Chili-bites

Here is a recipe that will certainly be appreciated by your guests. It is great party food pre-dinner snack and also healthy. The best part about this recipe is that you can add or delete and adapt it to suit your particular taste. It is fun to experiment with.

These are your essentials:

Chick pea flour or Chana as it is often labeled. This is available from most Super stores that have an ethnic food section and of course from any East Indian store. It is great for those who are intolerant of wheat and it is the only exotic ingredient you will need.

Mix two cups of chana flour with water. As there is a variety of chana flour out there, add a little water at a time. I prefer the consistency to be that of thin pancake mix. The thicker it is the doughier it will be. A thinner mixture will make a lighter and crispier chili-bite. This is a matter of preference.

Place the mixture aside to rest whilst you prepare the other ingredients which can be divided into two main categories, the seasoning and vegetables.

The seasoning can be as simple as salt or as flamboyant as the following:

• ½ tsp of kosher salt. Any sea salt will do.
• ½ tsp of garlic powder.
• ¼ to 1 tsp of hot chili powder. This depends on your taste. If you do not have chili powder use a hot sauce like Tabasco. This is the beauty of this recipe. It is so adaptable.
• 1 tsp to 1 Tbs of curry powder. Again this depends on your taste. Chana tends to dull the heat from chilies.
• 1 tsp of ground black pepper.

Mix all of the above into the chana mixture and taste. Add extra salt and chili if necessary.

Now for the vegetables. For the above mixture I would use at least three cups of prepped veggies. Four is not too much, but your mixture must be well seasoned to go the extra cup otherwise the flavour will be weaker.

• ½ packed cup of chopped cilantro.
• ½ packed cup of chopped mint.
• 1 packed cup of spinach leaves.
• 1 packed cup of thinly sliced onions.
• 1 packed cup of thinly sliced potatoes. Shoe string style.
• 4 chopped chilies such as jalapeno. This is optional but I would not do without it.

Mix all of the above into your chana mixture. Make sure all of the vegetables are well coated. Put between one and two inches of canola oil in a skillet and set your heat to ¾ setting.

Take a tablespoon dollop and drop into the hot oil and continue until your frying pan is comfortably full. Keep turning until golden brown, then remove and place on a draining rack or paper towel. Serve warm. It can be frozen and reheated in an oven. Your friends will ask for more and your vegetarian friends won't leave without asking for the recipe. Just send them to our website.

Enjoy.