Halloween might be over, but it’s the weekend. Why look for another reason to have a little party at home? This year’s spooky fest was special for Keralites. Otherwise, an American celebration, Halloween, entered our schools’ corridors and workplaces. Many dressed up as witches, wizards, and all sorts of spooky characters, including the vampire superhero from the hit film Lokah. However, the festival, which is celebrated every year on October 31, came calling on a busy Friday. Worry not, the weekend is here, and why not extend the celebratory spirits to these two days? Now, for those hosting a spooky party, TNIE lists out a few quick and creative food ideas to spice up the spirits.
Devilled Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs: 12
(unpeeled)
Blue food colour:
6 drops
Mayonnaise: 6 tbsp
Green food colour:
3 drops
Yellow mustard:
2 tsp
White vinegar:
2 tsp
Salt: To taste
Black sesame seeds
(optional)
Method
Mix water and blue food colour in a large bowl. Crack the shells of hard-boiled eggs gently with a spoon. Do not remove the shell. Put the cracked eggs in the water mix and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Remove eggs, peel, and cut eggs in half. Transfer the yolks into a bowl. Mash the yolks with mayonnaise, green colouring, mustard, and vinegar. Add the mix to each egg white. Garnish with black sesame seeds.
Black Widow
cocktail
Ingredients
Fresh blackberries:
4 (plus more
for serving)
Fresh lime juice:
3/4 oz
Mezcal: 2 oz
Grape juice: 1 oz
Simple syrup: 3/4 oz
Ice
Ginger beer:
For topping off
Bay leaf: For garnish
Method
In a cocktail shaker, muddle blackberries and lime juice until berries are broken down. Add mezcal, grape juice, and simple syrup. Fill the shaker with ice, cover, and shake well for about 20 seconds. Double-strain the drink into a strainer held directly above an ice-filled glass. Top off with ginger beer. Garnish with bay leaf and more blackberries.
Spooky Sangria
Ingredients
Apples: 3
Lemon juice:
From 1 lemon
Ice
Blood oranges:
2, sliced into thin
rounds
Blackberries: 1 cup
Pomegranate:
1 cup
Red wine: 750 ml
Orange or
pomegranate
soda: 3 cups
Blackcurrant
liqueur: 3 oz
Simple syrup:
1 1/2 oz
Method
Slice apples lengthwise. Using a ghost-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 12 ghost-shaped apple pieces. Using a straw or skewer, punch 3 holes into each apple to form eyes and a mouth. Transfer to a medium bowl, add lemon juice, and lightly toss to coat. Fill a large punch bowl with ice. Add apple ghosts, orange slices, blackberries, and pomegranate seeds. Gently toss to combine. Add wine, soda, liqueur, and simple syrup. Stir until combined. Serve cold. (Apple ghosts can be made 3 hours ahead. Store in an airtight container with lemon juice and refrigerate. Wine, liqueur, and simple syrup can be mixed 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Pour over ice, add fruit, and mix in soda right before serving.)
Bloody muffins
Ingredients:
Raspberry
Frozen raspberries:
11⁄4 cups
Sugar: cup
Water: 11⁄2 tbsp
Muffin
Eggs: 2
All-purpose flour: 23⁄4 cups
Sugar: 1 cup
Milk: 3⁄4 cup
Butter: 7 tbsp (softened)
Baking powder: 2tsp
Whipped Cream
Heavy cream: 11⁄4 cups
Powdered sugar: 11⁄2 tbsp
Vanilla extract: 11⁄2 tsp
Red food colouring: 1⁄4 tsp
Garnish
Sugar: 1⁄2 cup
Red food colouring: 1⁄8 tsp
Method
In a saucepan, add raspberries, sugar, and water. Cook over medium heat for around 8 minutes, stir occasionally, until raspberries break down. Pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze for at least an hour. Keep the remaining refrigerated. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). In a bowl, beat eggs with sugar until the mix turns foamy. Add butter. In another bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Add the flour mix and milk to the egg mix, and stir until smooth. In a muffin tray, fill each liner halfway with batter. Place one frozen raspberry insert cube into the centre of each muffin. Cover with more batter, filling each about 3⁄4 full. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool completely. In a bowl, whip cold cream until it begins to thicken. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and red colouring. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Transfer the mix into a piping bag and refrigerate until ready to use. In a small saucepan, melt sugar over medium heat. Once amber in colour, remove from the heat and quickly add food colouring, mix well. Pour onto a silicone mat and spread thinly. Let it cool, then break into shards to look like broken glass. Pipe whipped cream on top of each cooled muffin. Drizzle reserved raspberry mix over the cream for a bloody effect. Decorate with shards of the ‘broken glass’. Chill until ready to serve.
Hot chocolate (with a long twist)
Ingredients
Cocoa powder: 65g
Boiled water: 100ml
Milk: 1 litre
Condensed milk: 397g
For the toppings
Fresh cream
Grated chocolate
Mini marshmallows
Method
Put the cocoa powder in a bowl. Pour in the hot boiled water and stir well till the powder dissolves and forms a smooth paste. Add 100ml milk and mix thoroughly. Pour into a slow cooker pot and whisk in the condensed milk and milk. Cover with a lid and cook on low flame for 3–4 hours, or on high for 11⁄2–2 hours. Remove the lid and whisk the hot chocolate well. Transfer into mugs and top with cream, grated chocolate, and mini marshmallows.
Pumpkin mac and cheese
Ingredients
Butter: 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp
(unsalted)
Garlic: 3 cloves (grated)
Breadcrumbs: 1/2 cup
Salt: 2 tsp (plus more for
pasta water)
Black pepper: 3/4 tsp
Parmesan cheese: 1/4 cup
(grated)
Pasta: 450g
Sage or basil leaves: 6
Onion: 1/2 (grated)
All-purpose flour: 2 tbsp
Mustard powder: 1 tsp
Nutmeg powder: 1/4 tsp.
Chilli powder: 1/4 tsp
Milk: 2 cups
Pumpkin puree: 425g
Cheese: 450g (shredded)
Method
In a nonstick pan, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add 1 grated garlic clove and cook for 30 seconds. Add breadcrumbs, 1⁄2 tsp salt, and 1⁄4 tsp pepper and cook by stirring frequently for 2 minutes. Let it cool for 5 minutes and add Parmesan cheese. In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring water to a boil. Add the pasta and salt. Cook until just under al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1⁄2 cup of the pasta water. In the same pot over medium heat, melt the remaining butter. Add sage or basil leaves. Cook, stirring frequently, until the leaves are lightly fried. Remove the leaves to a paper towel-lined plate. Now add the onion to the butter and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the remaining 2 grated garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds. Add flour, mustard, nutmeg, chilli powder, 1 1⁄2 tsp salt, and the remaining 1⁄2 tsp pepper. Cook until the raw flour smell disappears. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree and cook until very thick. Turn off the heat and gradually add the shredded cheese, mixing until they melt. Add more salt if needed. Fold in the drained pasta and add pasta water 1 tbsp at a time. Serve hot, garnish with toasted bread crumbs and fried leaves.
