For me, the beauty of Indian cuisine is that each dish evokes so many memories—from my childhood, from trips abroad, and from special meals. Hosting a dinner party affords you and your guests the opportunity to create new and lasting memories of food, friends, family, and fun! The best kind of parties also let you walk down memory lane together, telling unforgettable stories that never get old. Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week! By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Minstry of Curry I’ve gotten an overwhelming request on Instagram for tips on how to plan and host a party, as well as, how to come up with the menu. I couldn’t be more excited to delve straight into this topic and share everything I’ve learned through years of experience! The biggest question when hosting an Indian Dinner Party is “What’s on the menu?” With the variety of dishes in Indian cuisine, it is really easy to come up with a menu that will work with all your guests’ food preferences. That still leaves the questions of how to pair different dishes and how much food to prepare for the number of guests. This is where I can help!
Sample Menu Ideas
Parties are lots of fun, but they can also be a lot of work. Even putting together a menu can sometimes be overwhelming, given how many amazing combinations there are! But it doesn’t have to be. I am sharing some of my favorite sample menus for a fun Indian party! From Indian festivals like Diwali and Holi to Movie/Game Nights, BBQs, Milestone Birthdays, and Anniversary Parties–a theme can determine every aspect of the event and help bring all of the components together. Another fun idea is basing your theme around the type of regional cuisine you would like to serve (North Indian, South Indian, Western Indian, etc). Pull ideas from the dress, architecture, natural elements, and famous sights of the region. Of course, if you are hosting something last minute you can skip the theme and serve foods that you are most comfortable making with! An inviting table will set the tone and having fun is the most important thing!
How Much Food To Cook & Making the Grocery List
Now that we have salivated over all the food options, the next big question is how much food to make! Here is my estimate that can be scaled up or down: For up to 8 guests - 1 to 2 appetizers, 2 main courses, and 1 dessert For up to 16 - 2 appetizers, 3 mains, and 2 desserts More than 16 - 3 to 4 appetizers, 4 mains, and 2 to 3 desserts As far as servings go….. I like to make one serving per person of most Indian dishes. The number of servings is always included in the recipes on my blog ministryofcurry.com. The only two dishes I usually wind up having extra are the bread (naan, parathas) and the rice. Some people choose only one carb so you may end up with extras. The best part of having leftover naan or rice is that they can be turned into Naan Pizza, Fried Rice, or frozen to use another time. Everyone loves Indian leftovers and your guests will be happy to take some food home so make sure to keep some Tupperware handy!
Decor
Tableware
For a Formal Party, up to 16 people, I like to set the table and use porcelain or ceramic dinnerware (preferably white) but you can also mix and match 2 to 3 dinner sets. Using silverware cutlery, cups for water or other beverages, a pretty tablecloth or a runner, placemats, and pretty napkins all add a wonderful decorative touch!
Servingware
Make a plan ahead on how you will be reheating food (Stovetop, Instant Pot, Air Fryer, Oven, or Chaffing Dishes) and the dishes you will be using. Order any supplies if needed
Start prepping and cooking (1 to 2 days before)
Go ahead and make the curries, dal, chutneys, and marinades one day before the party. Cool down all cooked food to room temperate and then refrigerate. Depending on what dessert you are planning to serve, the desserts can also be made 1 to 2 days ahead of time. *Tip: If your guests want to bring something ask them to bring a dessert. Not only does this make them feel like they are contributing, but it also gives them the opportunity to show off their creativity, and baking skills, or the simple pleasure of sharing something from their favorite bakery. It also takes a whole course off of your to-do list!
Take out the refrigerated curries, dals, etc 2 to 4 hours before the party. Make raita, salad, rice, and drinks Set up Appetizers Get Dressed up and ready to welcome the guests. Warm naan, and parathas along with the mains just before serving. *Tip: Get help from your guests with warming up food, they will love to help out and many also feel more welcome into your home when they can help out.
Drinks (Prep the day before)
Notes: Guests love a good homemade welcome drink. Pick one or two from the list below or make mocktails with store-bought juices and sodas that simply need to be mixed in. I also make sure to keep flavored seltzer and sparkling water on hand as sugar-free options.
Pomegranate Rose Spritz Mango Lassi Rose Lassi Watermelon Juice Aam Panna Ginger Lemonade
Appetizers (prep the day before)
Notes: A Chaat station is easiest to put together and looks beautiful with premade or store-bought chutneys and fixings like sev, papdi, and puri! Simply place all of the fixings in bowls and place them on a wooden board or a large platter Chacuterrie style! All of the below non-chaat appetizers can be made ahead and reheated just before serving although they also taste great at room temperature!
Masala Nuts (can me made upto a week in advance) Tater Tots Chaat (especially good for a larger crowd) Dahi Puri Papdi Chaat Bhel Puri Paneer Tikka Onion Pakoda Jalapeno Corn Samosa Aloo Chaat in Phyllo Cups Mushroom Tartlets
Main Dishes
When making Indian main dishes you do not have to quite make full servings as they are served with rice, parathas, or naan and a side of raita or a salad. Simply make sure you have 2 to 3 main dishes and make sure to pick dishes with different colors to make them look colorful and appetizing!
Vegetarian Mains (cook the day before)
Paneer Makhani Dum Aloo Palak Paneer Mushroom Matar Malai Dal Makhani Chana Masala Rajma Masala
Chicken and Seafood Mains (cook the day before)
Butter Chicken Chicken Tikka Masala Chicken Vindaloo Achari Chicken Chicken Karahi Malabar Shrimp Baked Salmon with Green Chutney Salmon Baked
Rice (Cook on the day)
Basmati Rice Jeera Rice Veg Pulao Lemon Cauliflower Rice Veg Biryani Chicken Biryani Shrimp Biryani Chickpea Biryani
Bread (cook/reheat on the day)
Store-bought naan (stone-fire mini naan from Costco) Parathas Roti Puri
Sides (prep 4 to 5 hours before and refrigerate)
Beet Raita Cucumber Salad Cabbage Salad Mango Salad
Dips and Chutneys (Make ahead 2 to 3 days)
Cilantro Mint Chutney Tamarind Chutney
Desserts (Make/Prep the night before)
No-Bake Ice Cream Cake Gajar Halwa Cheesecake Jars Rice Kheer Gajar Ka Halwa Fig and Walnut Halwa (Diabetic Friendly) Rice Kheer with Berry Compote Pineapple Sheera Melon Salad (Diabetic Friendly) Falooda Mango Mastani Candied Cashews with saffron and Cardamom (Can be made a week before)
Remember when preparing for larger gatherings, most Indian food can be made in advance as many dishes taste better the day after they are prepared to give the flavors time to meld and develop. I hope this helps you plan and host parties better and without much stress. If you are looking for any other sample menus specific to a theme, let me know and I will be happy to add them here. Happy Cooking!
