make this!
Saute the aromatics. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and leeks and saute until the onions and leeks soften and turn translucent.
Make the soup. Lower to medium heat, add the flour, and cook until the flour is lightly golden. Add the broth, milk, cream, thyme, salt and pepper. Let the soup reach a boil then simmer until it starts to thicken. Add the potatoes, and squeeze in the roasted garlic, add the parmesan cheese.
Blend the soup. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. You can also do this in a traditional blender by transferring and blending in batches. If the soup is thick for your liking, add more chicken broth according to preference, you might need up to 1 cup. Stir the soup, give it one last taste, and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
Serving. Transfer the soup into bowls from the dutch oven. Top with parmesan cheese, chives, crackers, or with Gruyère grilled cheese croutons (recipe in notes.)

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Original recipe posted Feb 2015, updated Oct 2023.

Yield: 5-6 servings

Roasted Garlic Potato Soup

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

1 head of garlic, whole
1 teaspoon olive oil
1¾ pounds russet potatoes, peeled
4 tablespoons salted butter
1 cup white onions, chopped
1 leek, cleaned/thinly sliced (whites and light greens)
3 tablespoons flour
4-5 cups low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable)
1 cup whole milk (or 2%)
¼ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon fresh thyme (¼ if dry)
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt + pepper to taste
Chopped chives or grilled cheese croutons for topping (see notes)

Instructions

ROAST: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF. Slice off the top of the garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Wrap garlic head in foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast for 40-45 minutes or until garlic is tender. Let cool before squeezing.
BOIL: While the garlic is roasting, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the peeled potatoes and boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, and cube.
SAUTE: Melt the butter in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and leeks and saute for 6-8 minutes or until the onions and leeks soften and turn translucent.
MAKE SOUP: lower the heat to medium, add the flour, and cook for 60-90 seconds or until the flour is lightly golden. Add the 4 cups broth, milk, cream, thyme, a 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper. Let the soup reach a boil then allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes until it starts to thicken. Add the potatoes, squeeze in the roasted garlic, and parmesan cheese.
BLEND: Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. You can also do this in a traditional blender by transferring and blending in batches. If the soup is thick for your liking, add more chicken broth according to preference; you might need up to 1 cup. Taste and adjust with seasonings as desired.
SERVE: serve in bowls topped with parmesan cheese, chives, crackers, or with Gruyère grilled cheese croutons (recipe in notes.)

Notes

Grilled Cheese Croutons: Grab 4 slices of white country bread and spread with a couple tablespoons of unsalted butter on both sides. Add grated Gruyère cheese (about ¼ cup to each) to two of the slices. Top with the cheese-less slices and cook the grilled cheese sandwiches in a warm skillet or panini press until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, let rest for several seconds and cut into 1-inch croutons. Top soup and enjoy!
Roasted Garlic Vs. Leeks: If you want this to have a very prominent roasted garlic flavor, I suggest maybe even doubling up on the roasted garlic and using less of the leeks or omitting them entirely. 1 head of garlic with the leeks does give this a balanced flavor where the garlic or leeks work harmoniously. If you want it to be extra garlicky, use more garlic!

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (+ Stuffed Avocados)

Marzia — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail stuffed into avocados with tons of veggies in a spicy sauce. Serve Mexican Shrimp Cocktail with tortilla chips or stuff into avocados – sure to become a summer dinner favorite! Just 7 grams of net carbs in this dinner recipe!

STUFFED AVOCADOS.

Say what?! Mexican shrimp cocktail stuffed avocados are everything. Hands-down the best warm weather no-cook dinner.

Those buttery, delicious avocados are cut in half and filled with a simple combination of shrimp, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, and a tomato-based spicy, tangy sauce. Okay, so you could also call this Mexican-style shrimp ceviche, only I’m terrified when shrimp cooks in lime or lemon juice, so like a chicken, I always use cooked shrimp to begin with.

To be completely honest with you, this was supposed to be a recipe for shrimp cocktail stuffed avocados. You know, the kind of American shrimp cocktail that consists of just shrimp and cocktail sauce. The idea quickly expanded into Mexican shrimp cocktail stuffed avocados where vegetables play a decent enough role. Not only do these avocado boats look prettier with all that veggie color, but they also make for a beautiful appetizer at a party. And I’ll also add that they contain just 7 grams of net carbs and a whopping 14 grams of fiber.

Talk about nice and filling!

What’s the difference between ceviche and shrimp cocktail?

Mexican shrimp cocktail typically starts with cooked shrimp and is a combination of a sweet, spicy, and tangy tomato-based sauce with lots of chopped vegetables. Ceviche usually starts with raw shrimp or fish and isn’t as hearty as a shrimp cocktail.

Ingredients for coctel de camarones:

Shrimp: You can cook your own shrimp at home or purchase them precooked, it’s entirely up to you. If I’m cooking them at home, I like to peel and devein the shrimp. Then I’ll heat a pot of water to boiling, add in some lemon juice, and a generous sprinkle of kosher salt, and poach them for no longer than 45-60 seconds depending on the side. Remove the shrimp to an ice water bath and let them chill out. Chop them into bite-sized pieces.
Tomatoes: I typically use Roma tomatoes here, but it’s totally up to you! Dice them into the same size as the shrimp. Substitutions for Roma tomatoes would be cherry or grape tomatoes. Tomato juice mixes with the cocktail sauce, hot sauce, and horseradish and makes the most flavorful mix!
Cucumbers: Crunchy cucumbers add freshness to the mix.
Red Onions: Add a bit of a bite that works beautifully with sweet shrimp.
Jalapenos: You can also use serrano peppers for this recipe. Make sure to remove the seeds and ribs if you’re worried about the heat level!
Cilantro: Adds freshness to the dish. If you aren’t a fan of cilantro, you can leave it out if you’d like.
Cocktail Sauce: Cocktail sauce adds a bit of that horseradish-y kick. Feel free to use a splash of clamato juice instead of the cocktail sauce if that’s more your thing. Ketchup will make a decent substitute and has similar ingredients. Especially if you up the cayenne and the hot sauce by just a tad bit. I do find the horseradish also helps provide that flavor profile we all love about shrimp cocktail, so definitely add that too!
Hot Sauce: You can use Valentina, Tapatio, Cholula, or any other hot sauce you typically have at home. Use a couple of dashes or more if you prefer a spicier shrimp cocktail!
Lime juice: Ceviche and Mexican shrimp cocktail needs that hit of acid to balance out the heat and the sweetness of the shrimp.
Cayenne pepper or horseradish: These ingredients add a kick! The cayenne pepper can be limited if you’re worried about the spice level.
Salt and Pepper: These are pretty self-explanatory!
Avocados: You can dice up the avocados and then add them to the shrimp cocktail if you’re serving this with tortilla chips or saltine crackers. For parties, I’d serve them in avocado halves as an appetizer or a light summer dinner!

Making my Mexican Shrimp Cocktail Recipe:

Cook the shrimp. Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Add in a squeeze of lemon (you can toss in the peel too afterwards) and a generous sprinkle of salt. Slowly lower the shrimp into the water and let them cook through for 45-60 seconds or until they’re opaque and curled into a ‘c’ shape. Drain and add them to an ice water bath and let them cool completely. Then, chop the shrimp into bite-sized pieces.
Mix the Mexican shrimp cocktail. In a large bowl, combine the chopped shrimp, add the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and cilantro. Then in a small bowl combine cocktail sauce, jalapeno, hot sauce, lime juice, cayenne, horseradish, salt, and black pepper. Stir until all the ingredients come together. Pour the cocktail mixture over the other ingredients and stir to combine. Then cover and refrigerate the shrimp cocktail for a minimum of 30 minutes so that the flavors all come together.
Serve it up in avocados. If you’re serving these in avocados, cut them in half and remove the seed. You can scoop out a bit of the avocado so that you can fill it up more if you prefer. I typically just dice and add the scooped avocado to the cocktail mixture. And finally, serve with tortilla chips on the side!

