Indian festival season has started and with that comes parties and potluck dinners. It’s always a hassle to decide what to cook, how long it’s going to take to cook the entire meal and above all how much quantity should I cook? The three- course Indian meal starts with appetizer, moving on to main course and finally the dessert. Rule of thumb – KEEP IT SIMPLE and plan your meals and your day beforehand. It saves time and lots of energy.
When planning for snacks or hors d’oeuvre – choose small snack-sized dishes. Hors d’oeuvres is a french word meaning “snacks served just before the main course. So they are not fillers, they provide hungry guests to munch on something while they socialize and wait for main course. For instance if serving Khaman, cut it into small pieces not like the market ones. This way your guest will enjoy all your creations and appreciate your culinary skills. 🙂
Well, this meal plan will surely take away all the worries and help you get started with your dinner party. But before I begin, let’s touch base on some important points.
Get yourself organized, pen down your ideas.
Make a plan before you shop. This way you will shop more efficiently.
Before you head out, check your pantry for already available ingredients. Final step prepare your list.
What’s the head count? How big is the group – calculate adults and kids.
Are there any dietary needs? Like elderly people coming to the party and may prefer no onion no garlic meals or veg meals.
Are you planning to cook everything yourself or plan to order some food from outside?
Keep the food color scheme in mind. For example, try not to cook Rajma with Paneer tikka masala – Red color scheme or Kadi pakoda with gobi – yellow color scheme. Plan a menu in such a way that it maintains the harmony of colors and is eye pleasing.
Make sure ingredients are not repeated in one single course. For example – Kadai paneer with paneer tikka masala.
Have a balance of dry and gravy dishes. For instance – if making achari gobi – a dry veggie, pair it up with a kofta curry – a gravy dish. Both have different flavors and texture.
Always plan to have a raita on hand. It’s a cool accompaniment and will balance the spicy flavor of the Indian food.
Plan according to weather – if it’s winter, dishes prepared in morning will stay just fine till the evening. But if it’s summer, some of the items may go bad- my personal experience.
Always have a salad on the menu. Not only it adds nutrition to the diet, salad is crunchy, colorful and light on the tummy.
Try to plan your menu in such a way that some of the dishes can be prepared in advance or a day ahead. Try to utilize your morning time the most.
Plan the appetizers in such a way that it requires minimal work at the last minute. For example – if your appetizer needs baking, keep that time in mind or if you have a salad on your menu than assemble everything beforehand and save the dressing for the last.
Last but not the least – Always include a resting time – how will you entertain others if you are not well rested?
SNACKS
Snack 1
Snack 2
MAIN COURSE
Dal/ Beans
Dry Vegetable
Gravy Dish
Gravy Dish
3 R’s – Rice, Roti, raita
Salad
DESSERT
Purna mishra says
Hi Ruchi
I am preparing vegetarian Indian dinner for 11 adults and 5 kids.
My menu is
starters: samosa, gobi Manchuria
Salad
Mint chutney
Roti
Paneer butter masala
Pindi Chile
Veg biryani
Bagara baigan
Raita
Custard in desert
I am getting starters from outside. So please tell me for biryani how much ingredients will I need ..
Thanks in advance
Ruchi says
Purna,
For 11 adults you will need –
4-5 bay leaf
15 green cardamom
12 whole cloves
15 black peppercorns
5 teaspoon cumin seeds
5 medium red onion, sliced
5 green chili, sliced
50 raw cashews, broken
3.5 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
2.5 cup frozen green peas, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
1.5 cups cauliflower
10 medium carrots, sliced
5 medium potato, diced into cubes
1 cup cilantro, chopped
2.5 teaspoon garam masala
2.5 teaspoon red chili powder
3.5 teaspoon salt, or to taste
5 cup basmati rice, soaked in 2 cups water for 15 minutes
10 cups water,
8 tablespoon oil
Hope this helps!
Deepali Madaan Grover says
Hi Ruchi,
I am planning a get together almost 45 people: 25 adults and 20 kids. I have kachori aloo, noodles, Chana chat, chips and dip in appetizer.
Main course: rice, Roti, daal makhani, aloo Gobi and butter chicken. Kindly suggest the quantity( cup measurements or pound measurements) of main course dishes I will need.
Thank you so much.
Ruchi says
Deepali below is the breakdown of your menu with measurements.
Rice – I usually keep a measurement of 1/2 cup (uncooked) rice per person. That equals 10 cups of rice for 20 adults. Since you have roti on the menu, you can take 1/4 cup rice per person. Make 10 cups of rice.
