The Perfect Crunch: Your Guide To Crispy Snacks For Cocktail Night
Sipping on a frothy, chilled beer when the rain comes down pattering on your window is a singular pleasure that is accentuated with the straightforward addition of crispy fritters which make a delightful crunch sound when you take a big bite. Crunchy snacks go well with several boozy drinks because their spicy and versatile flavours coupled with crispy textures enable them to complement different liquors like beer, whisky, rum.
Many times, upon heading out to your local bar and ordering your favourite cocktail, you are often presented with pretzels, chips and other assorted crisps to accompany your drink because crunchy foods also help to elevate the fresh and tangy notes of alcoholic blends.
When you are next thinking of hosting a cocktail night at home, you need look no further than such delicious crispy delights that will splendidly pair with all the different drinks you plan to serve. The crunchy numbers are easy to prepare and can be circulated warm when guests start arriving for cocktail night. And these are also excellent alternatives when your friends and relatives show up unannounced for a couple of drinks and you have to put on your home hosting cap.
Here’s a handy guide that will give you some ideas about the different varieties of crunchy snacks you can prepare to complement your drinks:
Onion Pakoras
Pakoras are an interesting crispy munching to prepare for serving with drinks. Onion fritters made by deep frying long strips of the veggie coated in gram flour and seasoned with spices like chilli powder, turmeric, cumin and ajwain can go really well with intense spirits like whisky or bourbon savoured neat or in a cocktail blend. Serve the pakoras warm, brought straight out of the fryer so you can enjoy the crunch sound they make. Pakoras can be fashioned out of different ingredients like mixed veggies, plantains, paneer, mushrooms and even green chillies so you can get creative in the kitchen and come up with assorted crunchies for an informal cocktail night.
Beer Battered Deep Fried Chicken
If there was any food that would instantly transport you into a state of sheer comfort and bliss, it is perfectly cooked fried chicken. Make delicious beer battered fried chicken by first marinating the thighs, drumsticks and wings of the bird in a batter made from quality frothy beer, some flour and a few seasonings like pepper, salt and chilli powder. You can either use bread crumbs or egg whites or both to double coat the chicken before dropping it in the fryer so it acquires that audible crunch sound.
Veggie Tempura
Crispy yet light, veggie tempuras are good alternatives when you want to serve a crunchy starter without making it too stuffy. These tempuras are prepared by lightly frying veggies in a coating of rice flour batter which gives them a thin yet inviting coating. You can prepare tempura out of a single vegetable or mix assorted veggies like broccoli, cabbages, asparagus, cauliflower and others into the smooth batter and serve crunchy appetisers that would accompany sweet, tangy and sour cocktails.
Nachos And Dips
A quintessential crispy alternative when you are preparing bar bites at home, nachos served with several dips introduce a delightful crunch onto your palate that goes well with full-bodied, vibrant drinks. You can pair different flavours of nachos with sour cream, salsa, guac and mayonnaise dips and serve them alongside drinks like a whisky sour, palomas, piña coladas and mojitos when you are hosting an informal cocktail night or game night at home.
Roasted Spicy Chickpeas
One of the most sought after bar bites at any south east Asian honky tonk, roasted chickpeas are crunchy, crispy numbers that can accompany an array of drinks. From vodka cocktails to whisky neat, roasted chickpeas go well with an assortment of boozy mixes. Prepare roasted chickpeas by lightly tossing them on a pan in some oil and spices like chilli powder, coriander and cumin powders as well as raw mango powder so they acquire a lip smacking tangy and spicy taste.
