Was just thinking of what are the desi dishes that can be cooked ahead of time and they don’t lose freshness either by taste or their look is not ruined by re-heating in the microwave.
Please share what dishes you make ahead of time and how many days in advance you make them. Also any tips and tricks that keeps food tasting and looking like you just took it off the stove…
Re: Dinner parties - Food that can be cooked ahead of time
Keema!! always almost fresh the next day! u can make lasagna sauce (meat or chicken, anything) once day before ur dawat and refrigerated it. u can make sooo so mch. make chicken tikka masala on dawat day. marinate the tikkas masala at nite.. just hvto cook for half n hour the next day and its done! u can make dam ka qeema which i made yesterday.. so yummy n tasty. same way marinate at nite n make it while u r makin chicken tikka masala. lemme think of more ideas for u. but these r the BEST dishes to make before one day!
Re: Dinner parties - Food that can be cooked ahead of time
oh yeah not to forget meetha.. u can and shud always make it one day prior to dawat. i make cakes, kheer, ras malia all one day before.. oh yeah forgot to add chargha too. u can make chargha at nite before sleepin, as in either marinate it fully at nite... OR.... marinate it and steam it the same day and just deep fry it the next day. that shud b fine too. put ur steamed chicken in friedge if u decide to fry it the next day. pls do make sure u let the chicken out of fridge half n hour before fryin so its not that cold when u begin fryin!.. hope these ideas help :)
Re: Dinner parties - Food that can be cooked ahead of time
list goes on and on...
Re: Dinner parties - Food that can be cooked ahead of time
Haleem- You can make it a week ahead and freeze it. On the day of the party give a fresh turka before serving it with the traditional toppings.
Kofta’s- Also can make them a week ahead, but without aloo and eggs so you can freeze.
Saag- I’m not sure how saaj does in the freezer, but I have made it one day ahead of the party and later gave it a turka.
Shami Kabab- A week ahead, and re-fry on the day of the party
But things like chicken ka salan, mixed vegetable ka salan, aloo kay kabab, daal, keema I make it the day of the party. Just taste so much better fresh.
I’m not sure of seekh/ chapli kabab and if they would taste just as good if made the day before 
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Re: Dinner parties - Food that can be cooked ahead of time
My parents make salans such as palak, haleem, chanay, nihari, paay......about 2-3 days in advance. Rice such as biryani...and grilled/baked meats are made on that day. My dad will prepare the keema mixture for the kababs....in advance....and then deliver the meat to a restaurant and have them bake them into seekh kababs. Turns out great.
Re: Dinner parties - Food that can be cooked ahead of time
Hmm how we have always done it is:
Make the dessert the night before and putting in fridge to chill overnight.
Marinate the chicken the night before and barbeque the day of dawat
For dahi bharlay fry all the phulkis and bharay the night before
Peel the onions and have peeled garlic and ginger ready to go
Most of our dawat food is cooked fresh on the day of the dawat. My mom would be too paranoid about food not being fresh or going stale if done any differently.
Our dawats days are so hectic we pass out at night time after its all done :P
Re: Dinner parties - Food that can be cooked ahead of time
Yakhni for the biryani.. dum ka keema, cutlets, kababs, nihari, pulao yakhni, marinated paneer
Re: Dinner parties - Food that can be cooked ahead of time
ghost salan, kabab, keema, baigan, palak, allo bhujia, chanay, marinate chicken tikkah, koftay