FAQs about this recipe:

Can I grill the avocados?

You can brush the avocados with a little bit of olive oil, generously sprinkle with some salt, and then throw them on the grill to give them some summer lovin’. Grill marks make everything taste that much better. With this Texas heat, I take my avocados cold straight from the fridge and pile them high with Mexican shrimp cocktail!

What does cocktail sauce contain?

Cocktail sauce has ketchup, lemon juice, horseradish, hot sauce, and usually Worcestershire sauce as well.

What to expect?

Creamy avocados piled high with homemade shrimp cocktail. That first bite has a little bit of everything. The heat from the ceviche mellows out nice and smooth on your tongue when paired with the avocado. And hey, I get if avocado boats aren’t your thing. You can easily dice up the avocados, combine them with the rest of the shrimp cocktail ingredients and serve it in a clear glass bowl.

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

Mexican Shrimp Salad
Blackened Shrimp Tacos with Smashed Avocados
Garlicky Hawaiian Shrimp Scampi
Crispy Baja Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle Mayo
Mediterranean Shrimp Orzo Salad
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Recipe originally shared July 2017, updated August 2023.

Yield: 10-12 stuffed avocado halves

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (+ Stuffed Avocados)

Prep Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound cooked shrimp, chopped
1 cup chopped tomatoes (I remove the seeds)
½ cup diced cucumbers
½ cup diced red onions
1 jalapeno, deseeded and diced (see notes)
¼ cup chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons shrimp cocktail sauce
2 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Tapatio or Cholula)
2-3 tablespoons lime juice
1-2 teaspoons prepared horseradish, optional
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon EACH: kosher salt AND sugar
¼ teaspoon black pepper
5-6 avocados

Instructions

COMBINE: In a large bowl, combine the chopped shrimp, and add the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, jalapeno, and cilantro.
MIX: In a small bowl combine cocktail sauce, hot sauce, lime juice, cayenne, 1 tsp horseradish, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Stir until all the ingredients come together. Taste and adjust with more horseradish, sugar, or hot sauce as desired. Pour the cocktail sauce mixture over the chopped ingredients. If you aren’t serving the cocktail in avocados, you can dice 1 avocado and add it to the shrimp cocktail if you’d like. Stir to combine.
COOL: Cover and refrigerate the shrimp cocktail for a minimum of 15 minutes and ideally, 30 minutes if time allows. This allows all the flavors to come together.
SERVE: Serve the shrimp cocktail in a bowl with lots of tortilla chips on the side. Or you can serve in avocados. Cut them in half and remove the seed. You can scoop out a bit of the avocado flesh so that you can fill it up more if you prefer. Fill the avocados and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

To make this spicier you can up the number of jalapenos to two or three.
Like your cocktail saucier? You can up the amount of cocktail sauce you use! I typically like to use ⅓ cup cocktail sauce when I'm serving these with tortilla chips. I use less when I'm serving these in avocados!

Spicy California Sushi Nachos (aka Wonton Nachos!)

Marzia — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Spicy California Sushi Nachos are the perfect poolside snack! Crispy wonton chips topped with sushi grade salmon or ahi tuna and loaded with avocados, cucumbers, and drizzled with sriracha mayo and wasabi cream sauce. These loaded sushi nachos are sure to become a fave!

Comin’ at you with some poolside eats today!

These California-inspired sushi nachos are some of the best things to enjoy in the summertime! I may not own a pool, but that doesn’t mean I don’t dream about all the snacky snacks I would make if I did have one. Each bite is filled with crunchy, deliciously sweet and spicy sauce, loaded with veggies, and protein.

I love to drizzle a batch of crispy wonton nachos with sriracha mayo and my homemade wasabi sauce. To make sushi nachos, you can use crabsticks, cooked shrimp, or load it up with ahi tuna or sashimi-grade salmon. Use all of the protein that I’m using or just a few.

@littlespicejar Sushi Nachos with Wonton Chips Full recipe linked in my profile and on littlespicejar.com #sushinacho #sushi #foodtok #wontonnachos #wonton #sushiroll #poolparty #easyrecipes #nigiri ♬ Sweet Sunset – Tollan Kim & dulai

You can even skip the protein all together and use carrot sticks in place to make this a true California Roll-inspired nacho bowl. The options are totally endless! Sprinkle furikake and green onions at the end to give it a nice texture on top. Avocados and cucumbers totally make this a complete meal if you want it to be!

I totally want it to be!

Ingredients for California Roll Sushi Nachos:

Wonton Wrappers: You’ll need a pack of wonton wrappers for this recipe. I cut the wonton wrappers in half diagonally (feel free to cut them into fourths if you’d like) and fry them off in avocado, canola, or vegetable oil until they’re golden brown. Drain the wonton wrappers on a paper towel-lined plate. You can also do this a couple of days in advance and keep them in an airtight container until you’re ready to serve. In a pinch, you could even use tortilla chips but wonton wrappers to taste a 1000x better!
Seafood: You can use any of these or all of these! Just know that you can make these California roll-inspired sushi nachos with whatever you like. All together you want at least 1 heaping cup of protein. I’m using some sashimi or sushi-grade salmon, imitation crabsticks that I’ve shredded, and cooked ebi (or shrimp.) Be sure to chop all of the seafood so that you get a little bit in each bite. You can also omit the seafood, double up on the cucumber, avocado, and add shredded matchstick carrots if you want to make this meatless! I like to marinate the salmon (or tuna) with a couple of tsp of soy sauce and some of the chopped scallions before adding it to the nachos.
Cucumber: I like to use a Persian cucumber that’s diced up so you get a little bit in each bite.
Avocado: Avocados add a buttery flavor and soft texture to this extra crunchy snack! I cut the avocados into a dice and top them on the nachos.
Jalapenos: Add just a bit of heat along with the sriracha mayo. Totally optional and you can omit these if you’d like.
Sauces: I like to use Japanese barbecue sauce, spicy mayo, and a homemade wasabi cream sauce for this. I make the wasabi sauce at home with rice vinegar, wasabi paste, and a couple tablespoons of mayonnaise.
Sushi Rice: Cooked sushi rice adds a nice layer on top of the crispy wonton chips and it absorbs a lot of the sauces so that the chips stay crunchy longer. You can use jasmine rice for this recipe as well because it does have enough starch for this recipe. And it’s totally up to you whether you want to season the sushi rice with a tablespoon rice vinegar, some salt, and some sugar. I usually just used rice that has a little sesame oil added in when I cook it in my rice maker.
Toppings: I like to use scallions and furikake because it has both sliced nori sheet and toasted sesame seeds in it. Feel free to use the individual ingredients if that’s what you have.

