Read our tips to help you have an Amazing Stress-free Indian Dinner Party. Give your guest the pleasure of eating various Indian dishes in your home.
Preparation
1. Make Your Guests List.
(Total number of guests, are they vegetarian on non-vegetarian, do they have any food allergies or food restriction (gluten-free, dairy-free etc), how many kids?
2. Plan the Menu:
Snacks and Appetizers can be treated as appetizing savories to be served before a meal, or as light dishes. The majority of them can be eaten hot or cold. Whether you are planning to serve an authentic Indian meal or simply want more unusual appetizer for Western style party or dinner, Indian favorites - such as Samosas, pakoras or Indian kababs will wake up your taste buds and stimulate the appetite. Do not forget about Salads!!!
Remember - "Appetizer parties are definitely the easiest — you don’t have to coordinate anything."
As a main dish chose something you have already cooked before. Make sure there is a good selection of vegetarian and non vegetarian options to offer a mix of dishes. There should beat least one meat, poultry or fish curry and one or two vegetable dishes, choose either a curry or a dal. Pay attention to a good balance of dry and saucey curries. Avoid serving a meal of either entirely one type or the other. As a general rule it is better to make a curry a few hours in advance, as spices take some time to develop. Cooked in advance and thoroughly reheated, they are a great choice for the party. Nothing completes a good meal like a delicious dessert or Ice Creams. Kheer, gulab jamum, kulfi must be on your list.
3. Make a Shopping List.
7-10 days before party buy non-perishable, refrigerated or frozen items:
- drinks
- spices
- chutneys
- store-bought frozen naan
- yoghurt
- lentils & chickpeas
- paneer
- onion, garlic, ginger, green chilies
2-3 days before the party shop for all remaining items like:
- fresh produce
- chicken or meat
4. Clean the House.
Stress free kitchen
2 days before the party:
- Peel and chop onions, garlic and ginger using a food processor and or prepare ginger & garlic paste. Store in air-tight containers and refrigerate.
- Wash, dry and cut vegetables and store in air tight containers or ziplock bags.
- Chop paneer or anything that can save you time and store in air tight ziplock bags or containers.
- Soak chickpeas or beans
- Prepare chutney and refrigerate.
1 day before the party:
- Marinate meat.
- Sauces like tikka masala and Korma can be made ahead (they taste better the next day).
- Few desserts like Kheer, or Halwa, can be prepared a day ahead.
- Transfer to refrigerator frozen naan if you are going to use it.
The Day of the Party: Morning
Set the Table.
I recommend set up the dinner buffet-style. Even if I have seating for all, it is much easier to keep track and replenish items when food. It is great idea to have an area for water and drinks and have a glasses or plastic cups near by.
Prepare/Cook the Entrees. Cool & Refrigerate.
The best advise it to be done with cooking food for the party at least 1 hour before the guests come over.
TIMELINE OF THE PARTY
Before a meal serve pipping hot snacks such as samosas or pakoras with refreshing sherbet, or alcoholic drink. It is customary to leave a gap of about 45 minutes in between this stage and dinner to encoourage a good apetite. To serve the meal itself put the main dish, such as biryani, curry in the centre of the table and surround it with the other dishes. Although all the dishes are presented and served together, for a formal party a little of each should be kept hot in the kitchen, so that the dishes can be re-fillled as required. Make sure that there is enough bread and rice. Indians often eat without cultery. It is usual to tear off a portion of bread and use it to scoop up some of the food. However, the Western apporach is to eat with a spoon adn fork.
When serving curry, first pour the sauce into the dish and then arrange the main ingredients. Garnishes are kept simple, such as sprinkling of chopped coriander leaves or green chilies.
At the end of a meal serve one or choice of sweets, followed by tea or coffee. After a meal it is common to serve aniseeeds as an aid digestion.
I love filling our dinner parties with a full night of activities. From the start to finish, you want your guests laughing and having a great time. That way, they’ll be sure to leave saying that your dinner parties are the best!
Start with appetizers—
OVERALL ENJOY!
