Trick or treat?

There is one ghastly evening in the year when the dead are welcome to the party. Commemorating our ancestors, Halloween is celebrated on the last day of October every year. Now, if you are hosting a party, remember the thumb rule of serving scrumptious delicacies to the guests. And, if one wants the souls to stay on, he or she is bound to cook something that makes them comfortable. Good thing, these Halloween-themed food and beverages should do the trick. Not sure yet about what would work and what won’t? Read on to get an upper hand in the realm of themed gastronomy!

The kids are going to go trick or treating very soon. The custom, which is primarily popular in the US, has children come knocking on your door dressed in spooky Halloween costumes. Either give them sweets, or prepared to be pranked! But in the case of these recipes, there is no trick for you. In fact, with these, we are here to make sure that you are guided towards getting the most appealing treats one can think of — Halloween-themed cocktails.

The city has already geared up for Diwali and, as the festival of light ends, the dark and eerie atmosphere is ready to take over. Although during the pre-Diwali period, there is a similar day celebrated in eastern India, called Bhoot Chaturdashi (also known as Bengal’s Halloween), the excitement for Halloween is much more and the party and food craze goes beyond one’s imagination.

Vikrant Batra, a Delhi-based restaurateur, shares, “The festival has become immensely popular over time and people in the city are looking for new and different ways of celebrating it.”

But Halloween doesn’t always mean red velvet cake, red wine, and steaks. One can always be a bit innovative and experimental when it comes to the culinary scene. Thus, we have selected some of the cocktails that are unique in every sense.

So, what are you waiting for? Get the ingredients early, and start preparing for the day when the human and not-so-human celebrate together. Who knows, maybe it will really compel the otherworldly beings to join in the festivities, and maybe this time it won’t just be your imagination!

EDIBLE LAVA COAL

INGREDIENTS

• Cottage cheese     150gms
• Curd     60 gms
• Milk powder     8gms
• Green chilli     5gms
• Coriander     4gms
• Salt/yellow chilli/deggi mirch/pepper/elaichi powder as per taste
• Charcoal powder batter     75gms
• Refined oil     75gms
• Microgreen packet     10gms
• Edible flowers     2 nos.
• Tomato     50gms
• Sweet chilli sauce     10gms

HOW TO MAKE IT

• Crumble the paneer, mix it with chopped coriander, chopped green chilli, cardamom powder, milk powder and salt.
• Make four cylindrical mounds with the above mixture. Stuff it with curd, chopped green chilli, and chopped coriander.
• Make lava ash with dehydrated tomato, salt and deggi mirch.
• Dip this mixture in charcoal batter and fry.
• Garnish with lava ash, edible flower, and microgreens.

BLOOD CURDLING SOUP

INGRIDEENTS

• Pumpkin         500gms
• Salt to taste
• White pepper     2gms
• Bay leaf         2gms
• Honey         20ml
• Green cardamom     2gms
• Aromatic broth     2gms
• Curry powder     3gms
• Olive oil         50gms
• Carrot         50gms
• Leeks         20gms
• Celery         20gms
• Cheddar cheese     30gms
• Chilli oil         few drops
• Pumpkin seeds     5-7 nos.
• Pumpkin skin    8-10 juliennes

Method

• Pre-heat the oven at 425°F.
• Cut the pumpkin into quarters and keep the seeds aside for garnish.
• Take a baking sheet, put the pumpkin pieces and drizzle with two tablespoons of the olive oil, salt  and honey. Bake in a pre-heated oven until tender — 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool until easy to handle.
• Remove the skin and blend it to puree in the food processor, till it reaches smooth consistency.
• Heat remaining two tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium flame, add green cardamom, bay leaf, celery, leeks, carrots slice, salt; cook for few minutes by stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender (but not brown).
• Add salt, white pepper, curry powder; cook further, stirring often. Add aromatic broth and cooked pumpkin; bring to boil, then cover it with lid and simmer it and cook for few minutes.
• Remove from the fire and strain it to remove the whole spices.
• Put on flame again in a pan, add cheese and stir occasionally with help of whisker. Check the seasoning, remove from fire.
• Serve hot garnished with chilli oil, fried pumpkin seeds and fried pumpkin skin juliennes.