Super easy three-ingredient starters

Have to whip up some starters in a jiffy? Let’s face it, we all have a lazy bone in us when it comes to cooking and would certainly save up on the time if the opportunity would arise. Thankfully, there are some of those miracle recipes that can be prepared really quick with no more than three ingredients. Here are some of them…

Oat Crusted Avocadoes 

For something as fancy as it is simple, you can try this recipe. “It treats with the nuttiness from the oats and the mild sweetness from the avocadoes,” shares Vibhav Verma, Executive Chef, Grand Mercure Bangalore. He goes on to elaborate on the recipe. “Take flour and mix it with water till it reaches a dripping consistency. To it, add peeled avocadoes and packet oats. Merge all of them together and deep fry.” And that is it, your scrumptious starter is ready.

Tofu, Peanut Butter and Soya Sauce

If your taste buds lean towards the Oriental cuisine, you might like this. Plus, it is a super healthy option that can be enjoyed as a snack too. All you have to do is chop your tofu into small cubes. Sauté them in a pan and while doing so, add peanut butter and soya sauce. Ensure that the tofu is well coated in all of these. If you like to have a little bit of crunch, then opt for the peanut butter that has bits of nuts in it.

Take the dish off from the fire once they turn slightly crispy. The sweetness and nuttiness of the peanut butter mixed with the saltiness of soya sauce and blandness of tofu will all come together for that perfect delight.

Sun-dried Tomato, Cheese Slice and Bread 

Sun-dried tomato and cheese are a perfect match made in food heaven! To give your sandwich a starter effect, we suggest that you cut your cheese slice and bread into tiny triangle pieces. If you have a star cookie cutter, even better. Top that with little fiery red pieces of sundried tomatoes. Grill in the oven or toast on a regular pan. For the latter, just make sure you close it with the lid to get the melted cheese effect. Savour the tanginess of the sundried tomatoes sunk into the creamy cheese spread on the base of toasted bread. Garnish with salt and pepper or oregano if you wish.

Deep-fried Mozzarella Sticks 

Speaking of cheese, who doesn’t like the creamy flavour of mozzarella? And if they are deep-fried, even better. Vibhav Verma, Executive Chef, Grand Mercure Bangalore shares a delectable but easy recipe. For this, you will need flour batter, mozzarella sticks and readymade panko crumbs. Make a dripping batter of flour and water. Take mozzarella sticks and coat them in flour batter first and then panko crumbs before deep frying. Serve with sauce and watch the food disappear in a matter of seconds!

Garlic and Chilli French Fries 

It is hard to think of a starter without French fries, right? To add a slight twist to this favourite junk food, sprinkle in some chilli flakes and slightly sautéed crushed garlic once the delectable greasy deep-fried potatoes are out. Give it a good toss so that everything is blended. Add in salt as per taste and you are good to go!

Maida Poppers 

If you are the sorts who cannot do without a deep-fried starter, then this is for you. It might not win in the nutrition department, but the combination of crispiness and softness will certainly impress the guests. Take the required cups of maida and blend it with buttermilk or curd. The secret lies in the latter as it will ensure that your poppers are crunchy and fluffy at the same time. Let it come to a batter consistency. Leave this aside for around two hours for the ingredients to do their magic. Lastly, add a teaspoon of baking soda and salt and give it a good whisk. Pour a spoon of the batter into boiling oil and repeat. Once they are cooked, get them out and serve.

Mushrooms and Cream Cheese Tostadas

Have bread that is lying in our home since the past two days? You can put it to good use with this recipe. Vibhav Verma, Executive Chef, Grand Mercure Bangalore elaborates, “Cut the bread into wafer-thin slice and toast them. Simultaneously, you can stir fry mushrooms. Mix these with cream cheese and add that on the toast.” And there you have an easy to prepare the gourmet starter.

Pineapple, Cherry and Cheese Cubes 

Another of those easy-peasy recipes that require no cooking skills whatsoever! Agreed, the chopping of the pineapple can be a bit tedious and for that, you can pick one which is already peeled. Cut the pineapples into little cubes and stick it on a toothpick. Follow that with a cube of cheese and cherry. The slight saltiness of the cheese cube will offset the sweetness of the pineapple and cherry, thus bringing about the balance of flavours. This is ideal to have when guests come over. Plus, it is a good idea to sneak in some fruit into the diet of fussy kids.  

Most of these starters are packed with their own flavour and need little or no seasoning. So, the next time when you want to prepare something delicious without much of a hassle, you know what to do!