How to Make Sushi Nachos:

Prep the veggies. Start by slicing the scallions. Add them to a bowl with some cold water and a few ice cubes. This helps the scallions stay perfectly crisp and perks up the produce while you prep everything else for the nachos.
Fry the wontons. Start by heating a saucepan with a few minutes of oil until it reaches 350ºF. Cut the wonton wrappers on the diagonal and add them to a small saucepan with hot oil. Fry until the wonton wrappers are crispy and golden. Then remove them to a paper towel-lined plate.
Prep the seafood. You’ll want to marinate the salmon in soy sauce and also shred the crab meat. Chop your shrimp into tiny pieces so that you get a little bit of everything in each bite.
Make wasabi sauce. Add the mayo (I like using Kewpie mayo for this recipe) the vinegar, and wasabi paste to a small bowl. Whisk together until you have a smooth sauce.
Assemble the nachos! Add the crispy chips to your serving platter. Top the fried wontons with the sushi rice first. Then add the prepared seafood. Follow it up with the chopped cucumbers, avocados, and jalapenos. Generously drizzle with eel sauce or Japanese barbecue sauce, spicy mayo, and wasabi sauce. Top with thinly sliced nori strips and toasted sesame seeds or a furikake blend before you enjoy them.

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

Yield: 6 as a snack or 3 as a meal

Spicy California Sushi Nachos (aka Wonton Nachos!)

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Nachos:

3 scallions, greens only
30 wonton wrappers, cut into triangles
Oil, for frying
¼ pound sushi-grade salmon or ahi tuna
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
~¼ cup imitation crab, shredded
½ cup cooked shrimp, chopped
½ cup cooked sushi rice
½ cup cucumbers, chopped
1 avocado, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sriracha mayo
2 tablespoons Japanese barbecue sauce
1-2 teaspoons Furikake flakes, for topping

Wasabi Sauce:

2 tablespoons Mayonnaise, such as Kewpie
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon wasabi paste, plus more as needed

Instructions

SCALLIONS: Slice the scallions on the diagonal and immediately add them to a bowl with cold water and a few ice cubes. This will help them to remain crisp; set aside.
FRY: Heat about 2-inches of cooking oil in a small saucepan to 350ºF. Fry the wonton wrappers in batches of 5-7 until golden and crispy; about 30-45 seconds. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
SEAFOOD: Place the salmon or tuna filet on a clean cutting board and finely chop the fish using a sharp knife. Add the salmon to a bowl and toss with soy sauce and add half of the scallions; set aside for now. You’ll also want to shred the crab meat and chop the shrimp.
WASABI SAUCE: Add the Japanese mayo, vinegar, and wasabi paste to a small bowl and whisk to combine until a smooth sauce forms; set aside for now.
ASSEMBLE: Place the wontons chips on a platter or on individual plates followed up by the prepared sushi rice. Top with the salmon mixture, shredded crab, and chopped shrimp. Add avocados, cucumbers, and jalapenos in layers. Finish with sriracha mayo, wasabi cream sauce, and barbecue sauce, if desired. Sprinkle with furikake and the remaining scallions and serve immediately.

Notes

Make it meatless: You can swap the salmon, crab, and shrimp with matchstick carrots and up the cucumbers and avocados to make this a vegetarian-friendly snack! To make this vegan, be sure to use vegan mayo.

Chicken Shish Tawook

Marzia — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 10:30:00 +0000

My authentic Shish Tawook recipe is absolutely perfect! These skewers start with an easy yogurt, lemon, and garlic marinade loaded with spices. Lebanese grilled chicken skewers are perfect to serve with rice pilaf or wrapped up in pitas with lots of garlic sauce!

Fire up the grill, it’s chicken kabob season!

And these Shish tawook skewers are absolute perfection. The marinade is simple. You start by whisking together lemon juice, olive oil, yogurt, tomato paste, and lots of seasonings together in a bowl. The hardest thing about making my shish tawook recipe is that the more patience you have, the more delicious it is. So if you’ve got 8 hours to marinate this, these skewers will undoubtedly be some of the best you’ve had. Since I’m not cooking these on a charcoal grill, I’ll show you a simple way to still give them that delicious charcoal flavor – even if you make these on an indoor grill!

But seriously… why is chicken on a stick just so darn delicious? Whether it’s shish tawook (or shish taouk) chicken satay or my chicken souvlaki skewers, marinated chicken threaded onto skewers and grilled over an open flame is just the most flavorful thing that summer has to offer.

We love to order shish tawook pita bread wraps loaded with sumac onion salad at our favorite middle eastern restaurant with a bucket of french fries and lots of toum (or garlic sauce) to dip it all in.

And now you can have them at home too!

Ingredients for chicken shish tawook:

Chicken: Feel free to use boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken tenders, or even boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. The key is to make even-sized chicken cubes so that they marinate in the same amount of time.
Yogurt: I like to use plain yogurt for most of my Indian and Middle eastern dishes. If you have Greek yogurt on hand, that will also work. You may just want to thin it out with a tablespoon of water so that the marinade isn’t so thick.
Lemon Juice: Lemon juice is the acid in the marinade. Unlike chicken shawarma, it provides a delicious tart flavor to the chicken.
Olive Oil: Also goes into the marinade.
Garlic: I use a handful of garlic cloves that I’ll press or grate with a microplane. Remember, if you mince the garlic, the flavor won’t be as prominent as it will be if you grate or press the garlic. The finer the garlic, the more flavor it packs on.
Tomato Paste: Tomato paste adds more color and a bit of umami to the shish tawook marinade.
Spices: You’ll need a ton! We’re using kosher salt, ground sumac, but also sweet paprika, dried oregano, white pepper, ground ginger, allspice, ground cinnamon, and Aleppo pepper. I know Aleppo pepper isn’t something that’s always easily available, but it is something that’s used quite a bit in Turkish and middle eastern cuisine in general. Feel free to swap it with a dash of cayenne pepper and some pepper flakes if you’d like.
Yellow mustard: I know this isn’t something that’s very common in a shish tawook recipe but it adds the most delicious flavor. Just a small squeeze so you won’t taste the mustard but it just bumps up the flavor profile of the dish.

Homemade shish tawook recipe

Marinate the chicken. Grab a large bowl and whisk together all of the seasonings as spices along with the lemon juice, yogurt, mustard, tomato paste, and olive oil. Add the chicken pieces into the marinade, cover, and pop into the fridge for at least an hour and ideally, between 4-8 hours. The longer the chicken sits in the marinade the more flavorful it’ll be. You’ll also want to soak the skewers if you are using wooden skewers for this recipe.
Smoke the chicken. No – you don’t need a smoker! If you want the chicken to have a smoky charcoal flavor but don’t want to (or can’t) cook the chicken on a charcoal grill, here’s something you can do. Please read the directions carefully and do so at your own risk. You’ll want to heat up a piece of charcoal over an open flame over medium-high heat. You can do this outside if you prefer. I usually use the side burner on my barbecue. When the brickette is lit, add it to a small basket made out of aluminum foil. Pop the basket in the center of the chicken marinade (with the chicken pieces moved to the side.) Place the brickette on the foil and pour a teaspoon of oil over the coal. Cover the dish immediately with a tight-fitting lid and allow the chicken pieces to smoke for 30-45 seconds. I usually remove the charcoal basket after this and pour water on it to extinguish the flame. Discard when the charcoal cools to room temperature. This step is purely optional and should be done at your own risk.
Grill the chicken. Thread the chicken pieces onto metal or the soaked wooden skewers. Preheat an indoor grill pan or an outdoor grill to 450ºF. If you’re grilling this outdoors, you’ll want to clean and oil the grill grates. Grill the chicken for 10-15 minutes flipping around the halfway mark until the chicken cooks through to 165ºF. Allow the skewers to cool for a few minutes before serving. Tons of serving suggestions below!

