What should I serve for Christmas nibbles and drinks? Given most of us have not been able to travel for the past 2 years why not move away from the traditional Christmas snacks and transport friends and family to an island paradise by mixing up your Christmas grazing with some tropical Indonesian-inspired canapés and cocktails?

We bring the island vibes to you with some Indonesian-inspired Christmas party entertaining ideas.

Christmas Canapés and Nibbles

Satay with bumbu rujak sauce

grilled_satay_with_gravy_peanut_sauce_treetops
Satay is a great option for a canapé – served on a stick, making it easy for your guests
to eat whilst standing and chatting. You can buy satay premade in many good supermarkets – But

our recipe is very simple if you prefer to make them yourself. Bonus – satay is often a hit with kids.

Beef Rendang Blinis

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The rich flavours and hearty meat sauce of a beef rendang make it the perfect topping for a
bite size blini. For the best rendang recipe click here! Then simply add a teaspoon of the Rendang atop a store bought blini. To finish sprinkle fresh red chilli and coriander on the top of each one and you will have a spicy taste explosion to wow your guests.

Mini Sweetcorn fritters (V)

close_up_sweetcorn_fitters_with_variety_of_sambal (2)
The vibrant sweetcorn flavour and mild spices of this simple vegetarian dish plus the beautiful yellow colour will go down well at any drinks party. Follow this recipe but make the fritters bitesize.

Spice them up by serving with our fiery sambals - which are also great for dipping prawn crackers in!

Cheese platter with tropical jams

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Platters full of different delicious nibbles – cheese, nuts and honey – always look fabulous and are crowd-pleasers at any celebration. Take your cheese plate to a new tropical high with some island inspired homemade jam. Bawah’s pineapple spiced jam is a great addition to any platter and tastes divine with brie on a water cracker.

Mango sticky rice sushi

mango_sticky_rice_with_coconut_milk_on_wooden_tray

A fresh and fruity dessert that will have your guests reminiscing about their favourite Asian meal is this mango sushi.

Simply mix some sticky rice (for extra effect try using black sticky rice, or pandan leaf infused sticky rice for a great Christmassy green) with condensed milk and sweetened coconut. You can purchase the rice ready made if easier. Form the rice into a small barrel shape and wrap a thin slice of fresh mango around it. Top with toasted black sesame seeds.

Mango sticky rice sushi Image Durr recipes blog

Drinks

Spice of Indonesia

male staff holding tray with red cocktails

A tropical take on the traditional gluhwein or mulled wine using delicious homegrown flavours of Indonesia like cinnamon, cloves and star anise then stewed in red wine. This recipe is for a jug to share, serve cold or warm and enjoy.

Ingredients

750 ml Red wine (preferable Merlot or Pinot Noir)
2 sticks Cinnamon
4 pcs Star anise
5 grams Cloves
1/2 Lime peel
1 whole Orange peel
100 grams White sugar
60 ml Orange liqueur like Cointreau or Triple sec
50 ml Simple syrup (optional)

Method

Make the spiced wine reduction by adding the red wine, cinnamon sticks, star anise,

cloves, lime peel, orange peel, white sugar into a saucepan and heat and stir until

boiling and sugar is dissolved.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Pour through a sieve into a sealed container

and put in the freezer.
To mix the cocktail add 300ml of the frozen spiced wine reduction plus 60ml of orange liqueur, 4 ice cubes and if you like it sweet, add 50ml of simple syrup* mixture into a

blender.
Blitz for 20 seconds on a medium speed. Pour into a glass and why not add a stick of

cinnamon and a dehydrated orange for decoration.

*Simple syrup is made by combining equal parts of water and sugar in a sauce pan and

heating and stirring until combined.

Rosella Fields (Mocktail)

Rosella Cold drink Boathouse
This beautiful red mocktail is about as tropical festive as you can get. Pineapple juice, fresh lime juice and our homegrown rosella infusion make up this refreshing drink.

Ingredients

300ml Pineapple Juice
Juice of 2 limes
50ml of Rosella Infusion (See how to make this here)

Method

Place all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with some ice.
Shake for 30 seconds until all the ingredients and ice are mixed together.
Serve in a tall glass and why not decorate with a dried rosella flower or a slice of

pineapple.

We wish all our readers and guests a very Happy Holidays wherever you are and we look forward to seeing you back in paradise in 2022!