Roti – 2 per person = 60 – 70 Rotis
Daal makhani –
2.5 cup Whole Urad Dal
5 tbsp Chana Dal
1.25 cup Rajma
1.25 cups Ghee
3.5 teaspoons Ginger Garlic Paste
Red Chilli Powder
Cumin Powder
5 cups Onion chopped or grated
2 cups Tomato Puree
1 cup Curd
Garam Masala
3/4 cup Butter
1.25 cup Fresh Cream
5 tbsp Kasuri Methi
Salt to taste
Aloo Gobi –
30 potatoes, medium, cubed
15 cauliflower, medium, cut into small florets
15 onion, medium, chopped
30 tomatoes, medium, chopped
Cumin seeds
6 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
Turmeric powder
Amchur
Red chili powder
Garam masala powder
Coriander powder
13 tablespoons oil
Chopped cilantro
salt, to taste
Butter chicken –
4 kilograms chicken
1/2 cup oil
Red chili powder
22 tomatoes
Coriander seeds
Cinnamon
Green Chili
10 clove
1 kilogram and 500 grams butter
Coriander powder
Kasoori methi powder
5 bay leaf
Salt
8 9 medium onion
Fenugreek leaves
For Marination
7.5 teaspoon onion paste
3 teaspoon garlic paste
2 cups yogurt (curd)
Green cardamom
3.75 teaspoon ginger paste
Mace powder
black cardamom
1 and 1/4 teaspoon sugar
For Garnishing
5-6 tablespoon fresh cream
coriander leaves
Enjoy the party and feel free to email me with your queries. 🙂
Komal Sharma says
hii ma’am
I want to make dinner for around 20 people
the menu is jeera rice, aloo gobhi, chole,shahi paneer, puri, salad and raita
but i dont know how to decide the quantity for rice and chole.
and which type or brand’s rice should i use?
please help
16 adults+ 4 ( 14 to 19 age grp)
Ruchi says
Komal for 20 people you will need –
Chole – 4.5 cups or 900 grams of uncooked chole.
Rice – I usually keep a measurement of 1/2 cup (uncooked) rice per person. That equals 10 cups of rice for 20 adults. Since you have puri on the menu, you can take 1/4 cup rice per person.
and which type or brand’s rice should i use?
Basmati rice is good.
Hope this helps! Enjoy!
Lucky says
Hi Ruchi,
Planning a birthday party with 50 guests . Please suggest me easy to do rice dish and how to prep it a day ahead.
I have these items in the menu other than rice, Dal Makhani, Paneer Butter Masala, Aloo Gobi dry curry. So for these items how to prep ahead, can i make the gravies and boil aloo gobhi day ahead and just mix on the day,?would it still taste the same?
Please help. Thanks in Advance.
Ruchi says
Hello Lucky,
You can make dal makhani a day in advance. Same goes for Paneer butter masala. Prepare the gravy in advance and assemble on the day of your party. The taste will remain the same.
Regarding rice –
You can do Moti Pulao, Veg biryani or fried rice. Rice can also be prepared a day in advance.
Have fun!
Pooja Malhotra says
Hi Ruchi
Nice blog, can you add some sample menus.
Like, Veg and non veg, cook ahead.
I’m confused for my menu like I need to cook a day in advance or minimal cooking same day.
I planned kadi, sukhi daal in main course. Which chicken dish and veg dish I can add?
Do you suggest something else, with atleast one chicken dish?
For starters I’m planning Sabudana Vada and Ming sprouts, any more suggestions?
Thanks for your help.
Ruchi says
Thank you, Pooja for your kind words!
Nice blog, can you add some sample menus.
Will surely do!
I’m confused for my menu like I need to cook a day in advance or minimal cooking same day.
Please do some preparations a day in advance like – boil dal and store, kadi can be made in advance. Cook pakodas and store in the refrigerator. For the veg dish, you can add paneer and if considering chicken – you can make palak chicken or chicken curry to go with your menu.
For Starters there are many options like –
1. Bruschetta Bites – minimal prep-work required
2. Oven baked crispy Potatoes – minimal prep-work required
3. khaman dhokla – can be made a day in advance
Feel free to reach out to me if you have any other questions.
Raman Sharma says
planning a birthday party for 45 people Guests (including 9 kids)
please suggest a menu like
1 welcome drink
2 coffee with snacks (?)
3 lunch/Dinner
Ruchi says
Raman, are you looking for a vegetarian menu?
Madhuri says
Hello mam , wanted to know quantities to cook for 15 people for small get together at our place
E.g..How much quantity ingredients for Chole masala n Rice n vegetables For tawa pulav
Ruchi says
Madhuri,
All the 15 people are adults?
Neera says
Hi Ruchi. Please suggest me some starters and dinner menu only vegetarian for my son birthday party. Total guest 20. N kids above 5years old =5 . below 5years old =4
Ruchi says
Neera, are you looking for Indian or fusion kid-friendly recipes?
nisha says
Good one
RK says
Thanks Nisha. 🙂