Time to replace those cheesy and sugary dips with healthy and easy varieties. Here are our top 5 recipes to satiate those evening hunger pangs (if you are genuinely hungry that is!)

Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

  • 1 ripe mango, diced
  • ½ medium red bell pepper, chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped onion
  • ¼ cup packed fresh cilantro OR parsley leaves, chopped
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
  • 1 large lime, juiced (about ¼ cup lime juice)
  • Rock Salt to taste

Instructions:

  1. In a serving bowl, combine the prepared mango, bell pepper, onion,
  2. cilantro/parsley and jalapeño. Drizzle with the juice of one lime and mix well.
  3. Season to taste with salt. For best flavour, let the salsa rest for 10 minutes or longer

 Cashew Pesto

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup cashews
  • 2-3 cloves garlic
  • ½ cup basil leaves
  • Few sprigs of parsley/celery for garnishing
  • Rock salt to taste

Method:

Blend all ingredients into a smooth paste and garnish it with parsley or celery

sprigs

 Minty Pea Dip

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped mint
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced (reserve some zest for garnish)
  • Rock salt to taste
  • Freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

  1. If using fresh peas: Bring a small pot of water to boil, add the peas and cook for 1

minute. Strain and plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking.

  1. If using frozen peas: Defrost peas overnight in refrigerator.
  2. Place blanched or defrosted peas in a small food processor with mint, lemon zest
  3. and juice. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Serve immediately or cover with saran wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

 Sweet Potato Hummus:

Ingredients:

  • 1 large sweet potato (peeled and cut into chunks)
  • 1 cup chickpeas
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
  • 2 cloves garlic (peeled)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • Ground black pepper (to taste)

Method:

  1. Gather all the ingredients.
  2. Peel the sweet potato and cut into chunks. Cook in a pot of boiling water for about 10 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender. Mash with a potato masher and set aside to cool.
  3. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add them to a food processor.
  4. Add the cooled mashed sweet potato, water, freshly squeezed lemon juice, tahini, garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed.
  5. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, if desired, alongside pita or naan bread and sliced vegetables.

Mayo herbed Dip

Ingredients:

  • Hung curd – 1 cup
  • Salt to taste
  • Powdered jaggery: ¼ tsp
  • Lemon juice: 1tsp
  • Crushed garlic – 1 tsp
  • Olive oil – 2 tsp
  • Black pepper – 1 tsp
  • Mixed herbs- 1 tsp

Instructions:

  1. Take an empty bowl and place the strainer on top.
  2. Double a kitchen cloth and put it on the strainer.
  3. Pour the curd in the cloth, hold up the ends of the cloth and squeeze it gently.
  4. Once the water starts draining out, keep it back on the strainer and refrigerate this for 6-8 hours.
  5. Take 2 tablespoons of hung curd in a bowl and then add the powdered sugar to it.
  6. Add salt according to taste.
  7. Add crushed garlic and olive oil.
  8. Add crushed pepper and mixed herbs according to taste.
  9. Mix well.