"And they came
Yet again to me,
To savor, taste, drink
And celebrate NYC..
A group merry
That needed no meat,
Jetlagged, but in spirits
Oh-so upbeat!
Embracing the greens
We ate bites fine,
And they filled my home
With laughter sublime..
Between the wine & chocolate
Time did fly,
And before we knew
It was time to say goodbye."
As I relaxed over the weekend after my Dinner with the Swedes, I got a call - frantic, begging, urging me to let more into my home, feed them, treat them and wine them up... or all hell may break lose.
Alright, so it may not have been as dramatic, but they did want me to host them again. A different group this time, and requesting for an all-vegetarian meal. Could I refuse? Hell no! But with less than 12 hours to get the menu going, it was true fulfillment when it all came together. And for some absurd reason, I also decided that the short frame of time needed an added challenge - that of trying new recipes! Luckily, they were all lapped up. Phew.
Put an Indian with some vegetarians in a room, and you are likely to get a celebration. So, I started them off with some Sweet Potato Chaat Bites.
The mains were (new recipes coming soon)
1. Grilled Mixed Vegetable Skewers (sans the sausage of course) - Quick & easy, these have always been my go to dish to start off a vegetable tasting. Best part, they can be served cold so I plate them up before the guests come and they have something to munch on right away. I like being prepared, for I am told that starvation is the #1 reason for raging guests. Can't risk that now can I.
2. Spicy Potato Bread Rolls - these worked oh-so-well! They were a roll version of my Samosa Cups (in an attempt to bring variety by...err shape) and the savory sprinkles (Indian aloo bhujia) added the perfect crunch when bit into. I honestly heard some swoons while I was working on the next course.
3. Semolina Pilaf w/ Spicy Red Lentils - A North-India meets South-India style dish. The Upma style pilaf was complimented with a spicy dal and a drizzle of cumin yogurt. Mixed up, it did wonders in your mouth.
And for dessert, I wanted to give them a home away from home. I had just attended a Swedish pastry making class (co-incidence!) over the weekend, and decided to give them a sweet fusion - that of a Princes Cake and Indian Trifle Pudding. Layers of soft sponge, raspberry jam, vanilla custard and chocolate ganache, led to this delicious beauty. I never grow tired of red.
So in the end, they came to NYC, experienced India and eventually the dessert brought them back home. A nearly perfect meal don't you think?
Ok, so we may have gone slightly crazy over the food.....
And then tried to redeem ourselves...
But at least it was all fun. More than fun.
Check it out for yourself in my upcoming events and plan your own night of crazy Indian Tapas!