The jack-o’-lantern on Elliot’s porch had a crooked smile. Wren had carved it that afternoon, and Elliot was convinced it looked more confused than frightening.
“It’s supposed to scare people,” he told Wren.
“Well, it seems to be doing a fine job of scaring you,” Wren replied, lighting the candle inside.
By seven o’clock, their neighborhood was alive with Trick-or-Treaters. Witches, vampires, and superheroes were making their rounds, while a determined little dinosaur had already visited their house twice.
But inside Elliot and Wren’s home, the real Halloween fun was taking shape in the kitchen.
A Halloween Menu with a Little Imagination
Wren had invited a few friends over for a small Halloween evening get-together. She wanted something more interesting than the usual chips, dips, and pizza. Something warm, savory, and easy for everyone to enjoy between conversations.
So she’d picked up a selection of Indian snacks and appetizers: Chicken Seekh Kabab, Chicken Shami Kabab, Chicken Chapli Kabab, Lamb Samosa, and Chicken Samosa.
Samosas were perfect little handheld snacks, while the kababs offered plenty of variety. And Wren had another idea. She wanted to use these ready-to-eat favorites to make a few Halloween-themed creations of her own.
“Wren, why are you wrapping those kababs in pastry sheets?” Elliot asked, watching her work.
“Because we’re having mummies for dinner,” she replied.
She had taken the Chicken Seekh Kababs and wrapped them with thin strips of puff pastry, leaving little gaps near the top for edible eyes. After baking them until the pastry turned golden, she arranged her mummy kababs on a platter.
Next came the samosas. Wren arranged the Chicken and Lamb Samosas on a dark serving tray, giving a few of them funny little faces with sliced olives and dabs of yogurt. She called it her Haunted Samosa Plate.
Finally, she arranged the Chicken Shami Kababs and Chicken Chapli Kababs around a bowl of green chutney. With a little yogurt, she drew a spiderweb pattern across the dip.
Elliot surveyed the counter. “You know, I thought we were just having dinner with these delicious dishes.”
“We are,” Wren said. “Dinner in costume.”
The Mummies That Stopped a Vampire
A little later, the doorbell rang.
Elliot opened the door to three teenagers: Jake, dressed as a vampire; Mia, wearing a pirate costume; and Ben, who had apparently decided that a bedsheet was all he needed to become a ghost.
“Trick or treat!” they called.
Elliot reached for the candy bowl, but Jake was distracted by something behind him.
“Wait, what’s that smell?”
“Dinner,” Elliot answered.
Mia peered past him. “Are those little mummies on your table?”
Wren appeared at the doorway, carrying her platter. “They are. And they’re edible.”
Ben pulled the sheet away from his face. “What are they made of?”
“Chicken Seekh Kababs wrapped in pastry. Want to try one?”
The three exchanged looks. Candy could wait.
Jake took the first bite. The flaky pastry gave way to the savory chicken kabab inside, seasoned with herbs and spices.
“Okay,” he said, looking rather impressed. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
Mia tried one next. “These actually look and taste amazing. Can you make a mummy out of anything?”
Elliot laughed. “Don’t give her ideas. I’ve already spent half the evening watching her put eyes on dinner.”
The Haunted Samosa Challenge
The teenagers were about to leave when Wren brought out another platter.
“Before you go, I’ve got a little challenge for you.”
She held up the Haunted Samosa Plate. “Some of these have chicken inside. The others have seasoned minced lamb. Think you can tell which is which?”
Ben immediately reached for one with a particularly crooked olive eye.
The pastry crunched loudly as he bit into it. “Chicken!” he declared.
“Correct,” Wren said.
Mia chose another. The crisp shell broke open to reveal a rich, savory filling. She took another bite before answering. “Lamb. And I think I like this one even more.”
Jake, meanwhile, was busy inspecting the remaining samosas. “Can I try both before I decide?”
“That’s probably the smartest thing you’ve said all evening,” Mia replied.
A few minutes later, Mia’s older brother Noah arrived, wondering why everyone had been standing on the same porch for so long.
“Are you guys seriously eating dinner at somebody’s house while trick-or-treating?”
“It’s a food challenge,” Ben explained, as though that settled everything.
Noah looked at Wren. “Is there room for one more?”
A Spiderweb Nobody Wanted to Avoid
By now, Elliot had accepted that their front porch had become an unofficial Halloween celebration and tasting station.
Wren brought out her final creation: Chicken Shami Kababs and Chicken Chapli Kababs arranged around a bowl of green chutney decorated with a yogurt spiderweb.
“What’s the green stuff?” Noah asked.
“Chutney,” Wren replied. “Try it with the kababs.”
Noah picked up a piece of Chicken Chapli Kabab, dipped the chicken patty into the chutney, and took a generous bite. The kabab, well-seasoned with exotic spices, had a lovely bite to it, and the chutney added a fresh, tangy flavor.
He immediately reached for another.
Jake chose the Chicken Shami Kabab. Its softer, tender texture was a pleasant surprise after the seekh kabab he’d tried earlier.
“These are both chicken?” he asked.
“Yes,” Wren answered. “Different kababs, different preparations, and some secret spices.” He said so with a wink.
Ben, meanwhile, had managed to drop some chutney on the front of his ghost costume.
Elliot pointed at the green stain. “Well, now you’re a haunted ghost.”
“I was already a ghost,” Ben replied.
“Now you’re a ghost with dinner on him.”
Everyone burst out laughing.
The Best Treat Wasn't in the Candy Bowl
By the time the neighborhood began to quiet down, Wren’s friends had arrived, and the four teenagers were finally ready to continue their rounds.
Jake wanted to remember the name of the mummy kababs. Mia had written “Lamb Samosa” on her phone, and Noah was still talking about the chutney.
Before leaving, Ben turned around. “Are you making these again next Halloween?”
“Maybe,” Wren replied. “But next year, you’re helping me make the mummies so we all get to enjoy some spooky snacks and treats together.”
Elliot looked at the nearly empty tasting platters. “And bringing some extra food.”
Later that night, while clearing the porch, Wren found one lonely chocolate bar at the bottom of the candy bowl.
“Looks like we still have a treat left,” she said.
Elliot picked it up. “Good. After all that, I think we’ve earned it.”
And somewhere down the street, four teenagers were probably still arguing over whether mummy kababs were better than haunted samosas.
Give Your Halloween Snacks a Fun Little Twist with Bombay Kitchen!
Who says Halloween snacks have to be all about candy and chocolate? A few tasty appetizers, some playful decorations, and a little imagination can give your Halloween dinner table plenty of character.
Just like Elliot and Wren, you can use Chicken Seekh Kabab to make pastry-wrapped mummies, decorate Chicken Samosa and Lamb Samosas with spooky faces, or serve Chicken Shami Kabab and Chicken Chapli Kababs with a spiderweb-inspired dip.
And the best part? You don’t have to prepare the kababs and samosas from scratch!
Pick up these delicious, ready-to-eat Indian-style favorites from Bombay Kitchen at a grocery store or Bombay Kitchen outlet near you. Add your own Halloween touches, invite your favorite people over, and make the get-togethers of this spooky season something they’ll remember long after the candy is gone!