Crafting A DIY Organic Foods Snack Platter For A Holiday Party
Snack platters showcasing fresh, organic produce are slowly gaining traction among people leaning toward organic options as a lifestyle choice. Their appeal lies in their use of natural, chemical-free, unprocessed ingredients, as well as in extracting maximum flavour out of every element.
Here is a comprehensive guide that explores the different considerations while curating an organic DIY organic snack platter.
What are the different categories of ingredients one would need?
Fruits: Apples, grapes and strawberries are the holiday season staples that can feature in the snack in various forms. You can serve them both fresh and incorporated in desserts like caramel tarts, jams and pies. These fruits exhibit different flavour profiles when raw and cooked. So these fruits, which generally have a characteristic tartness to them when fresh, become toffee-like when interacting with high heat.
Vegetables: Vegetables, such as carrots, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes contain a lot of water in them, which makes them ideal for a snack platter. These vegetables round off the bite by providing relief to the palate. Other vegetables like radish and baby corn can be served raw, grilled and tossed in salt and lemon. Grilled baby corn is chewy and meaty, and provides a textural contrast against tomatoes and cucumbers.
Whole Grains And Crackers: Organic multigrain wheat crackers offer a neutral base for an assortment of toppings and dips, from mango and chilli chutney to the classic Mediterranean Tzatziki. Homemade millet crackers are inexpensive, neutral tasting and have a crunch similar to tacos.
Cheese: Opt for cheeses like cheddar, feta or paneer, for a hit of umami and a rounder mouthfeel. Paneer can be basted in salt, turmeric, chilli powder and grilled. Because of how moist it is, the paneer soaks up all the spices it is coated in. You can even grill paneer on a skewer with vegetables like bell peppers and red onions, because these caramelised veggies become sweet and molassy, perfect accompaniments for the spongy, salty paneer.
Nuts: Almonds, cashews and walnuts have both earthy and sweet flavour notes that can be tempered with dry roasting them. When raw, both almonds and cashews have a comparatively softer bite and a milkier taste. However, when roasted, these nuts give off a toasty and caramel aroma, and become even crunchier. Take them a step further by coating the nuts or sesame seed brittles in jaggery.
Dips And Spreads: An integral component of any snack platter, dips and spreads provide the creaminess and richness essential to any well-rounded meal. Hummus, made from chickpeas, is a popular choice for organic dips. Guacamole, made in a base of avocado, is another globally popular dip. Closer home, chutneys made with coriander, tamarind, lime or lemon rind all make for good contenders.
Tips For Presentation
Using a wooden or slate board would provide a visual contrast to the vibrant raw vegetables and fruits.
Categorise them based on colour or type. Thus, group the red grapes, cherries and strawberries together or cluster the grapes and leafy greens.
The cutlery should echo the organic, eco-friendly theme of the platter. Therefore, use stainless steel katoris and reusable bamboo cutlery to serve your food, instead of single-use foam plates.