FAQs about this recipe

What is the difference between shish tawook and shawarma?

The main difference between shish tawook and shawarma is that shawarma doesn’t contain yogurt or lemon in the marinade.

What do you suggest serving this shish tawook?

You could always grill up some tomatoes, onions, and green bell peppers and serve this with homemade toum and flatbread. If you want to go the rice route, my Lebanese rice pilaf is always a hit with my family or you could even do a cranberry rice pilaf. A Shirazi or Fattoush salad on the side with french fries or batata harra is another option! Leftovers are great the next day in a salad or wrap.

How do you store leftover skewers?

I like to remove the chicken from the skewers and pop it into an airtight container. Keep leftovers in the fridge and consume within 3 days of grilling.

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Yield: Serves 7-10

Chicken Shish Tawook

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken cut into 1-inch pieces
⅓ cup plain yogurt
¼ cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic, pressed or grated
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoon ground sumac
½ teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon EACH: sweet paprika AND dried oregano
½ teaspoon EACH: white pepper AND ground ginger
2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper (or ½ tsp red pepper flakes)
¼ teaspoon EACH: allspice AND ground cinnamon

Instructions

MARINATE: In a large bowl, dish together all the ingredients other than the chicken until combined. Taste and adjust with more seasonings as desired. Place the chicken in the bowl and stir to coat the chicken evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and ideally, 4-8 hours. You’ll also want to soak wooden skewers if you’re using those.
SMOKE: This step is optional, and should be done at your own risk. To give the chicken a charcoal flavor (if you aren’t cooking it on a charcoal grill) Heat a charcoal brickette over medium-high heat on a gas stove until the coal lights up on all sides. Make a small basket out of aluminum foil by wrapping it around the bottom of any bottle. Place the foil (without the bottle) in the center of the chicken with the marinade. Place the lit charcoal with tongs in the foil basket. Grab a lid that will fit the bowl. Pour 1 teaspoon of oil over the hot charcoal and immediately cover with a lid. Allow the chicken to ‘smoke’ for 30-45 seconds. The longer you leave it, the stronger the flavor. Carefully remove the foil basket. I usually pour water on it in the sink to extinguish before allowing it to cool and discard. Smoke the chicken at your own risk though, please. Feel free to omit this step.
GRILL: Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers. Preheat an indoor grill pan or outdoor grill to 450ºF. Make sure to clean the grill grates thoroughly and oil the grates. Grill for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through until the chicken is done to about 165ºF.
SERVE: You can serve the Shish Tawook skewers with Lebanese flatbread with Toum, lettuce, tomatoes, sliced onions, or with prepared salad-e-shirazi and Lebanese rice pilaf.

Chicken Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Marzia — Thu, 11 May 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Chicken Satay is a classic easy appetizer to serve with peanut dipping sauce. I love making it a main dish by serving this up with coconut rice and tossing the sauce with some veggies! Grill these chicken skewers and serve them up with my slightly sweet and slightly spicy peanut dipping sauce.

Who doesn’t get down with chicken on a stick?

Anything on a stick is usually delicious, but I have got to say, hubby RAVED about my simple chicken satay and honestly, they were truly rave-worthy!

And honestly, how could you not win with tender chicken breasts or thighs marinated with shallots, cilantro, garlic, ginger, and a whole bunch of seasonings. You can let this hang out for as little as 20 minutes or let it go overnight for optimum flavor. Then just thread the chicken onto wood or metal skewers and grill these chicken satay skewers outdoors or on a grill pan until the chicken is done.

Lately, I’ve been making this a complete meal by making a batch of my coconut rice and popping these skewers right on top. I’ll use the peanut sauce to dip the chicken satay skewers in, but I’ll also use the peanut sauce to toss some shredded cabbage and fresh cilantro in. You could even add some thinly sliced red onions to give it more flavor. Hit it with a little more lime and you’ve got a peanut sauce slaw that’s perfect to serve with this.

You could always opt for a cucumber salad if you aren’t a fan of cabbage slaw. I can’t imagine that would be anything short of delicious either. And hey, while we’re at it, have you tried my Thai mango salad? I’m planning on serving these chicken satay skewers with that the next time I make it!

Ingredients for Thai Chicken Satay:

Chicken: Feel free to use boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts for this recipe. You’ll want to cut the chicken into rectangular pieces that you can thread twice onto a skewer.
Aromatics: You’ll need shallots, garlic, and ginger. I like to use a shallot but you could also use a 1/4 of a red onion if that’s what you have on hand. You won’t really be able to taste the difference. Use a handful of garlic cloves and a small knob of ginger. Many stores also sell ginger paste in a tube, and that would make a decent substitute for this recipe. You’ll also need lemongrass. Most Asian grocery stores sell lemongrass in many forms. I like to use the paste version that comes in a tube. But you could certainly mince up some fresh lemongrass for this recipe as well.
Cilantro: We’ll add this to the chicken satay marinade. You’ll also want some extra on hand for garnish.
Spices: You’ll need cumin powder, turmeric, and coriander. These spices add a lot of the same flavors you’d find in a curry powder (minus the actual curry leaf, of course.) All this to say, you could use these three ingredients in the marinade for a teaspoon of curry powder if you’d like.
Sauces: You’ll need some oil, fish sauce, and low-sodium soy sauce for this recipe. The good thing about this marinade recipe it that you just toss it all into a blender or food processor and give it a whirl!
Brown Sugar: We’ll use this in the marinade to help balance the savory and salty elements we’re using.

How to Make Chicken Satay:

Make the marinade. Add the shallots, cilantro, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, fish sauce, oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, cumin, turmeric, and coriander to a blender and blend. You want the shallots, garlic and ginger to bread down into a sauce-like consistency. Add the chicken pieces to a bowl and pour the sauce over the chicken. Let the chicken marinate for at least 20 minutes. 3 hours if what I like to aim for but you could also let this go for up to 8 hours.
Make the dipping sauce. Add creamy peanut butter, minced garlic, ginger paste, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice sesame oil and a squeeze of sambal or sriracha to a bowl and whisk to combine. If the sauce seems really thick, add in 1 tablespoon of hot water at a time until it thins out to your liking.
Grill them up. When you’re ready to grill these skewers, heat an indoor grill pan or outdoor grill over medium high heat. Clean the grill grates and brush with oil to prevent the chicken pieces from sticking. Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers. I usually zigzag the pieces so that they are secure. When the grill has preheated cook them for 4-7 minutes, flipping them around the halfway mark., This chicken is done when it’s slightly firm to the touch, You’re looking for 165ºF on a food thermometer. Remove the chicken pieces and serve them while they’re warm with the prepared dipping sauce!

TIP: If you’re grilling these on an outdoor grill and using wooden skewers, let the skewers soak in water for at least an hour (I usually soak them for the same amount of time I’m marinating the chicken) this prevents from them from burning on the grill!

FAQs about this recipe

Are chicken satay skewers gluten-free?

My Chicken Satay recipe can be made gluten-free with one simple swap. You would want to use gluten-free tamari in place of the soy sauce.

Where did chicken satay skewers originate?

Chicken Satay is actually the national dish of Indonesia. Though they are commonly served in many countries in Southeast Asia, they are actually Indonesian or Balinese. But because many Asian restaurants serve these on their menu and give them their own spin, they have become a part of many Southeast Asian cuisines, such as Thailand and Malaysia.

