Everything You Wanted To Know About Chilli Dips & Snacks

The below are some of my favourite chilli dips and snacks.

Stuffed Chilli Bajjis

Spicy Brazil Nuts

Spicy Zucchini & Chorizo Tartlets

Hot & Spicy Corn Puffs

Broad Bean & Feta Dip

One of my all-time favourite Indian dishes

• 5 - 8 large green chillies - poblano, Big Jim, etc
• 1/2 cup Gram flour (chickpea flour - you can substitute with plain flour, but it's not the same)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder

For stuffing

• 1-2 medium sized onions finely chopped
• 1-2 grated carrots
• 1/2 tsp chutney - choose your favourite
• a bunch of finely chopped coriander

Make a batter with gram flour,salt and chilli powder with water.

Heat the oil in wok and then dip the green chilli in the batter, it should be well coated with batter. Then drop in to hot oil carefully, fry till crisp and golden brown.

After removing from oil slit the bajji in the middle then stuff it with chopped onion grated carrot.

Garnish with coriander (cilantro) leaves and drizzle your favourite chutney over it and serve.

Although a little fiddly, these are great entree or snack when you're looking for something a bit different.

• 30g butter
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 teasp chili powder
• 1 teasp flaked sea salt
• 1 cup Brazil nuts

Melt butter in a heavy based pan.

Add garlic, chilli and salt and stir over medium heat for 1 minute.

Toss the Brazil nuts in and continue to stir for 1-2 minutes.

Drain on paper towel and allow to cool.

makes 4 serves

These little tarts are a great easy snack.

• 1 sheet (25cm) ready-rolled frozen puff pastry
• 2 chorizo sausages, thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeno, deseeded and finely sliced
• 2 zucchini, thinly sliced lengthways (julienned)
• 100g semi-dried tomatoes, drained, cut in half and stems removed
• 50g goat’s cheese, crumbled (we're blessed here in Perth having direct access to Kervella goat cheeses)
• 1 tablsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablsp olive oil
• 100g baby spinach & lettuce salad leaves, to serve

Cut the pastry sheet into quarters and line the bases and sides of four 8cm (base measurement) x 3cm fluted tart tins with removable bases with the pastry, allowing the sides to overhang.

Place the lined tins on an oven tray and chill them in the fridge and meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over high heat and cook in a little oil cook the chorizo slices until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to a plate.

Then add the chilli and a quarter of the zucchini to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes until each side of the zucchini is golden and just tender and then transfer it to the same plate.

Repeat in three more batches with the remaining zucchini.

When you have cooked it all, arrange the chilli, zucchini, chorizo and tomatoes evenly among the pastry cases then sprinkle with the goat’s cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until pastry is golden and puffed and then place the tartlets on serving dishes.

Combine the vinegar and oil in a small bowl and drizzle over the tartlets.

Serve with salad leaves.

Makes about 35 puffs.

• 2 corn cobs
• 3 tablsp coriander leaves, chopped
• 6 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 red cayenne chilli, seeded & finely chopped
• 1 large egg (70g +)
• 2 teasp ground cummin seeds
• 1/2 teasp ground coriander seeds
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 teasp salt
• pepper to taste
• oil for deep frying
• asian style sweet chilli sauce, to serve

Cut the corn off the cob with a sharp knife. Roughly chop the kernels then put them in a bowl with the remaining ingredients except the flour. Stir well. Then add the flour and mix well.

The batter texture will depend on the amount of juice in the corn. If it is excessively dry, add 1 tablsp of water. You shouldn't need anymore than that as the batter is meant to be dry. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Heat oil to 180 C . Drop slightly heaped teaspoons of the batter into the oil and cook for approximately 1.5 minutes, until puffed and golden.

Drain on paper towel and then serve immediately with the sweet chilli sauce as a dipping sauce.