Here’s how to turn leftover dips into new dishes this party season

We partied hard this Diwali and dunked our chips into all types of delish dips leaving our fridge stuffed with leftover bowls of cheesy jalapeno paste basil pesto slurry and a variation of hung curd mixes The next day it broke our hearts to bin them We vowed to become smarterTo extend the shelf life of your dip chef consultant Aditi Keni recommends you remove it from the container you served it in into a fresh one and either contact wrap it with cling foil or beeswax paper the film should touch the dip there should be no air in between and store in the fridge for a day or twoElse pour it into an airtight container if you want it to last longer She recommends you serve the dip in multiple small bowls at a party This makes it easy to replenish as well as distribute across tablesHome chef and baker Swheta Mutreja Aggarwal uses yoghurtbased dips in kadhis to make the dish even more flavoursome PicSameer MarkandeTo reuse leftover dips herersquos her hack ldquoFreeze the leftover dips in ice cube trays and pop one into any gravy to amp it up or thicken it Just heat a cube of frozen dahibased dip with additional milk of your choice in the microwave and stir this into the boiled gravy for a quickfix mealrdquoWholesome kadhi for family lunchHome chef and baker Swheta Mutreja Aggarwal never wastes her dip She turns it into kadhi for a family meal the next day ldquoIndian food uses yoghurt in so many ways The easiest is to use it in a kadhi because all the leftover dip can be utilised at one gordquo Use any leftover yogurt dip This recipe suits dips with onion garlic shredded veggies like carrots flavoured with salt pepper green chillies and cilantroDahi kadhiIngredients300 gm leftover yoghurt dip500 gm yoghurt112 tsp heaped besan gram flour100 ml water14 tsp turmeric powderSalt to taste2 tbsp ghee twice1 tsp mustard seedsA few curry leaves1 tsp red chilli powderCoriander leaves for garnishingMethodMake a slurry with yoghurt besan water turmeric powder and salt Heat on a high flame for 10 minutes Stir continuously Add the leftover yoghurt dip and mix wellIn a tadka pan add 2 tbsp ghee and heat Remove from heat and add mustard seeds and curry leaves Pour this into the curry Bring it to a boil on a low flame Once the colour changes make another tadka and add 2 tbsp ghee againHeat and removeAdd chilli powderAdd the tadka to the final curry Garnish with chopped coriander leavesTea party with dahi ke kebabA basic saltpepper dip or one with flavours such as garlic scallion or mint works well for dahi ke kebab Chefowner of Tamak restaurant Vikram Arora says ldquoEven a jalapeno dip will work wonderfully Make sure you always use fresh and chilled curd to make hung curd Refrigerate the mixture before making patties out of it as it becomes easier to stuff and shaperdquo he saysDahi ke kebabIngredients15 cups leftover hung curd dip14 cup paneer gratedSalt to taste12 tsp roasted cumin powder13 tsp white pepper powder14 tsp black pepper crushed powder13 tsp green cardamom powder2 tbsp roasted chana dal powder2 tbsp bread crumbOil for shallow fryingChaat masala to sprinkleCoriander sprig for garnishBeetroot julienne for garnishFor the kebab stuffing1 onion finely chopped10 pieces raisins chopped1 green chilli chopped12 tbsp coriander choppedMethodTake the leftover hung curd dip in a bowl and smoothen it with a spatula Add paneer salt cumin powder pepper powder and green cardamom powder Mix well Add honey to adjust the sourness Follow this with the addition of roasted chana powder and breadcrumb to bind the kebab Mix it well using a small whisk to remove lumps Scrape the mixture using a spatula from the sides of the bowl to get it in the centre and then refrigerate for a couple of hours before forming them into patties For kebab stuffing in a bowl mix all ingredients mentioned and refrigerate for an hour Heat a nonstick pan and grease it with oil and keep the flame on medium Now to make kebab moisten both your palms with little water and take a small amount of mixture of dahi and make a hollow well in the middle to stuff the onion mixture Seal and turn it into a ball Flatten the ball to make a patty Place dahi ke kebab on the heated pan Let them cook to golden brown on both sides Serve hot sprinkled with chaat masala on top and with coriander mint chutneyDip infused naan for Indian dinnerChef Devansh Jhaveri who runs a delivery kitchen and popup studio called Your Place or Mine loves to upcycle leftovers ldquoThere is always a place for them on the meal table Cheesy dips can be used in cheese balls as pizza topping and even in pasta The sky is the limit for yoghurt dips Just make sure you use them within two daysrdquoChef Devansh Jhaveri gives naan a flavour twist by using leftover cheesy dips in them PicAtul KambleNaanIngredients2 cups maida1 tsp baking powder14 tsp baking soda1 tsp powdered sugar34 tsp salt1 tbsp olive oil14 cup leftover yoghurtbased dipWater as needed to make a pliable doughNote you can also swap this with any dairybased dip including a cheesebased dipMethodIn two bowls mix all the dry ingredients in one and wet in another Mix both and knead for 810 minutes to form gluten strands for a springy naan Cover with a damp cloth and set aside for 30 minutes You may add chopped garlic and coriander to the mix if you like Once done make into large rotisized balls and roll them out into naan shapes Heat a tawa to medium hot and cook on both sides till brown spots appear Use oil to grease the tawa if itrsquos not a nonstick oneThe easy way outgtgtthinspUse dips to make arancini fried ballsgtgtthinspSpread it on a sandwich or use it as a base for crostinigtgtthinspAdd to pasta sauce for a flavour punchgtgtthinspToss into a salad or stirfrygtgtthinspUse as a marinade for chicken roastgtgtthinspMake quesadilla with leftover roti