4 pm hunger pangs are real and needs to addressed. It is the time where you crave to eat something tasty but don’t want to overdo it to keep some space for dinner. Many of us usually finish work during this time and head back home. So instead of goeging those chips and cookies, try out these yummy and healthy recipes for relish during the evenings.

1. Chickpea Salad

Crispy and crunchy vegetables mixed with protein rich chickpeas stirred with mouth watering seasoning, this mediterrenean salad with an Indian spice twist is not only delicious but healthy too.

Ingredients:
🥗 1 cup boiled chickpeas or kabuli chana
🥗 1 small sized cucumber, 1 tomato, 1 medium sized onion finely chopped
🥗 2 tablespoon Olive oil
🥗 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
🥗 Salt to taste
🥗 1/2 teaspoon each of pepper powder, black salt, chaat masala
🥗 1 tablespoon lemon juice
🥗 1 tablespoon corriander leaves finely chopped

Method:
1. In a bowl, add cucumber, tomato and onion and mix well.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add boiled chickpeas and season it with salt and read chilli flakes. Saute for 4-5 minutes.
3. Once done, let it cool to room temperature and then add pepper powder, black salt, chaat masala and lemon juice.
4. Add in the cumcumber, tomato and onion mixture and give it a good stir so that all the chickpeas and vegetables gets evenly coated with the dressing.
5. Finally add the chopped corriander leaves and mix. Serve it fresh.

Chickpea salad can be consumed as is or can be accompanied by herbed toasted bread or a soup. You can even add fetta cheese and vegetables like zuccini and bell peepers according to liking and chopped dates for a sweeter version of it.

 

2. Murmura Snack

Salted and spiced puffed rice is the easiest and healthy homemade snack which will save you and your kids from all those nasty store bought munchies. It can be enjoyed anytime during the day to calm those hunger pangs and when you are craving to much on something crunchy and tasty.

Ingredients:
🍚 1 tablespoon Mustard Oil
🍚 3-4 curry leaves
🍚 1 cup Puffed Rice
🍚 A pinch of turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder(optional)
🍚 Salt to taste
🍚 1/2 cup Roasted Makhana, 1/4 cup Roasted Chana daal and a spoonful of peanuts( optional, for making it extra healthy)

Method:
1. In a pan on medium heat, add mustard oil and add the curry leaves.
2. Once the curry leaves crackle, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and salt.
3. Add the puffed rice and quickly mix it with spices. Keep stirring so that all the puffed rice is evenly coated with the spices.
(Puffed rice Namkeen is ready and can be served like this or can be turned into a variation by following below steps)
4. Add the makhana, chana daa and peanuts to the puffed rice.
5. Mix well and store in an air tight container once it cools to room temperature.

Enjoy this simple yet delicious snack with a cup of tea or pack it in kids tiffin for them to munch on. Puffed rice is healthy and is a great alternative to store bought chips, biscuits or any other snacks.

 

3.Open Sandwich

 

The Italian bruschetta just got its Indian cousin- Crispy Potato Open Sandwich. Loaded with generous amount of butter and packed with delicious spiced potato mixture, this one is synonymous to picnic snack and is loved by kids as well.

Ingredients:
🥪 2 medium sized boiled mashed potato
🥪 1 onion finely chopped
🥪 A pinch each of garam masala powder, black salt, cumin powder, red chilli powder, dry mango/aamchur powder
🥪 Salt to taste
🥪 2 tablespoon finely chopped corriander leaves
🥪 Sandwich Bread
🥪 Butter

Method:
1. In a bowl, add mashed boiled potato and chopped onion.
2. Season it salt,garam masala powder, black salt, cumin powder, red chilli powder & aamchur powder.
3. Add chopped corriander and mix everything nicely.
4. Spread butter on a slice of bread put around a tablespoon of the potato mixture on it and spread it evenly.
5. In a griddle or pan, heat some butter and toast the sandwich on both sides untill crisp. While toasting, apply butter generously on the plain side of bread to make it flavourful.

These open sandwiches are perfect on-the-go snack, and if you like, serve it with some ketchup or mint chutney. A classic reminder of street style sandwiches, this one is a treat in every bite.

 

4. Indian Style Macaroni

 

A scintillating combination of Italian macaroni with desi Indian spices resulting into a drool worthy 4pm snack. Prepared with narrow elbow shaped pasta, this simple dish is wholesome and piquant at the same time.

Ingredients:
🍴1 table spoon oil
🍴1 table spoon butter
🍴2 cloves of chopped garlic
🍴1/2 medium sized onion chopped
🍴1/2 small carrot chopped
🍴1 table spoon peas
🍴1/2 small green clilli finely chopped
🍴1 slice each of red & yellow bell peppers chopped
🍴1 cup boiled macaroni pasta
🍴1 table spoon tomato ketchup
🍴A pinch of turmeric powder, garam masala powder & jeera powder
🍴Salt to taste.

Method:
1. In a pan, heat oil and butter.
2. Saute garlic and onion into it for 10 seconds and add carrots, peas and green chilli. Add salt and cover the pan with a lid and let it cook till vegetables start getting mushy.
3. Add red & yellow bell peppers, turmeric powder, jeera powder and garam masala. Give a good stir so that all the vegetables are coated with the spices. Cover it again and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add in boiled macaroni and mix everything nicely.
5. Finally, add tomato ketchup and give it a good stir while letting it cook for 2-3 minutes.

This instant soul satisfying dish goes very well with a cup of hot soup to make it a perfect meal.Dig in it while its piping hot and enjoy the burst of desi spices mixed in sultry soft macaroni pasta.

 

5. Potato Cheese Balls

 

Crispy and golden on the outside with heavenly melted cheese inside, these delectable Potato Cheese Balls is the perfect snack you have been desiderating for. These tiny fried balls served with dipping sauce is bound to give you a cafe style snacking experince at home.

Ingredients:
🔸2 medium sized boiled mashed potato.
🔸1 small onion finely chopped
🔸1 table spoon finely chopped corriander leaves
🔸1 slice each of diced red and yellow bell peppers
🔸1 small finely chopped deseeded green chilli
🔸1/4 table spoon red chilli flakes
🔸 Salt to taste
🔸 A pinch of black pepper powder
🔸Oregano
🔸Cheese Cube
🔸Corn flour slurry
🔸Bread crumbs
🔸Oil to fry

Method:
1. In a bowl add boiled potato and mash them nicely.
2. Add onion, red & yellow bell peppers, green chilli and corriander.
3. Throw in salt, pepper powder, oregano and red chilli flakes and mix everything nicely till everything combines well.
4. Make small balls of the potato mixture and roll it into small balls. Flatten the ball and put a small cheese cube in the centre.
Roll again to cover the cheese cube with potato mixture.
5. Dip the potato cheese balls into corn flour slurry followed by coating it evenly with bread crumbs. Deep fry the balls till golden brown. You can even air fry them.

These enticing fried balls of deliciuosness will absolutely vanish in a giffy once served. Accompany it with your favourite dipping sauce and reminiscence all the good times spent in your favourite cafe.

So go ahead and treat yourself with this delicious evening snacks. And to join me in my cooking experiments and more such recipes, check out @teenycookbook where I share everything related food.