Want to impress your guests at your next gathering? Prepare a charcuterie boards: they are the ideal way to round out an evening. They’re elegant, they’re easy-to-make, they’re easy to eat without plates or cutlery and, best of all, they’re versatile, giving guests with different palates and dietary restrictions some options to choose from.
But don’t feel like you need to stick to cheese, fruit, crackers and cured meats at your next party. Want to put a fun twist on your charcuterie board? Try adding these South Asian-inspired meats, sauces, accoutrements, drinks and desserts. Your guests will thank you.
Chicken Broast
Forget salami. Guests will be thrilled to discover a delicate pile of fried chicken on your platter. Preparation is pretty simple: just batter your chicken in National Chicken Broast Batter Mix, fry it until it’s golden and keep warm in the oven until it’s time to serve.
Chili garlic sauce
Fried chicken…with a spicy dipping sauce? Though your guests are guaranteed to love this pairing, you’ll want to make sure to have shot glasses of cooling mango lassi on hand. They’re definitely going to need it!
Lemon and carrot pickles
Every charcuterie board needs fun accoutrements and it doesn’t get much more fun than sour lemon pickles and tangy carrot pickles. They work well with the fried chicken and, with a harvest-fresh snap, also taste great as stand alone snacks.
Seekh kababs
The general rule of good charcuterie is that if it’s served on a stick, it belongs on the board. Seekh kababs, which literally means kabab on a skewer, are easy to snatch off the serving board and even easier to eat while standing. No plates or cutlery required!
Tamarind chutney
Another meat, another dipping sauce. Serve your seekh kebabs with a tangy tamarind chutney.
Fruit chaat
Chop big slices of fruit — big enough to easily remove from a serving plate by hand — and toss it in National Fruit Chaat Seasoning Mix for a deconstructed fruit salad. The mix will take your fruit salad to the next level with black salt, cumin, sugar, cinnamon, aniseed, ginger and cardamom and will serve as the perfect closer to a perfect party.
Get creative and don’t be afraid to have a little fun making your own charcuterie board. With minimal prep time and loads of tasty ingredients at your disposal, preparing your charcuterie can be just as fun as eating it.