What do you serve with chicken satay?

When I make these as an appetizer, I usually serve them with peanut butter satay sauce. When I’m making these for dinner, I’ll usually cook some jasmine rice with coconut milk and serve them with a salad of sorts.

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Original recipe shared May 2016, updated with new images and post May 2023.

Yield: 12-14 skewers

Chicken Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

Chicken Satay:

1 ½ - 2lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into long rectangles
⅓ cup loosely packed cilantro
½ shallot (or ¼ red onion)
8 cloves garlic
1-inch knob peeled ginger
2 tablespoons EACH: lemongrass paste AND fish sauce
3 tablespoons oil
¼ cup EACH brown sugar AND lo-so soy sauce (or GF tamari)
½ teaspoon EACH: cumin powder AND turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander

Peanut Dipping Sauce:

½ cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon ginger paste
2 tablespoons EACH: lo-so soy sauce AND brown sugar
2-3 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon sriracha or sambal oelek
coconut rice, for serving (optional)

Instructions

CHICKEN MARINADE: In a blender, combine all the ingredients except the chicken. Pulse the blender until the shallot, cilantro, and garlic break down into a sauce-like consistency. Add the chicken pieces into a gallon-sized zip-top bag and pour the prepared marinade over the chicken. Zip bag and squish to coat the chicken evenly. Place the zip-top bag on a plate and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes but ideally 3-8 hours.
PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE: Add all the ingredients for the peanut dipping sauce in a medium bowl and use a whisk to combine. If your peanut sauce is thick, you can add 1 tablespoon of hot water at a time to help thin it to desired consistency. Taste and adjust with more soy, brown sugar, or lime juice as desired.
SKEWER: Preheat the grill on medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes, scrub, and oil the grates. Meanwhile, remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and place the chicken (like an accordion) on skewers. Pierce the chicken with the skewer and zig-zag the chicken through the skewers making sure to secure both ends on the stick.
COOK: Place the chicken on the hot grill, cover, and cook for 4-7 minutes, flipping halfway through. The chicken is cooked through when it is slightly firm to the touch or registers 165ºF on a thermometer. Remove, the chicken and serve immediately with the peanut dipping sauce as an appetizer or over coconut rice for a full meal.

Notes

Chicken: I sliced my chicken lengthwise into thin rectangles that were 1 inch in width.
Indoor option: If you don't have an outdoor grill, this can be made in a grill pan, an electric grill, or a cast iron skillet indoors as well. Be sure to oil the pan and you may need to cook the chicken for longer than what's written in the original recipe. Chicken is done when it is firm to the touch.
Wooden skewers: If you’re grilling these outdoors and using wooden skewers, let the skewers soak in water for 1-8 hours in advance. The sticks don’t burn and disintegrate as quickly if they are wet.

Sweet and Tangy Green Thai Mango Salad

Marzia — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Thai Mango Salad is both sweet and spicy! It starts with green unripened mangoes and is typically served as an appetizer. It’s refreshing from the sweet and tart green mangoes, with just a hint of sweetness from brown sugar, and a kick from Thai chilies. This authentic mango salad recipe is one that you are going to love!

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought about this Thai Mango Salad since 2017.

Yes, I remember the year I had this salad for the very first time, because it was indeed that monumental.

In fact, I remember where I had it too. It was on Maui and the Thai restaurant served it with crispy fish. Hands down, it was one of my favorite things from that trip, second only to the garlic noodles.

So what is a Thai mango salad? It’s the most delicious unripe mango salad made with minimal ingredients that provide an explosion of flavors in your mouth. Think how many flavors you’ll experience with thinly sliced mangoes tossed with fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, speckled with Thai chilies, and of course, the tiniest hint of garlic. There are lots of takes on this salad and people add different vegetables to give the salad a bit of color. My favorite rendition contained shredded carrots, red onions, and cilantro, so I typically stick with that. However, you could certainly added a thinly sliced red bell pepper for more color, flavor and crunch or even some thinly sliced cucumbers.

Serve it up with crispy fried fish, cooked shrimp, or chicken!

Ingredients for Thai green mango salad:

Large unripe mango: Start with unripe mangoes. Unripe mangoes are undoubtedly easier to peel using my favorite y-peeler to make thin strips. This particular peeler juliennes the vegetables which is perfect for this dish!
Red Onion: I usually thinly slice my red onions on a mandolin for this recipe. You can also thinly slice them by hand if you’d like.
Carrot: You’ll also want to use the same vegetable peeler for the carrots. A bag of matchstick carrots would also work here, but I find that I like this recipe best when all the ingredients are the same size. So typically I prefer sticking to a julienne that’s the same size as the mangoes!
Chopped Cilantro: fresh herbs add earthiness to the salad and helps brightens up all the other flavors. You could also add a few sprigs of Thai Basil if you’d like, I typically don’t.
Thai chilies: Add a hint of much needed heat to this salad. If you don’t have Thai red chilies on hand, you can also use red pepper flakes instead.
Garlic: You’ll need just one clove for garlic for the dressing. I grate the garlic on a grater and add it right into the dressing.
Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness to the salad dressing. Unripe mangoes aren’t sweet like ripe mangoes so that hint of sugar helps balance the spicy, tart, and salty elements in this salad.
Lime Juice: Adds a tart taste to the dressing. It works perfectly with the sweet, salty, and spicy elements in the dish.
Fish Sauce: Fish sauce adds a rich umami flavor to the dressing. It’s also our sodium source for the salad so you don’t need any kosher salt for this.

Instruction for my Thai mango salad recipe:

Slice all the ingredients that need to be sliced. Take your time for this recipe, peel the onions and then slice them carefully on a mandolin until you have thin shreds about that same size julienne as the mangoes and the carrots. To thinly. slice the mangoes, I use a y-peeler. This works really well when the mangoes are unripe.
Make the sauce. In a medium bowl, combine the fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic and chopped Thai chilies and stir until most of the sugar dissolves. It’s okay if not all of it does. It will dissolve once the other ingredients are added in.
Make Thai green mango salad. Add the sliced onions, carrots, mangoes and cilantro and toss to combine. Taste the salad to see if it’s salty, sweet, tangy and spicy. Add whatever you need to make sure that you can taste all 4 of those. I sometimes need a bit more sugar, so I add another tablespoon. However, this will depend on how sweet the mangoes were in the first place.

Recipe FAQs

What does Thai salad taste like?

It’s a very pleasant balanced combination of salty, sweet, tangy, spicy, and umami. You’ll get crunchy veggies with a hint of earthiness from the cilantro as well.

Is this the same thing as a green papaya salad?

A Thai green papaya salad has a very different flavor, and typically different ingredients are used to make it.

Can I add additional herbs to this salad?

You can load it up with Thai basil, green onions, or anything else you typically like in your Thai mango salad.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

As written, this salad can be gluten-free. But you will want to make sure that the fish sauce you use is certified gluten-free.

Can I replace the brown sugar with honey?

You can replace the brown sugar with honey or even maple syrup if you’d like. I would start with 2 tablespoons and then adjust with more as needed after tasting.

What protein would you serve this with?

I’d say there’s nothing like that crispy fried fish that I had it with! But you could also do grilled or pan-fried salmon, cooked shrimp, or even grilled lemongrass chicken.

Can I add nuts for crunch?

