Nutritious nibbles, Diwali edition: spicy tomato cheese squares

By: Dhrumi Mayur Shah, SFU Student

As a child, I remember watching from the living room as my mother prepared delicious, crispy, deep-fried spicy tomato cheese squares — reminiscent of a thicker version of a chip. She learned this recipe from one of her friends who knew my family’s love for the snack. She decided to prepare it every Diwali, and it eventually became a staple at my house during these celebrations! The flavourful bursts of the tangy tomato, hints of the gooey cheese, and the spice from the various masalas are still fresh in my mind even as a teen. Before moving out, I was really fond of this snack, as every flavor reminded me of the festival of joy, lights, and prosperity. As a parting gift, my mother taught me this recipe — even today, every bite reminds me of home. Let’s dive into it!

Ingredients: (makes about 20 squares)

• All purpose flour (1 cup) 
• Cheese of your choice (1 cube about the size of a lime) 
• Salt (a pinch, to taste) 
• 2 tomatoes 
• Chaat masala (2 teaspoons) 
• Chili powder or seasoning of your choice (1 teaspoon) 
• Beetroot (quarter piece) 
• Oil (1 tablespoon) 
• Cream (1 teaspoon) 

Recipe: 

1. Place a tablespoon of oil in a deep pan or wok at low flame. 
2. In a bowl, add and mix one cup of all purpose flour, a pinch of salt, a whole cube of cheese, one teaspoon of chaat masala, and chili powder or a seasoning of your choice. 
3. Separately, boil two tomatoes along with a quarter piece of beetroot for colour. Once boiled and al-dente, strain them into another bowl. 
4. Blend the tomatoes and beetroot together until it becomes a rich, thick puree. 
5. Add the puree into the bowl with the dry ingredients. 
6. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together. Once the dough is thoroughly mixed and has a pinkish colour with the consistency of play dough, start making small golf ball-sized balls of the dough. 
7. Roll the balls of dough into a thin flat bread. Once these are flattened to your satisfaction (ideally as thin as possible), begin cutting them into diamond-like shapes. 
8. Once the squares have been cut, fry them in the pre-prepared oil. When the squares start to rise to the top of the pan, put them in a box. For a healthier alternative, the squares can also be air fried in an air fryer for seven minutes. 
9. After being fried and set aside, let the squares cool to room temperature. 
10. Sprinkle a teaspoon of chaat masala over the squares, close the box, and shake it well so the seasoning mixes. Once satisfied, open the box, and viola! You have some spicy tomato cheese squares to enjoy for Diwali.