Ring in the New Year with Delicious Creations!

New Year’s Eve is often looked forward to a time that one spends with your closest and loved ones. While many like to party outside at restaurants and outdoor events, many others prefer a home party. Where loved ones gather together at someone’s house, and ring in the new year together.

Home parties mean being within your close-knit group, and spending time with each other with good food and company. Home parties are also synonymous with delicious home-cooked food, as ordering food from restaurants can be nothing short of chaotic. 

If you are hosting New Year’s Eve at your place this year, make sure it is a special one! This does not mean you need to spend the whole evening struggling in the kitchen preparing elaborate meals. We have curated an interesting line of unique recipes, with an element of fun and fusion. The best part is that you prepare these recipes well in advance so that you have enough time to spend with your loved ones.

Roasted Shrimp with Lemon Aioli

The traditional shrimp cocktail requires the shrimp to be poached, but often the taste and texture of poached shrimp isn’t most palatable, hence when roasted, the shrimp attain a delicious roasted and smoky taste and texture. This served with a simple lemon aioli dip is ready within minutes and is perfect to serve for your dinner party. 

Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 8-10 servings 

Ingredients: 

• ½ cup regular mayonnaise 
• ½ tsp grated fresh lemon zest  
• 2 tsp lemon juice 
• ½ tsp wasabi mayonnaise (optional) 
• 8-10 pieces of medium-sized prawns or shrimp (remove the shell and veins) 
• 2 tsp olive oil 
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Method:

1. To roast the shrimp, preheat the oven to 300’C. 
2. Now in a small bowl, make a simple marinate of oil, salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to it, mix well and keep aside until the oven preheats. 
3. To make the dip, take a bowl, add the mayonnaise, along with lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix well. You can optionally add some wasabi mayonnaise if available, for that extra kick.
4. On a baking tray, line the shrimp vertically and place them in the oven to roast. Shrimp take around 5-7 minutes to get well roasted. Check if the shrimp are cooked through and have a nice pink colour. 
5. Once ready, line the shrimp on an attractive serving plate transfer the lemon aioli to a dipping bowl, and add it to the plate. Serve immediately. 

Cheesy Garlicky Pull Apart Pao

This is one of the easiest and most delicious appetizers you can serve at your New Year dinner party. It is easy to make, requires few ingredients and is loved by children and adults alike! 

Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6 

Ingredients: 

• 6 pieces set of pao 
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup grated processed cheese
• ½ cup melted butter 
• 2 tsp minced garlic 
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh coriander 
• ½ tsp red chilli flakes (optional) 

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven to 300°C.
2. Make slits in the pao, such that each pao has 2 slits in a cross, to fill in the cheese. Make sure not to cut the pao through into pieces. 
3. Take a mixing bowl, and add the mozzarella cheese and processed cheese together. Add red chilli flakes if you like the slight heat. 
4. Take a spoon and carefully fill in the cheese mix inside the slits of the pao. 
5. Now take a small bowl and mix the melted butter with minced garlic and chopped coriander. 
6. Using a brush, generously brush the garlic and butter mix over the pao. 
7. Now place the pao in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese melts, and the pao gets a golden shine over it. 
8. Optionally, you can also bake this on a gas stove, by simply placing the pao on a flat pan, and covering it with a lid. Slow cook on medium heat until the cheese melts. 
9. Serve with a spicy dipping sauce of choice. 

Chicken/Paneer Tikka Pasta 

This unique fusion recipe gives you the perfect combination of Indian spices and flavours with an exotic touch using pasta. It is rich, savoury, spicy and creamy all at the same time. 

The best part is that it is easy to cook one pot recipe, and does not need long hours in the kitchen. 

Total Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4 

Ingredients: 

• 500gm boneless chicken cut into cubes (for a vegetarian version, replace the same with paneer cubes) 

For Marinade

• 1 cup hung curd 
• 2 tsp ginger garlic paste 
• 1 tsp red chilli powder 
• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 tsp Tikka masala powder (or garam masala) 
• 2 tsp lemon juice 
• Salt to taste 

For Sauce 

• 1/3 cup oil 
• 1 cup finely chopped onions
• 2 tsp ginger garlic paste 
• 1 cup tomato puree 
• ½ cup fresh cream 
• 2 tsp kasuri methi 
• 4 tsp freshly chopped coriander 
• Boiled pasta of choice (spaghetti or penne etc) 
• 2 cups of leftover pasta water. 

