Thanks everyone for your detailed input ... really appreciate it ..
The thing is , I have done tonns of dinner parties and I like to create a different environment every single time ... I have made served buffet with over 35 dishes, single individual meals, desi style of serving ( putting everything on the table and let them self serve ) , Five course meal etc ...
I want this one to be different. The guests actually come expecting something different from me every time and I cant let them down. I cant make too much variation on food coz eventually they are desi’s and like only but desi food ...
I intentionally don’t have vegetable included in the menu , coz everytime I invest so much time and energy on veggies dishes and lentil dishes and they hardly ever touch it ... L
I will have around 10 guests inshallah
mashallah se you are so himmati...i wish I was that strong to do all that and not get tired...i get tired after cooking a normal daawat..but maybe coz i work aswell :(
u cooked 35 dishes for one single dawat, i m fainted. for how many people was that . i am sure u will have huge frige and freezer at yur home for all that food. i had a couple over at dinner last month , i made 5 dishes and 2 desserts , they eat very little as we were eating the leftover for next 4 days. i did pack them one dessert to take.
u r just amazing.
Yeah , I will be doing the menu card wrapped in an envelope style napkin, right at the start of the dinner.
What I will do before the guests arrive is that I will make hubby prepare a full plate for himself … then I will break it down to portion sizes. This exercise will give me a fairly clear idea on how much to serve guests in single rounds This way they wont feel full or hungry for more..
Also I have a mix of some rounds where the plates will already contain the food , some where they will get the choice to eat as much as they can … hai na ..
Guys , I was also confused about serving Lasagna with Salad .. I was using a small piece of lasagna to decorate the plate … but if I don’t do that , then pleae recommend some options … Please note, I don’t want a desi salad … coz the freaks i am inviting don’t like salad or vegetables L
Food served in courses should be light so the guests don't feel overwhelmed. You have three main course dishes Haleem, curry and biryani which are heavy and have protein portion.
A fine food establishment would do an eight course meal something like this
fruit, mixed berries
Appitizer, one or two shrimp or clams or one cocktail Samosa
Soup, light broth base
Salad, small portion
Main course include protein and starch
Dessert
Tea
Informal Cookie, cheese, fruit, pastry tray
My personal opinion is that desi food is best served in traditional three course family style dining.
Because its a long meal and as bebo mentioned that three main dishes are very heavy on their own, timings need to be very precise when it comes to serving. Our stomach sends the signal to our brain within 15 minutes that we have eaten so hunger signals should go away. That is why no matter how hungry you are, if you have to leave your plate in the middle and take a phone call and come back after 10 minutes, you are no longer as hungry as you were when the call came.
If there is a gap between serving or if the serving lasts over 30 minutes (that I think it would as each course would take 5 minutes to finish which totals to 40 mins) people would not be able to eat last 2-3 courses.
hmmm valid point TLK … when I did the buffet … I had this issue … timing was imperative … but then i had over 30 dishes for people to try on…
This time round , only two courses will be heavy ( rice and curry course ) .. others will be small portion or light … For example, the seekh kabab, I dont make the large ones , I usually do finger sized thin ones … similarly the shami kabab’s will be considerably small in size then the usual ones …
Haleem is supposed to be heavy , but I am planning to serve just about a quarter bowl full of it .. Which should be no more then 5-8 tablespoons …
Even for the curry round, I am going to slice a single naan into 8 pieces and serve not more then two pieces in one plate .. if they want more they can have more since that round will be served as self service …
Guests can take their time to rest between the dessert course. If they are too full… Lekin I doubt that ..
Hmmmm Bebo , thanks for sharing that ... As I said , I have already served desi dinner parties the traditional way tonns of times and wanting to be different and experimental this time... I love serving food in a different way ...
If the same meal was done the traditional way , it would have the following :
Starters :
Salad , Small fillo rolls
Grill:
Seekh kabab / chicken nuggets/ shami kabab
Main Course :
Biryani masala rice
chicken karahi
Koftay
haleem
Lasagna or pizza for the kids
naan
Dessert ...
So if the same food is sort of divided and served in a different manner , isnt that going to give everyone a special feel?
tiger lilly , havnt done it as yet :( ... but the spirit is high , I am just waiting for the right occasion ... lekin the freak that i am ... I start planning ahead of time for a the special event hosting :@:
I am thinking I should do this dinner thingy for Hubby's birthday or perhaps our anniversary ?
This way they wont feel full or hungry for more..