Baking and Cooking Advice

When you're arranging the catering for your next party and want a selection of finger foods for your buffet table, give the sausage rolls and mini quiches a break and opt for a selection of flavour-packed Indian finger foods. Your guests will appreciate a change from the standard buffet offerings, and the rich spices and flavours of Indian food can be a good talking point at the buffet table. Here's an overview of five Indian finger foods that are perfect for parties.

Steamed Momos

Steamed momos are an East Indian delicacy that are similar to wontons. The dough parcels are filled with minced lamb that's seasoned with garlic, onion and chilli sauce. Once steamed, the momos are served with a fiery tomato chutney. These bite-sized parcels can be served warm or at room temperature.

Mini Chicken Tikka

Chicken tikka is marinated pieces of chicken breast cooked and served on skewers, and using mini skewers that hold just a few pieces of chicken makes this dish the right size for a buffet. The marinade consists of creamy yogurt infused with red chillies, garlic, ginger and garam masala, which is a blend of spices commonly used in Indian cooking, such as cloves, cinnamon and cardamom.  

Sabudana Vada

Sabudana vada are tapioca pearl and potato dumplings that are suitable for vegan and gluten-free guests. These little dumplings originate from the state of Maharashtra in Western India and contain cumin, coriander, green chillies and peanuts, so they have a satisfying crunch. They are typically served with a green chutney dipping sauce.

Samosas

Samosas are a popular street food that can found across India and consist of a spiced meat or vegetable filling encased in crispy pastry. They can be eaten alone or served with a mango chutney dipping sauce or raita, which is a yogurt-based sauce with mint. Popular vegetable fillings include potato, peas, onions and spinach, and meat samosas usually consist of ground lamb or chicken. The filling is flavoured with cumin seeds, chilli powder and fresh coriander to create a moreish finger food option packed with intense flavours.

Khasta Kachori

Khasta kachori are small, flaky pastries filled with urad dal, dried fruit and spices. Urad dal is a type of bean with black skin and an earthy flavour. For this dish, cooked urad dal is combined with chopped apricots, raisins, cashews, ginger, green chillies, coriander powder and asafoetida, which has a flavour similar to onions. These little pastries have a unique taste, thanks to the combination of flavours, and will be unlike anything your guests would have been expecting from a party buffet.

These are just a few suggestions of Indian finger foods that are ideal for parties. Talk with catering companies to learn how you can incorporate unique foods into your next event.