[shroomgirl]

Mid-Maycocktail/dinner buffet with "something other than Polanesian< possibly Indian"

SO this is an older mid60's up crowd....country club group

Any ideas...??? She'd like curry and the assorted toppings for dinner buffet...now for all that surrounds it. I've been looking at Julie Sahini's books and Sauvers
and nothing jumps out at me...I think this may need to be partially Americanized for this crowd.

Samosas with sweet potato instead of white, standard white raisins, cashews, ginger, jalepino, garlic, cinnamon, cumin (no asefetide!!!) cayene, no peas.

skewered shrimp with????

Spicy cashews

Assorted spicy cereal mix (not sure of the name)

Pappadoms with a lentil(dal dip) is this too weird?

Naan absolutely

Chicken Curry with Basmati

Salads/raitas/extra goodies

I love chai, and am considering a custard from it or sauce for a rice/almond pudding.
Still pondering this
Fresh fruit would be nice to cut the heat....
Again we are in the midwest and this is a more established group.

[cape chef]

Shroom,

If you can get your hands on all the spices you need you can have a blast.Wateli dal,
katachi aamti (sweet and sour curry) Sambhur,vegetatian tandoori paneer in green masala,curry chix in coconut milk,chix kolhapuri,hare masala ki murgi,lamb curry with coconut milk ,dried fruits and masala,arbi chaat salad,badani gosht lamb,
I do Indian theme events where I work a couple times of year. Shroom, If you are interested in some recipes for these or others let me know, I have a lot of chutneys recipes and salads and a few dessert,duls and puls etc.
cc

[momoreg]

If you're doing Indian, but you don't want to be too "ethnic", as it were, the things that come to mind for me are naan (like you said), pappadum with dal (no, that's not too weird), raita, chicken tikka, definitely basmati rice, skewered shrimp that you maentioned, with onions, cherry tomatoes, and green bell pepper, and your dessert sounds unique. Have you ever made kulfi? I never have, but man is it good. And I believe it's pretty easy.

[shroomgirl]

Thanks guys, this is not my forte....I may try to talk her into Greek/Mid Eastern....
BBQ leg of lamb/grilled chicken with lemon,oregano, garlic,olive oil
Pitas (fresh homemade)
Cucumbers with yogurt
Huge green salad with asp, calamatas, feta, red onions, tomatoes (if good)
Bread with olives, tomatoes and feta (like bruschetta)
shrimp on rosemary skewer
Hummos (I know not Greek but goes so well)
tiropetes
spanakopitas
orzo with garlic, chicken stock and rosemary
Olive tray
Baklava
Lemon Ice cream

There is an incredible pineapple juice, lemon juice, rosemary and 7up punch that is wonderful....our herb society has it at their events often.

What do you think?

Shroom:

You are making me hungry. I think most Americans would like the Greek theme food better than the Indian. While the Indian stuff is good, most people are not that familiar with it. At least most Americans have heard of feta.

[momoreg]

No comment on the Baklava .

The punch sounds really refreshing. And is there anything quite as delicious as homemade pita with hummus? Sounds fab, shroomgirl.

[shroomgirl]

Thanks~ I really like hummos with tapenade, feta, fresh bits of tomato, roasted veg chopped up... sounds like a station to me.

[cape chef]

Shroom,

everything sounds tasty!

how about some tyropita
Keftedes
meat ball avgolemono
melititzanes papoutsakia (stuffed eggplant)
artichoke salad (aginanes salata)
eharithesme (baked shrimp with feta)
souvlaki (lamb,chicken ,pork)

Hey put some oregano in your hummis...then you can call it "greek"
heres something funky.

How about a fondue made with resin wine,chix stock and feta? then dip with pita,tomatoes,rice balls,olives,artichokes?
I know wierd huh.

Anyhow
keep us posted
cc

[shroomgirl]

Retsina~BLECK>>>> I've never met a Retsina I've liked.
Yeah that one was not a keeper....
But the others were good....too bad it's May instead of Sept/Oct for tomatoes and eggplant....but there are great asparagus and maybe green garlic available....Do you guys know about green garlic?

[cape chef]

Heh, I knew that sounded nasty!!!

I just read about green garlic but I can't remember where I saw it.
cc

[shroomgirl]

Looks kinda like a leek...acts like one too only mild garlic..... no need to peel just really fun and springy.

[Athenaeus]

Originally Posted by cape chef

How about a fondue made with resin wine,chix stock and feta? then dip with pita,tomatoes,rice balls,olives,artichokes?
I know wierd huh.


cc

You know, cape chef, you heretic cook you, I have made this once to introduce a lovely individual to the greek taste

Too bad that back then I was young and innocent and therefore not cynical at all , otherwise I would have stirred in this fondue some pine leaves....so as this guy had a total taste of greek spirit AND temper.

I found this post while searching old threads about fondue because I am working on an article about it.

[ambitious]

wow, this is interesting. I am pakistani and new at the chef thing, but i was thinking you could make keer (rice pudding).

[britt]

Brewat(sp)
Seasoned gound lamb in phyllo
Lamb patties topped with cukes, tomatoes and onion in a spiced yogurt.
Crepes fillied with chutney and grilled cnicken(dredged in a slurry of oil, honey and curry powder) tied into a package with a wilted green onion.
britt

[shroomgirl]

Wow...still good ideas after 4 years....the chai custard would be wonderful....hmmmmm.