You could if you’d like. Cashews or peanuts would be suggestions.

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Yield: serves 6

Sweet and Tangy Green Thai Mango Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Thai Mango Salad is both sweet and spicy! It starts with green unripened mangoes and is typically served as an appetizer. It's refreshing from the sweet and tart green mangoes, with just a hint of sweetness from brown sugar, and a kick from Thai chilies. This authentic mango salad recipe is one that you are going to love!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2-3 tablespoons brown sugar (see notes)
1 clove garlic, grated
1-4 Thai chilies (what you can handle)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, shredded
2 unripe green mangoes, julienned
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Instructions

SLICE: Take your time slicing the red onions and carrots. I usually use a mandolin for the onions, and a ‘y’ peeler (linked below) for the carrots and mango. This makes the shreds all the same size so that you can get a little bit of all the ingredients in each bite.
SAUCE: In a medium bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, garlic, and chopped Thai chilies. Mix until the sugar dissolves.
ADD THE SALAD INGREDIENTS: Add the sliced red onions, shredded mangoes, julienned carrots, and cilantro.
TOSS: Toss the salad to combine. Taste and adjust with more fish sauce, lime juice, or brown sugar as desired.

Notes

Sugar: You can also use palm sugar, honey, or maple syrup here.

Indian Vegetable Fritters (Crispy Pakoras or Bhajiyas)

Marzia — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 10:30:00 +0000

Homemade Pakoras, bhajiyas, or Indian Vegetable Fritters are so delicious! Crispy battered potatoes, onions, and spinach, loaded with spices, and deep fried until extra crispy and delicious! Then, serve with chutney for a crispy, crunchy treat! This is my family’s favorite recipe for homemade pakoras, and there’s a reason why!

Extra crispy pakoras (or bhajiyas) are on deck today!

One of my fondest memories as a child returning to my parent’s home country is taking an early evening stroll down to the street vendors to buy pakoras. They wrapped them up in newspaper bags and served them with baggies of chutney to take home. And if it was a rainy day, snacks like pakoras would surely be on the menu for tea time. Ask any South Asian Muslim; you can bet these are on the menu for Ramadan too.

All of this to say, I’ve had my fair share of pakoras over the years.

We love these Indian vegetable fritters. They’re extra crunchy from the shoestring onions and potatoes dusted with chickpea flour to make a light batter and fried until each part is perfectly crispy. They look like little bird nests; you can see how crunchy and flavorful these are—seasoned with fenugreek, red pepper flakes, other seasonings, and fresh peppers. These pakoras are nothing short of scrumptious. They are perfect for serving warm with a boat of cilantro and mint chutney to dip them in!

Ingredients for Indian Vegetable Fritters:

Chickpea flour: Also known as besan or gram flour. These ingredients are usually available in the international aisle of larger grocery stores, and you’ll find them at your local South Asian grocery store.
Ginger and Garlic Paste: You can easily find this ingredient in the refrigerated grocery section of the grocery store or the international aisle in a jar. If you have a South Asian grocery store near you, check there, they definitely carry it!
Cilantro: Adds freshness, flavor, and color to the bhajiyas.
Onion: Thinly slice the onions. We’ll add them in batches to the Indian vegetable fritter batter. Some of the onions are there to release water into the batter, while the other half is there to add a crunchy texture.
Potato: Thinly sliced potatoes add the perfect crisp texture! You don’t want to grate them on a box grater for this – we’re not looking for hashbrowns. I use my mandoline to make thin slices, and then I’ll julienne the potatoes. Think more like matchstick carrots.
Baby Spinach: This is optional! Spinach is something my mom always adds to her homemade pakoras, so it’s something I’m used to having. Don’t chop the spinach too finely. I like to give it a rough chop to break up the leaves, but not so tiny that it resembles the chopped cilantro!
Serrano pepper: This adds freshness and some heat. Feel free to use less or more according to your spice preference.
Spices: Like most Pakistani or Indian recipes, this one has a ton of seasonings. You’ll need carom seeds or celery seeds (also known as ajwain). You’ll also need a generous sprinkle of red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric (or a big pinch), cumin seeds that we’ll toast, and coriander seeds that we’ll toast as well. I don’t use red chili powder in my recipe because the flakes and the fresh green chilli give this enough heat, but feel free to add some if you usually prefer your pakoras extra spicy!

How to make extra crispy vegetable pakoras:

Toast the seeds for maximum flavor. Start by adding the cumin seed and coriander seeds to a dry skillet and toast them over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes, tossing about every minute. You’ll know the seeds are done when you can smell the floral notes of the coriander and cumin in the air. Allow these to cool. Then transfer them to a mortar and pestle and break the seeds. You don’t want to turn this into powder.
Combine the ingredients. You want to grab a bowl and stir together the chickpea flour, cumin and coriander, ginger and garlic paste, fenugreek leaves, kosher salt, celery seeds (or ajwain), red pepper flakes, baking soda, turmeric, minced serrano, chopped cilantro, half of the sliced onions, and 1/3 cup of water. Stir to combine.
Let it sit and do its magic. Then, you want the batter to hang out. The baking soda and salt will break down the onions and get them to release more water into the batter to bring it together. See picture 2 to see what it looks like after 30 minutes. Then squeeze the mixture together to release more liquid. Add the remaining onions, baby spinach, and potatoes into the batter and let it sit for another 15 minutes. If the batter is still mostly dry, add another tablespoon of water. This will depend on how humid the climate is; sometimes, you need a bit more. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat while the batter rests.
Deep fry the Indian vegetable fritters. When the oil is hot, stir the batter one last time. You want it to be somewhere in between, not too runny and not too stiff. If the batter is runny, add a tablespoon of chickpea flour to bring it together. Using two spoons, gently lower a bird’s nest of batter into the frying oil. Do a test run on one to make sure it’s holding together. Let it fry for 3-4 minutes undisturbed, and maintain a temperature of around 325ºF so that the pakoras don’t brown too quickly. When they’re golden, remove them with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Taste the test pakora and adjust with more seasonings as desired. Continue to fry in batches the same way. Towards the end, you might notice that the Indian vegetable fritters batter starts to thin out quite a bit; add a tablespoon of chickpea flour or two as needed to bring it back to the original frying consistency. When they’re ready, serve pakoras with your favorite sauces.

FAQs about this recipe

What is the difference between pakoras and bhajis?

Essentially pakoras and bhajiyas are the same thing. Depending on where you’re from, they’re called a different name.

What flour is pakora made from?

Pakoras are made from chickpea flour, so they’re naturally gluten-free.

Is this recipe vegan?

As written, this recipe is vegan-friendly.

Can you add other vegetables to pakoras like cauliflower, cabbage, bell peppers, or others?

To be honest, I’ve never had pakoras with these ingredients. And it would definitely require some additional testing to ensure that the batter was the right consistency based on the water content of the veggies you plan on adding.

How do you make green chutney?

To make the green chutney, you’ll need a small bunch of cleaned cilantro, 1-2 jalapenos, 2 cloves of garlic, ¼ teaspoon of cumin seeds, ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ cup of water. Add these ingredients to a blender, then blend until smooth. You may need a little more water depending on the size of the cilantro bunch. Some people also like to swap some of the cilantro for mint leaves but this is purely optional. We usually use just cilantro!

