I’m not the sort of person you would normally associate with the typical definition of a football fan. I have never been to a college or professional football game, or a tailgate, nor do I own any team gear; I have also only been to exactly one watch party.
The first and only time I went to a watch party was two years ago when I was visiting my cousin in Wisconsin over winter break and the Packers were playing. I remember the Packers barely scraping a win, but I don’t quite remember the game as much as I remember the food.
That watch party spread was where I first ate Wisconsin mac-and-cheese pizza and deep-fried cheese curds, among many other Wisconsin specialties, which, yes, included a good amount of cheese!
I started thinking about that watch party when I got emails to purchase football tickets, and then I wondered what Indian-inspired snacks would be good picks for a tailgate or a watch party. So without further ado, here are 10 amazing Indian snacks that you need for your next watch party or tailgate.
1. Vegetable puffs
These are hot pockets with a kick: spiced vegetables are stuffed into flaky pastry and baked until golden. These are super-cute and super-portable as well; make them into hand pie form and they will be snatched right up at your next tailgate. Serve these with any chutney of choice or, if you’re like me, ketchup.
2. Easy vegetable pakoras
No tailgate is complete without wings. Fresh vegetables are dipped in a spicy batter and deep fried to crispy perfection. Trust me, this takes vegan wings to a whole new level.
3. Gobi Manchurian
If pakoras are level 1 of vegan wings, this Indo-Chinese fusion dish is level 100000 of vegan wings. Tender cauliflower florets are battered in a wet flour and cornstarch mixture, deep fried until crisp, and coated with an incredibly umami-packed sauce. Trust me, your guests will be begging for the recipe.
4. Bhel puri
Think of this as a cold salad, but featuring more crouton-y ingredients. The ingredients here can be purchased at your local grocery store or any Indian grocery worth its salt. This dish also happens to be super-portable! Store all the chutneys and dry ingredients in separate containers and allow your friends to assemble their own plate on site at your party.
#SpoonTip: I don’t recommend pre-mixing the dish before packing it as the final dish can get a bit soggy if it isn’t eaten right away.
5. Masala vada
Think of this as a South Indian riff on falafel. Processed split peas combined with onions and cilantro, if you’re into that, to make an amazing little fritter. This is perfect for any large gathering and will fly like hotcakes!
6. Vada pav sliders
Vada pav is basically Indian veggie burgers, only way better. A potato patty is sandwiched between two slices of soft white rolls pan-toasted with butter and slathered with chutney. For more potatoey goodness, jump on the fusion bandwagon and serve it with fries (because potatoes with potatoes is LIFE), like in the video below – it’s in Hindi, but as a non-Hindi speaker, the subtitles and visuals are enough to demonstrate how to make this.
7. DIY cocktail samosa chaat
This dish truly exemplifies what Indian street food is all about – if you haven’t read my last article about Indian street food, go check it out to see why I love this dish so much. The video above looks like it’s a ton of work, but you can save a ton of time by frying or baking prepackaged cocktail samosas and buying all your spice mixes and chutney blends from any good Indian grocery. Plus, the spicy chickpeas can feed you for several more meals during the week. Trust me when I say your tailgate game will be transformed forever with this dish.
8. Pav Bhaji
Mashed potatoes enriched with tomatoes and assorted vegetables are delicately spiced and served with buttered, toasted bread or rolls. Sounds odd, I know, but trust me when I say that this is easily the most satisfying dinner ever. It is also great to serve large crowds and is super-portable for any tailgate or watch party!
So the next time you need some fun new recipes to spice up your next tailgate or watch party, look no further than these delicious recipes!
Happy snacking!