Method: 

1. Take a large bowl, add all the ingredients of the marinade, like the ginger garlic paste, curd, salt, spices etc. and mix it all well. 
2. Now add your chicken or paneer cubes and cost it well. Make sure each piece is well coated. Let the chicken marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes. (You can even marinate it earlier in the day and refrigerate the same)
3. Take a large size pot (make sure the size is enough to accommodate the chicken as well as the pasta and sauce). Add some oil to it, once the oil heats, add the chopped onions and cook until they are golden brown. 
4. Now add the ginger garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell wears off. 
5. Next, add the chicken pieces and cook until the chicken is soft and completely cooked. 
6. Now add the tomato puree and cook for some time. Season the sauce and make sure the flavours are well balanced. Now add the boiled pasta of choice and mix it well in the cooked sauce. Add some pasta water to slightly thin out the contents, and make it easy to handle. 
7. Finally, add some fresh cream and stir it in gently. Also, add some kasuri methi, (crush it lightly between your palms before adding).
8. Remove from the flame, and top it will freshly chopped coriander and serve hot. You can also add some pieces of garlic bread along with your fusion pasta.

Awadhi Mutton Biryani 

In India, biryani is more than just food. It is considered as an emotion! So, what better way to commence the new year than with a hearty biryani? And to make it even better, prepare the Awadhi style mutton biryani, to ensure your dinner party is a super hit! 

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves: 6 

Ingredients: 

• For the biryani masala
• 1 inch cinnamon stick 
• 8-10 cloves
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 3 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 tsp black peppercorns
• 1-star anise
• 2 mace
• 2 big brown cardamoms 
• 3-4 green cardamoms

For Marinade: 

• 4-5 tsp Ginger Garlic paste (freshly made, not packaged) 
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ cup paste of cashew nuts soaked in milk
• 1 tsp garam masala 
• 5 tsp hung curd

Other ingredients:

• ½ kg mutton 
• 2 cups of soaked rice 
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 piece cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup ghee 
• ½ cup milk
• 8-10 strands of saffron
• 2-3 thinly sliced onions
• Oil to fry onions

Method: 

1. The first step is to prepare the garam masala. Dry roast all the whole spices until they are fragrant. Allow them to cool, and then grind them into a fine paste. 
2. For the marinade, add the ginger garlic paste, turmeric, and chilli powder, in a mixing bowl, add the curd and cashew paste and whisk it well to get a uniform mixture. 
3. Add the mutton to the prepared marinade, and coat the mutton pieces well with the marinade. Cover the bowl with a lid and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour. 
4. Take a large vessel, bring some water to boil, and add to it 2 green cardamom, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and salt. Now add the soaked rice and bring it to a boil. Cook the rice until it is just about 70% cooked. Drain the rice, remove the whole spices and allow it to cool. 
5. Now remove the mutton from the refrigerator, and allow it to come to room temperature. Take a large-size handi, and melt 3 tsp ghee in it. Now transfer the mutton to it. Cook on medium heat, until the mutton is well-cooked and falls off the bones. 
6. Transfer the cooked meat to another vessel, and use the same handi for the final preparation of the biryani. 
7. Before the final preparations, warm the milk and soak the saffron strands in it. Fry the sliced onions till they get crispy golden and keep aside. 
8. Using the same handi, add the remaining ghee, and half the quantity of the prepared mutton. To this add a layer of the prepared rice. 
9. Top this with saffron-infused milk, sprinkled over the rice. Also, add a layer of fried onions. 
10. Repeat the same process with the remaining mutton and rice. Top it with saffron milk and the remaining fried onions. Garnish it with freshly chopped coriander and mint leaves and serve with some salad or raita. 

Tipsy Pudding

What is a New Year’s Eve dinner party without a lip-smacking dessert? This tipsy pudding is the definition of a perfect dessert. It is rich, and creamy and tastes like a party in your mouth. This dessert is also easy to prepare and can be made well in advance to avoid last-minute chaos. 

Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 

Ingredients: 

• 1 sponge cake (vanilla flavoured) 
• 1 can of fruit cocktail 
• 2 cups of fresh cream 
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup of assorted fresh fruits (kiwi, pineapples, strawberry etc) 

Method: 

1. Preferably prepare the dessert in a see-through flat glassware. 
2. Open the can of fruit cocktail separate the fruit and keep the syrup aside to use later. 
3. Transfer the fresh cream to a mixing bowl, add some powdered sugar to it and whisk swiftly to combine them well together. Add the canned fruits to the fresh cream and gently mix them well. 
4. Slice the sponge cake evenly. And arrange them on the flat glassware. 
5. Sprinkle some of the syrup on the cake to moisten them slightly. (Make sure not to soak the cake, just a light sprinkle is enough) 
6. Add a layer of the fruit and cream mix. Spread it evenly on top of the sponge cake. 
7. Repeat the layer of sponge cake on top of the fruit cream. Once again, sprinkle some syrup on it. Add another layer of the fruit cream. 
8. Finally, top with an attractive design using fresh fruits.  
9. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve chilled.