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Yield: Serves 5

Indian Vegetable Fritters (Crispy Pakoras or Bhajiyas)

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Homemade Pakoras, bhajiyas, or Indian Vegetable Fritters are so delicious! Crispy battered potatoes, onions, and spinach, loaded with spices, and deep fried until extra crispy and delicious! Then, serve with chutney for a crispy, crunchy treat! This is my family's favorite recipe for homemade pakoras, and there's a reason why!

Ingredients

1½ teaspoon EACH: cumin seeds AND coriander seeds (see notes)
1 cup chickpea flour (plus more)
2 teaspoons EACH: ginger garlic paste AND dried fenugreek leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon celery or carom seeds (ajwain), optional
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon EACH: ground turmeric AND baking soda
1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 large onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
⅓ cup roughly chopped baby spinach, packed
1 small potato, peeled and julienned (keep in water until ready to use)
Oil, for frying

Instructions

COMBINE: In a bowl, stir together the chickpea flour, cumin, and coriander (see notes), ginger garlic paste, fenugreek leaves, kosher salt, celery seeds, red pepper flakes, baking soda, turmeric, minced serrano, chopped cilantro, 1/2 of the sliced onions, and ⅓ cup of water. Stir to combine.
LET SIT: Allow the batter to sit for at least 30 minutes, covered. The salt will cause the onions to release their water into the batter, and this takes time! Then, stir in the remaining onions, baby spinach, and drained potatoes into the batter, let another 10-15 minutes while you preheat 2 inches of frying oil in a deep skillet to 325ºF.
COATING: When the oil is ready, stir the batter and make sure it’s not completely liquid-y. You want the onions and veggies to be lightly coated in the wet batter but for the batter to not be too runny. If it’s runny, add a tablespoon of chickpea flour until it thickens slightly. If its too dry, add a tablespoon of water and stir to combine. The thick batter should just coat the stringy ingredients.
FRY: Use two metal tablespoons to gently lower a heaping tablespoon of the mixture in the hot oil in the shape of a birds nest; kind of messy but together at the same time. Test one and let it fry for 7-8 minutes, flipping halfway or until golden and crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon. If the pakora held together, add more pakoras until the frying vessel has them spaced out about 1/2 inch apart and fry in batches. Towards the end, if the batter becomes too runny, add a tablespoon of chickpea flour at a time until it thickens up to the original frying consistency.
SERVE: Serve pakoras with tamarind or green chutney.

Notes

Toast the spices: I like to toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for about 4-5 minutes or until fragrant. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and break the seeds down just a bit; you don’t want it to be a powder. This gives homemade pakoras the best flavor!
Troubleshooting: If the fritter falls apart in the oil, most likely the batter was too thick. You just need to add a little more water so that it binds the ingredients a little better. Remember, you don't want the flour mixture to be dry.
Green Chutney: add a small bunch of cleaned cilantro, 1-2 jalapenos, 2 cloves of garlic, ¼ teaspoon of cumin seeds, ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ cup of water to a blender and blend until smooth. You may need a little more water depending on the size of the cilantro bunch. You can swap some of the cilantro for mint if you'd like.

The Best Air Fryer Pita Chips

Marzia — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 14:25:00 +0000

It’s so easy to make Air Fryer Pita Chips! All you really need is 12 minutes and three easy ingredients. Top your homemade pita chips with your favorite toppings and serve with your choice of dip!

The absolute perfect dipping scoop to serve with a bowl of hummus!

These air fryer pita chips take in the ballpark of 10 minutes to make and require just three simple ingredients – pitas, olive oil, and some sea salt. Now, of course, you can make them with a tablespoon of za’atar, a sprinkling of rosemary, sesame seeds, use your favorite homemade or store-bought spice blends, or go the sweet route and sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar when they’re warm from the air fryer.

Regardless of how you top them, the homemade version is far superior. Making pita chips is my favorite way to use up store-bought pita bread. When my pita bread is drying out from sitting on the counter after I’ve bought way too much for homemade gyros, kofta pita sandwiches, or arayes, I turn them into my cheater’s version of Manakish, on a Fattoush salad, or these air fryer pita chips. Usually, it’s the latter because the prep time on these is nonexistent.

You just have to make small pita wedges and drizzle them with oil and let them air fry until crispy! Snacks that take no time to make? YES PLEASE.

Ingredients for Homemade Pita Chips

Homemade or store-bought pita: If you’re wondering what kind of bread works best, the answer is most pita bread will work for this recipe. If you have Lebanese flatbread (the type in which you wrap your shawarma), you can use that. But you can also use thick pita pockets here. You can use whole wheat pitas too! All of these will work, but Lebanese pita bread will take 6-8 minutes to crisp up, while Greek pita will take closer to 10 minutes.
Olive oil: Use good quality olive oil here. Something you’d use for sauteeing would work well for this recipe—no need to spring for extra virgin olive oil.
Kosher salt: You’ll want to use a good sprinkle of salt on these. Feel free to get creative! I found some applewood smoked sea salt in the back of the cabinet, and I’m trying that next.
Seasonings of choice: Now, this is entirely optional! Because the fact of the matter is that I typically serve homemade or store-bought pita chips with a dip. A dip that usually is packed with flavor. So I don’t need to make these a particular flavor. More often than not, I sprinkle them with kosher salt and call it a day.

How to Make Air Fryer Pita Chips

Cut pita triangles. Start by placing 4-6 pocket pitas in front of you. Cut them into wedges with a sharp knife, or use a pizza cutter. I typically cut the pitas into 1½-inch pieces. You want the pieces to be about the same size to brown evenly.
Toss them and season them generously. You’ll want to add the pita wedges to a large bowl. Combine the oil and any seasonings you’d like to use in a small bowl. Drizzle this all over the pitas and stir to ensure all the pita chips are coated.
Get them golden and crispy. Preheat the air fryer. I like to line the air fryer basket with a parchment liner and then place the removable wire rack on top. This makes clean-up so much easier – especially if you used za’atar or a seasoning blend. Bake the pita chips in the oven. If you used four pitas, typically, you could be able to air fry them all at once. For six pitas, I prefer to air fry them in at least two batches so that you can get the pita chips in a single layer. Remember, thin Lebanese pitas will take less time to bake, while thicker pocket pitas, will take longer. Serve up these chips as an appetizer with your favorite dip!

Serving suggestions for homemade pita chips

FAQs about this recipe

How do you store homemade pita chips?

Once cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If you find the chips are softening (if it’s humid where you live, you’re probably used to this) just refresh them at 250ºF in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes.

What other seasonings can I use?

I love using zaatar or serving these plain! You can also use lemon pepper seasoning, Italian seasoning, an umami blend, a dash of cayenne pepper, rosemary + thyme with sea salt, or just some garlic powder and cracked pepper. You could also use sesame seeds or sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar when they’re hot from the oven.

How would you make pita chips in the oven if you didn’t have an air fryer?

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the pitas to the baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes flipping halfway through (leave them a little longer for thicker Greek pitas.)

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Yield: Serves 4-6

The Best Air Fryer Pita Chips

Prep Time 2 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes

Total Time 17 minutes

It's so easy to make Air Fryer Pita Chips! All you really need is 12 minutes and three easy ingredients. Top your homemade pita chips with your favorite toppings and serve with your choice of dip!

