Parties, occasions and game nights are just not the same without starters. These bite-size dishes packed with flavors are just enough to keep your hunger appeased.
Check out these lip-smacking starters from around the world.
BruSchetta
An Italian cold appetizer, Bruschetta is a classic combo of toasted garlic bread topped with a mixture of chopped tomatoes and basil tossed in vinegar and olive oil.
SAMOSA
Nothing beats this Indian savory dish, a staple evening snack for most Indians. Samosas are conical pockets filled with a spicy mix of potatoes, crushed coriander seeds, mixed spices and peanuts, deep-fried till golden crisp.
Hummus
A Lebanese dish that is loved by many world over, Hummus is a flavorsome combination of boiled chick pea blended with garlic, tahini, lemon and olive oil. This smooth beige paste drizzled with olive oil is used as a dip and eaten with fresh raw veggies or pita bread.
A creation of Tibet, which traveled to Nepal then the rest of the world, Momos are carefully folded dumplings stuffed with vegetables, cottage cheese or minced chicken or meat. Have them steamed or deep-fried and served with spicy sauce!
Momos
Pigs in blankets
A sausage based appetizer, Pigs in blanket are accompanied with sumptuous Christmas meals and Thanksgiving dinners in the UK and USA. This meat in dough pastry dish is usually made with bacon, but there are various versions of recipes in different countries.
Escargot
Escargot - French for ‘snails’ are a French delicacy, popular but not to everyone's taste. The dish contains snails sautéed in salted butter, garlic, and parsley. Those who have a liking for it will go for seconds for sure!
Wrapped with Peruvian flavors, Ceviche is a seafood delight consisting of thinly sliced raw fish, shrimps marinated with salt, lime juice, chilies, and onions. Lime juice is the key component as it flavors the sea food and slightly cooks it with its acidic reaction.
Ceviche
Nachos
Sending love all the way from Mexico, Nachos with cheese dips or salsa is a heavenly combination that the world quickly accepted as its favorite snack. Any game night would feel incomplete without these crispy corn chips and spicy dips.
Spring Rolls
Healthy, colorful, and appetizing! Commonly relished in Asian countries, these flavorsome deep-fried crisp wraps are filled with spiced noodles or fresh sautéed vegetables. This dish originated in Vietnam and is also known as summer rolls or salad rolls.
Wonton
These soft, steamed dumplings are usually tagged as Chinese Ravioli. Served with sauces or a spicy broth, wontons usually have delicious fillings of veggies, shrimp or chicken.
Fish and chips
This classic English hot dish of neatly filleted fish dipped in batter and fried crisp, served with chips will never go out of style!
Whitebait Fritters
This one comes all the way from New Zealand! Known as the most beloved, exquisite seasonal seafood delicacy of New Zealand, these narrow freshwater fishes are dipped in beaten eggs, fried and seasoned with salt, pepper and tangy flavors.
Masala Papad
Most popular appetizer to munch on while waiting for the main course in an Indian restaurant, the dish consists of an onion-tomato-cilantro medley sprinkled with paprika, lemon juice, salt generously spread on a deep-fried lentil fritter called papad.
Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs were curated first in the US, Italy, and Spain. The dish adds a twist of spice to the otherwise bland hard-boiled eggs. These half-cut boiled eggs have flavorsome fillings of egg yolks mixed with mustard, mayonnaise, and herbs.
Mozzarella Sticks
Delectable, but sinful for calorie counters! Those crunchy cheesy goodness of cheese bars fried golden crisp to perfection, have a unique flavor and are hard to put down once you bite into them.
Greek pies made of layered phyllo wraps is a popular Greek entrée. It is a savory crispy pie made in different shapes and stuffed with a rich creamy mixture of cheese, spinach and onions.
Spanakopita
Frittata
The creamy, cheesy, and veggie-packed frittata can be savored as a terrific Italian starter or wholesome breakfast dish. This versatile snack can be made in a variety of ways and flavored with your favorite veggies.
Your browser doesn't support HTML5 video.
This mouthwatering dish is on every Indian wedding and party menu. Simply put, paneer and chicken cubes are skewered with spiced masalas and grilled over charcoal for a smokey flavor. A vegetarian alternative to chicken tikka is paneer tikka.
Paneer /Chicken Tikka
Malakoff
Swiss Cheese can't be left out of this flavorful palette! In this Swiss special hors d'oeuvre, oozy Gruyère cheese is rolled with bread crumbs, garlic, and wine, and deep-fried to get a crispy crust. They're delicious to bite into.