Dinner is tomorrow. I have just tonight and few hours tomorrow
Thinking following
Starter
Cracker with dip
Cheesy baked fries
Baba Ganoush
Main Menu
Biryani/Arabic rice
Baked Chicken in white sauce (italian style)
Dam kabab Masala
Green Salad
Macroni Salad
Mint Raita
Just tell me some 1 gravy item. Moreover Baba ganoush is better in starting or in main menu?
Suggestions plzz
Re: Dinner for 15 people
Baba Ghanoush is an appetizer/starter, be sure to have pita bread for it.
For me, personally, I don’t like mixing cuisines…the menu you’ve laid out for the main courses is all over the place, the dishes don’t seem to match…if you want to do Arabic/vermicelli rice, and need a “gravy” type dish, I would look up the recipe for Shish Barak…it’s a middle eastern dish…keema filled ravioli dumpings in a garlicky yogurt sauce very similar to Turkish manti. That would match perfectly with your kebabs. If you’re going the biryani route, I wouldn’t serve a chicken in white sauce (which I don’t quite understand what it is, I’ve never seen or had it any Italian place) the flavor profiles don’t match. It’s better to stick with a qorma or even a bhagaray baingan, as biryani stands on it’s own.
Just my opinions..we all have different styles
i agree with khatti… your menu is all over the place… stick to one cuisine. 
Re: Dinner for 15 people
Lol I have an idea that the menu is a bit mix. However the chicken in white sauce is my own recipe and quite near to Italian style. I do it diversely as per the tatse bud demands, however I may drop the idea to make it italian rather more Meditarrian style. I was basically thinking to go for fatet dajjaj but not sure How much my guests would like that. I am so much into Arabic cusine. But Shish Barak i may not go for as kababs are also qeema. So what you suggest I go for Arabic Mandi type rice and Roasted chicken with some white sauce?
Re: Dinner for 15 people
What If I serve Shwarma Platter?
Re: Dinner for 15 people
Roasted chicken will be good…but again, I’d advise to leave off the white sauce, it’s too heavy for Mediterranean/Arabic cuisine…doesn’t match at all. Make a nice tzitzki instead with Greek yogurt, cucumber and fresh dill.
And just talking to myself here, but “white sauce”, or bechamel as it’s really called, is a French, it’s the mother of all sauces and a hallmark of French cuisine. It has been adopted by other cuisines, but it’s not really Italian at all.
Re: Dinner for 15 people
that’s a good idea!
Re: Dinner for 15 people
But dont you think some gravy also needed or kabab Masala will do the needful? Hmm You know about diverse cusines more than me as its only 2.5 yrs I have been to the multi cultural society. I more know about Meditterian dishes as lived in KSA for 15 yrs.
Gravy ka kya karoon? I dont like shish barak myself even 
honestly… why do u need gravy?! its not desi cuisine that one salan is very imp.
if you must have one liquid… do a lentil soup. kahani khatum. in bread bowls. mmmm
Re: Dinner for 15 people
Yaar My husband is after gravy and im not sure about guests but shayad they also want gravy so I dont want anyone to be uncomfortable. Arabic rice is liyey bana rahi hoon last time they like. Roast will not be much Arabic kind. Kabab bhi desi dish hee hai. Otherwise one more option is just i make veggie rice and make a simple lamb curry???
Re: Dinner for 15 people
yahan garmi hai, soup is not good option
lentil soup is served in arabia… its mega hot there.. but its served in all turkish/lebanese restaurants in jeddah
ok forget that.. how boug u make koftay instead.. its arab/desi so wont be too out of the menu.. gravy bhi hai… and dont make the other kebab dish… instead make white maash daal.
Re: Dinner for 15 people
Hmmm kababs have already made so cant cancel them. Its ok it can be mix and match
Re: Dinner for 15 people
You could do chicken hara masala. It’s something different that may go with the flavors of arabic & desi both. Here is a recipe if you don’t have it:
Re: Dinner for 15 people
AFayiz,
Dekho…biryani will have meat. Kabab masala is another meat dish. Baked chicken is also a meat dish. You have 3 meat dishes in the main course and no veggie. Is liye…how about a veggie dish that has curry/gravy? Some ideas that come to mind are…
Daal
Chanay/chikar cholay
Mixed vegetables (aalo, mattar, carrots, paneer) with curry/gravy
I am leaning more toward chanay or mixed vegetables salan. You can throw some paneer cubes to jazz it up.
So far two of the dishes in the main menu are Desi (biryani and kabab masala). If the veggie/gravy dish is also Desi…then koi qayamat nahi aa jaye gi if the baked chicken has a more Italian flavor. Often times in dawats, you see several Desi dishes…and one Italian pasta dish…ya phir one Chinese dish. If you heart is set on the baked chicken, then keep it.
As for the starters, I think you can even eliminate crackers and dip and just serve baba ghanouj with the wedges of pita bread. 2 things will be sufficient…as you already have a very hearty main course.
Just my 2 cents. Hope things turn out well. 
Re: Dinner for 15 people
Thanks RV. Its not biryani Im making Arabic kind of rice dish. Baked chicken im doing and its totally my own recipe will let you know how will it go. And then Dam kabab and I selected Nihari to go with this. I was thinking of chikar choley too as they are much appreciated. Ho sakta hai abhi bana hee loon. Waqt hai abhi and almost 70% done. Thanks anyways.
Dinner for 15 people
How did it go? Are you in Australia ? Afaiyz I notice that you love to throw dinner parties. Did you previously live in KSA?
Re: Dinner for 15 people
It went great Alhumdulillah. All liked the mix of Middle eastern and our own Asian cuisine. Oh yes 
Im so fond of cooking and making other come and enjoy over the plate of food. Yes I am very much in Australia where obviously you find lack of family. Just been here for 2.5 years ago so not that much habitual of not having family around and people dont just visit you here, one has to invite which i very much dislike though 
. Yes lived in KSA for around 15 years. Mera bachpan aur ladakpan (teenage) jeddah kee galiyoon main guzra.
Re: Dinner for 15 people
^ That’s nice.
I love fusion food and there are very few people who can do it absolutely right, if you are one of those very few people, more power to you. It’s always nice to see a surprise dish on the table.
Re: Dinner for 15 people
Thanks for your praise. yes Alhamdulillah I can make various cuisines, specially Arabian and now getting my hands on Italian now to get adept. I love doing experiments. Also I cook good Chinese food (if its real Chinese that is available in our restaurants) and that too nt spicy one. I keep on switching my ingredients and methods in Pasta which results usually good. Also I try to put variation in our desi food. Just that I love cooking 