Ingredients

4-6 pita pockets
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2-3 teaspoons zaatar seasoning, optional

Instructions

PITA TRIANGLES: Cut the pita pockets into 8-12 pieces depending on how big they are. You want to make about 1½-inch pieces.
TOSS: Add the oil, za’atar (or salt, pepper, garlic, powder, etc.) to the oil and stir to combine. Add the pita chips to a large bowl and drizzle the oil over the pita pieces. Toss the pita chips to ensure that they are coated well in the oil.
AIR FRY: Heat the air fryer to 325ºF for at least 5 minutes. Add the pita pieces to the air fryer. You can add up to 4 pitas at once, for 6 pitas, I suggest splitting the batch in two. Spray the tops with cooking spray if the pita looks dry, and cook for 4 minutes. Gently toss or flip and continue to cook for another 3-8 minutes or until the pita pieces are golden and crispy. Thicker pocket pitas will take longer, thin Lebanese pita will cook quicker. Serve pita chips with homemade hummus or crushed up in a fattoush salad!

Notes

Storage: Once cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If you find the chips are softening (if it's humid where you live, you're probably used to this) just refresh them at 250ºF in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes.
Other seasonings: I love using zaatar or serving these plain! You can also use lemon pepper seasoning, Italian seasoning, an umami blend, rosemary + thyme with sea salt, or just some garlic powder and cracked pepper. You could also use sesame seeds or sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar when they're hot from the oven.
Oven instructions: Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the pitas to the baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes flipping halfway through (leave them a little longer for thicker Greek pitas.)

Sweet Heat Southern Deviled Eggs

Marzia — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 10:30:00 +0000

This Southern Deviled Eggs recipe brings it! Loaded with sweetness from sweet pickle relish and just a tiny bit of heat from pickled jalapenos. Pipe the yolk mixture filling into the hard-boiled egg whites and watch these fly off the plate at Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas!

SWEET HEAT.

That’s the only way I know how to describe this southern deviled eggs recipe.

We’re starting off the way you do for all of your deviled eggs – by boiling the eggs. Now if you have a fool-proof egg boiling and peeling method for your that you’ve perfected over the years, use it. Once the eggs are done, we’ll make a whipped yolk mixture with mayo, a couple of seasonings, mustard, and sweet relish. Load it all into a piping bag, then pipe it into the white halves. Garnish with a little bit of this and that, and you’re ready to serve.

What ultimately takes this recipe over the top to all the classic deviled eggs you’ve had in the past is the combination of sweet pickle relish and the pickled jalapenos. I use a yellow mustard that comes packed with bits of jalapenos. It’s my absolute favorite mustard to use, and I always stock up on it to make egg salad sandwiches or regular turkey sandwiches.

I like a little bit of heat with my food and this

Ingredients for southern deviled eggs:

The ingredient list isn’t all that big. But we make sure to pick and choose the ones that pack the most prominent flavor punch!

Eggs: You’ll need eggs for this, obviously. I like to use large-size eggs so the cooking times provided work best for large eggs. Medium eggs will take slightly less time to cook and extra large or jumbo eggs with undoubtedly take a couple of additional minutes. Many people like to make hard-boiled eggs for deviled eggs in the instant pot. If you’ve perfected your method for pressure cooker eggs, go for it!
Mayonnaise: A couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise is a classic in deviled egg recipes. Not reinventing the wheel with this one! I do suggest using good-quality mayonnaise for this recipe. Something you usually prefer on your sandwiches would make a good option.
Seasonings: You’ll need a dash of garlic powder, kosher salt, and some cayenne pepper or paprika to sprinkle as garnish.
Mustard: I love using a squirt of jalapeño mustard to kick the spice level up on a classic deviled eggs filling. If you don’t have jalapeno mustard, just use yellow or dijon mustard and add some minced-up pickled jalapenos to the mixture.
Sweet Pickle Relish: I like to use sweet pickle relish to give these deviled eggs a sweet heat flavor. You can also use dill pickle relish if you prefer to skip the hint of sweetness.

Making Classic Southern Deviled Eggs

Start the prep work. Add the eggs to a medium saucepan and carefully add enough cold water to cover the eggs by an inch. Place the pot over the stove and cook on medium-high heat until boiling. Once the egg water is boiling, remove the saucepan from the heat, cover it with a lid, and let the eggs hang out for 12 minutes.
Toss them in an ice bath. Prepare the ice water bath when there are a couple of minutes remaining. I like to use more ice and less water. When the timer goes off, remove the eggs from the cold water with a slotted spoon and add them to the ice water bath. Let the eggs hang out for a few minutes before removing them. Peel the eggs under cold running water.
Scoop and make the filling. Halve the eggs lengthwise and scoop out the egg yolks. Add them to a bowl and mash them with a fork. Once mashed, add the mayonnaise, garlic powder, salt, jalapeno mustard, and relish. Stir the ingredients together until you have a smooth egg filling. Taste and adjust with more salt or seasonings to your preference.
Load them up and serve ’em! Fill the egg yolk mixture into a piping bag or a freezer quart bag and snip off the top. Gently squeeze into the egg whites and dust with cayenne, fresh chives or parsley before serving. These little appetizers are going to disappear so fast!

Best Tips for Making Deviled Eggs

Use older eggs if possible!

You want the eggs that have been hanging around the refrigerator for at least a week. Those are much easier to peel than fresh eggs.

Play it safe; boil an extra egg or two!

Sometimes it’s challenging to get the shell off, and you end up taking a chunk out of the egg; I suggest boiling 1-2 additional eggs to play it safe.

No fuss peeling.

Whenever I make hard-boiled eggs, I opt to peel them under a steady stream of cold running water. This works incredibly well on those eggs that have a tricky membrane layer that sticks to the egg whites. The running water helps gently lift the membrane so you can get under it with your thumb, making it a breeze to peel!

You can easily double this recipe.

This makes six eggs, which is typically what you want for six servings. Need more? Double or triple the recipe as needed.

Storing deviled eggs.

Leftover deviled eggs can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container. Suggestions on how to use them up below!

Have leftover deviled eggs after a party?

Smash them up and load them between two slices of white sandwich bread with a little bit of extra mayo – this makes a killer egg salad sandwich! And throw some dill pickles on the side (or inside of the sandwich) while you’re at it!

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Yield: Serves 6

Sweet Heat Southern Deviled Eggs

Prep Time 13 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

6 large eggs
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoon jalapeno mustard (see notes)
1 tablespoon sweet relish
1 teaspoon jalapeño brine (or pickle brine)
Chili powder, for dusting

Instructions

PREP: Add the eggs to a medium saucepan. Carefully add enough cold water to cover the eggs by an inch. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. When boiling, remove from heat, cover with a lid, and let stand for 12 minutes.
ICE WATER BATH: Prepare an ice water bath when 2 minutes remain by adding lots of ice to a large bowl. When the timer goes off, immediately remove the eggs from the hot water and add them to the ice water bath for at least 5-10 minutes or until they’re cooled completely. Peel the eggs under cold running water.
SCOOP: Halve the eggs lengthwise and scoop out the yolks without disturbing the whites. Place the yolks in a bowl, and mash them with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, garlic powder, salt, mustard, and relish, and gently fluff with a fork to combine. Taste and adjust with more salt or seasonings as desired.
LOAD AND SERVE: Fill the mixture into a piping bag or a freezer quart bag and snip off a tip. Carefully fill each egg white with the yolk mixture. Dust the tops with chili powder or paprika if you want to make it mild. Top with pickled jalapeños or chopped chives.

Notes

Jalapeño Mustard: I usually buy jalapeño mustard for this recipe, if you can’t find it, just minced up a few pickled jalapeno slices and use yellow mustard.

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