Need help planning menu

Lifestyle Parenting, Household Affairs and Cuisine corner
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I am throwing a house warming party with 20-25 people. Here is the menu I have planned… Please give your suggestions.
I want to make something that I can mainly prep ahead of time so there is less to do on the day of the dawaat.
Appetizers:
Sliders/burgers (I will make the patties a day before, will cook them the day of)
Tandoori Chicken (I will marinate a day before)
Chinese Fried Rice (This I am debating as it requires a lot of boiling, cutting, etc but it will bring some variety as I only have one main dish)
Side:(will make all the day of)
Salad
Raita
Imli Chutney
Mint Chutney
Corn (not sure whether it will go with the rest of the menu)
Onions, carrots, cucumbers, etc
Main: (will make the day of)
Goat Biryani
Dessert: (will make the day before)
Flan Cake
China Grass
Party Favors: (will make the day before)
Cake pops

So I guess my question is.. does all this seem ok? SHould I omit or add anything? Plus, the items I plan on making ahead of time, will they hold up well or not…
Thank you!!
I can not do a gravy item as we do not have any naan places nearby

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Need help planning menu

Since you’re having biryani as your main dish, I would change out the fried rice for a noodle dish (pad thai/chilli garlic sesame noodles etc) and do a chilli chicken or chicken 65 instead of the tandoori chicken. These are still dishes that can be prepped/made ahead and stir fried or reheated just prior to serving. Corn by itself doesn’t really go with the rest of your menu.

3

Re: Need help planning menu

Appetizers should be small in portion and light. The sliders work as apps…and so can the tandoori chicken, provided that they are small pieces. If they’re not, then move them over to the main dishes category and the chicken will make a nice compliment to the goat biryani. Also, Chinese rice is not an appetizer, it’s like a main dish and you don’t need two rice dishes. Just pick one; either do the Chinese rice or just the biryani.

So now your main dishes section will go like this:

Main:

Goat biryani or Chinese rice (pick one)
Tandoori chicken

Now you only have sliders in you appetizers category, so add one or two easy apps. For example stuffed pastries (like patties, etc) and a chana chaat are easy to prepare and make nice additions to your sliders. Or just have two items for apps (sliders n stuffed pastries) and two items for main course (biryani, tandoori chicken). That’s another option.

For sides, the salad and chutneys are sufficient. You can omit the corn. The onions, carrots, and cucumbers can go into your salad. So just salad and chutney for sides.

If you cannot to a gravy/curry dish…how about a veggie dish for main meal. Like palak…which doesnt really have a gravy and can be eaten with the biryani. You could replace the chinese rice with palak cuz u don’t need two rice dishes.

So the menu would now ho like this:

Apps:

Sliders
Either stuffed pastries or chaat…or do both.

Main course:

Goat biryani
Tandoori chicken
Veggie dish like palak or something else

Sides:

Salad
Imli chutney
Mint chutney

^i think it looks more cohesive this way, but do consider adding at least one veggie item besides the salad to balance out the menu because you have 3 meat dishes so far (burgers, goat biryani, tandoori chicken).

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Re: Need help planning menu

Are you making a china grass pudding?

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Re: Need help planning menu

Thanks! I omitted the corn. I like the noodle idea so I will do that instead. :slight_smile:

Thanks! Do you have a recipe for channa chat? I would love to add that but have no clue how to make it. Plus, I really do not want to make a trip to the desi grocery store again as it is quite far from where I live.
Can I find the ingredients at a krogers or randalls or something?

Yes, do you think it is lazy? lol Should I make custard instead?
I will have cake pops as party favors so I didn’t want to work extra hard on dessert. Everyone has tried my mithai, halwa, and all before so I didn’t want to repeat it.

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Re: Need help planning menu

China grass is fine. Its a nice texture n will compliment the cake.

Check pm for recipe.

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Re: Need help planning menu

I also agree with omitting the Chinese rice. I would suggest kababs to go with biryani as they can be made before and just need to be fried. Also spring rolls can be made before and just need to be fried. An alternative to chana chaat is red bean salad you don’t need to go to a desi store for ingredients.
You can do an apple-cabbage salad or cole slaw to go with burgers and add a refreshing touch.

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Re: Need help planning menu

Last weekend I made chana chaat to go with evening tea when had some guests.It was slightly different from the usual way I make it.Incase you want to try it:

A can of chick peas (drained and rinsed)
A can of red beans (drained and rinsed)
Half a medium red onion chopped
2 medium potatoes (boiled & cubed)
A tablespoon or so of yogurt
A few fresh mint leaves chopped (really adds a nice fresh flavor)
Some salt/chaat masala/cumin powder
A few teaspoons of tamarind chutney

Mix it all and serve.

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Re: Need help planning menu

Thanks you guys! I decided to omit chinese as it was alog of work. Also only made flan cake as dessert. I guess i just got tired. Made chapli kabob instead of burgers. Plus the cake pops were a hassle for me since it was the first time i made them
Will upload pics soon after the dawaat tomorrow.
Didnt have yi.e ro gi buy channay. Menu is pretty simple now but i am exhausted already :frowning:
It is the first dawaat i am throqing by myself.

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Re: Need help planning menu

what recipe did you follow for cake pops? Have fun tomorrow.

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Re: Need help planning menu

I wrote my note yesterday and did not just send and it perished. Anyways best of luck with ur dawat. I also wrote that even noodles and Chinese rice are full mean. Plus tandoori chicken is a full meal in my opinion. I usually never go with the appetizers or starters. I was thinking to give you suggestion for kabab but then you were making sliders and they were fine. Anyways have a great feast and fun time ahead. Will look forward to pics

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Re: Need help planning menu

Good to hear it all went well. Sometimes Krogers carry Pita bread that you can use for naan. Otherwise, some people do eat gravy dishes with rice too esp. if naan isn’t available easily where you live then most desis from your areas would understand. You may want to try it for your next dawat.