This is for those people who dont like a variety of dishes on the table for a dawat. If you were to decide a two dish menu. What would that be ? what condiments will go along and how will you present the food?
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I will make vegie pilau, chicken korma or chicken karahi wth naan. along wth bean slads, vegie salads, raita along wth drinks.
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Biryani and Nihari!
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Biryani n nihari. A simple salad with lemon wedges for the nihari, nothing too fancy. Mint chutney and naan.
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Biryani and korma
served with sheermal, naan, raita, salad
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And for non desi menu, Lasagna and hunter beef
served with assorted breads, sauces, Coleslaw,pineapple/apple salad, patoto wedges & french fries,
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Chicken biryani and aloo gosht (korma style) with raita, bean salad, green salad and naan. That way there’s rice, chicken, red meat and veg.
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Maybe it is just me but I think nihari should not be paired with biryani. I feel biryani and nihari are good on their own. If you want a salan with rice, go for a pulao.
Haleem is another one that can do a pretty good on its own.
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I agree with Lusi. Why keep two wholesome dishes together? They are awesome on their own. Dont need any complimentary dishes.
I have and would do a mutton/chicken pulao, korma/chicken curry, naan raita and salad for a two dish menu. Easy peasy.
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I’m with Lusi & Hadeel…
In my family, a simple 2 dish menu would be Biryani (hyderabadi style of course!) with either Bhagaray Baingan of Mirchi’on ka salan
Add raita,salad and maybe naan and that’s it.
I feel nihari & haleem are stand alone dishes that are complete and filling when you add the garnishes and such
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^ That’s how our family does casual dawats with other family or good friends.
Haleem or Nihari and maybe mattar pulao for kids. The Haleem or Nihari are such hearty stand alone dishes, nothing else is required. The rice was just to appease the kids. We tend to not do ghosht on ghosht - so will do mattar pulao or vegetable pulao.
Formal dawats are a different matter - but Nihari or Haleem don’t need anything else, IMO.
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Daal chaawal for me please! (But only if my sisters are coming over) 
With mint chutney, or even better memon chutney, sliced onion, tomato salad and lemon wedges. Yumm!!
I agree that haleem n nihari are good on their own. I don’t like biryani with salan either… The best thing to go with biryani is baingan raaita.
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Agree with Gudia about lasagna. It’s so hearty that I don’t even think you need another dish to go with it, a salad and bread will suffice. But if I had to do another dish…I think I’d do a light soup. Soup and salad and garlic bread and lasagna.
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naan N nihaarii OR biryaani N shaamii kabaabs
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Lols hyderabadis are really really fond of mirchion ka salan and bhagaray baingan.
just to share with you, there is this place Hyderabad colony in Karachi which is famous for hyderabadi food. i go there to get the Hareesa( so so yum), and the shop uncle over there always always insist me to buy the mirchion ka salan and bhagaray baingan along with it. lols. the way he tells that those two items are must to have is just so entertaining.
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If Its Pakistani dawat I would prefer making Haleem and Chicken Roast with nan as we are more fond of Rotis (atleast people around me are).
If other than that it will be Some Pulao (chicken/mutton/peas) and koftas. To go with are mint & aaloo raita, pasta bean salad. Naans too
If non desi I would go with Chicken Parmigiana & Qeema Macronis or Pizza & Singaporian rice
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A couple came over my house at dinner 10 days before on a short notice and i made Chicken Pulao and kabab Masala. Salad and mint raita was served with that. Dessert was Ice cream
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yakhni pulao, koftay (2 mains)
zarda (dessert)
raita, salad, shami kebabs.
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Option 1
Chicken Biryani
Shami Kabab
Raita
Plain Salad
Option 2
Chicken yakhni Pulao (Shami Kabab can be served with it)
Aaloo Gosht
Kachumar Salad and Mint Chutni