As you curate a tantalising Diwali menu for your festive gatherings and house parties, make sure you include the best desi treats. Nothing completes the appetiser menu quite like good cheese balls.ALSO READ: Diwali home decor: 5 ways to make your space feel festive without overdoing it
Frozen cheese balls are a convenient choice, but this Diwali, skip them and try making your own. This way, you also have more control over the ingredients that go into them.
As part of a series of Diwali snacks, Chef Saloni Kukreja shared a recipe for homemade hara bhara cheese balls, which are easy to make with ingredients readily available at home. The recipe features delicious mozzarella cheese, and the cheese pull is sure to make your guests gasp and swoon over your culinary skills.
Here's the recipe for you to try at home:
Ingredients:
- Potatoes - boiled - 2
- Spinach - ½ cup
- Peas - ½ cup
- Coriander - 2 tbsp
- Paneer - 100g
- Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
- Chilli powder - ½ tsp
- Amchoor powder - ½ tsp
- Garam masala powder - ½ tsp
- Garlic - 3 cloves
- Green Chilli - 2
- Ginger - ½
- Bread crumbs - 3 tbsp
- Salt and pepper - to taste
- Mozzarella cheese for stuffing
- Maida - 3 tbsp
- Cornflour - 3 tbsp
- Water - 4-5 tbsp
- Salt and pepper - to taste
- Breadcrumbs for coating - ½ cup
Method:
- Blanch spinach, peas, and coriander together for a minute. Drain well and squeeze out all excess water.
- Add the blanched greens, ginger, garlic, and green chillies to a blender with a splash of water and blend into a coarse paste.
- Grate the potatoes and paneer, and add the prepared green paste.
- Add jeera powder, chilli powder, amchoor powder, garam masala, salt, pepper, and breadcrumbs. Mix until everything is well combined and forms a soft dough-like mixture.
- Take a small portion of the mixture and flatten it in your palm. Place a cube of mozzarella cheese in the centre, then seal it completely from all sides and shape it into a ball.
- In a small bowl, mix maida, cornflour, salt, pepper, and water to make a smooth slurry.
- Dip each stuffed ball into the slurry, then roll it in breadcrumbs for an even coating.
- Heat oil on a low-medium flame and deep-fry the cheese balls until golden brown and crisp.
- Remove and drain on absorbent paper
- Serve hot with green chutney.
Here's the recipe for you to try at home:
Ingredients:
- Potatoes - boiled - 2
- Spinach - ½ cup
- Peas - ½ cup
- Coriander - 2 tbsp
- Paneer - 100g
- Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
- Chilli powder - ½ tsp
- Amchoor powder - ½ tsp
- Garam masala powder - ½ tsp
- Garlic - 3 cloves
- Green Chilli - 2
- Ginger - ½
- Bread crumbs - 3 tbsp
- Salt and pepper - to taste
- Mozzarella cheese for stuffing
- Maida - 3 tbsp
- Cornflour - 3 tbsp
- Water - 4-5 tbsp
- Salt and pepper - to taste
- Breadcrumbs for coating - ½ cup
Method:
- Blanch spinach, peas, and coriander together for a minute. Drain well and squeeze out all excess water.
- Add the blanched greens, ginger, garlic, and green chillies to a blender with a splash of water and blend into a coarse paste.
- Grate the potatoes and paneer, and add the prepared green paste.
- Add jeera powder, chilli powder, amchoor powder, garam masala, salt, pepper, and breadcrumbs. Mix until everything is well combined and forms a soft dough-like mixture.
- Take a small portion of the mixture and flatten it in your palm. Place a cube of mozzarella cheese in the centre, then seal it completely from all sides and shape it into a ball.
- In a small bowl, mix maida, cornflour, salt, pepper, and water to make a smooth slurry.
- Dip each stuffed ball into the slurry, then roll it in breadcrumbs for an even coating.
- Heat oil on a low-medium flame and deep-fry the cheese balls until golden brown and crisp.
- Remove and drain on absorbent paper
- Serve hot with green chutney.
If you are looking for a crispy, crunchy, and savoury addition to your Delhi menu with plenty of creamy, cheesy goodness, these hara bhara cheese balls take the crown. They are gooey and spicy, with a generous portion of healthy greens. They are perfect if you wish to skip frozen treats and serve your guests a homemade treat.
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