********* Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Dh's three co-workers are here from India for a short-term assignment. They work for Dh, so he thought it would be a nice gesture to have them to our home for dinner this weekend. I have NO idea what to serve. Dh is rather certain that as far as meat, they do NOT eat beef or pork, but he's not really sure. He told me the only meat he knows for sure that they eat is chicken. What in the world do I make?! Any suggestions are welcome. I'm pretty nervous I'll mess this up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Bake some chicken. Make a salad and some veggies. Cook some rice or potatoes. I bet they'll like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Dh brings home co-workers from India- I usually make cheese stuffed shells, salad, and bread of some kind. It's always a hit. We always tell them what we're having. I love hearing what India is like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLG Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 I love Indian food and make it frequently BUT don't try to do that for these guys - it will never measure up to what their mother/wives do! Seriously. Make whatever chicken dish you usually serve/like and let them explore YOUR cooking style. I have always found that visitor's prefer to sample local foods! Relax. They will love whatever you serve. (Adding that Chicken Tika is a really easy dish if you feel compelled!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Things I like to make when people come over that do not involve beef or pork: enchiladas (cheese, avocado or chicken), Mexican rice, black beans, salsa and guacamole...sometimes I add chile rellenos roast chicken, mashed potatoes, a green vegetable, salad white chicken chili and cornbread soup and chicken caesar salad vegetarian baked ziti, eggplant, roasted veggies, bread and salad You can always fill nearly any of these out with an appetizer or two, extra veggie dishes, twiced-baked potatoes, (if I didn't mention salad or bread, you can always add those), something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 real home made mac and cheese. Taco bar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakimberly Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 I usually cook Tex-Mex for any guests of other nationalities... a good chicken fajita is yummy no matter what your background is! Chips and salsa are pretty universally liked... And it is very user-friendly because you can make it a "taco bar" or something where they add their own cheese, salsa, lettuce, guacamole, meat, veggies... then it is easier for them to skip something they don't like... JMHO. Kimberly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Taco bar There are two ways I cook chicken for chicken tacos: easy-the day before I bake some breasts (I salt and pepper them) with several cloves of garlic stuck around them, shred the breasts, squish the garlic out of the skin into the chicken. The day of I reheat it the shredded chicken in a pan with some salsa. even easier: put some frozen boneless thighs in with a jar of verde sauce in the crockpot all day and shred after it's cooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMCassandra Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 They might well be vegetarians altogether--most Indians are, although some do eat fish. He'd better ask them before you go on and make chicken or something. My go-to meal for Indians was meatless ziti, nice salad, and bread on the side. (My husband spent 4 yrs getting his PhD at a university where about 80% of his fellow students were Indian. As a very rare PhD candidate with a family, we had single students over often.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalknot Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 ... and be mindful of using chicken or beef broth for anything you cook, especially if you decide to cook as though they are vegetarian. I can't tell you how many well-meaning people would cook meatless meals for us, but would forget not to add dairy (butter, cream, milk) or broths! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Anything with a little kick will probably be appreciated. Mexican is a good choice; so is spicy Chinese. Before you decide on chicken, make 100% sure that none of them is a vegetarian. It is quite OK to just ask right out "are you a vegetarian or do you have any dietary restrictions?" India is quite diverse, so even there, people check with each other. Even among vegetarians, there are dietary restrictions specific to Jains, for instance. So just ask, and you won't have to worry about that aspect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tadah Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Whatever you do will be appreciated! One of the nicest things you can do for someone who is far away from home is to invite him/her/them to share a home-cooked meal, of any type. I still remember when friends of friends made dinner for us one time in Europe. I hadn't had a home-cooked meal in weeks and was *so* appreciative. Don't stress about any specifics, just keep in mind this is a super-nice thing that you are doing. It will be most gratefully received! Efforts like yours really do make the world a better place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Dh's co-workers from Chenai will not eat chicken - they do not eat any meat. They do consume dairy products. So, I make rice, tortillas, stir fried vegetables in olive oil with herbs, and put out sour cream and cheddar cheese along with both pinto beans and black beans. I go fairly heavy with garlic. This is always popular. I've also made fried potato cakes and fruit bowls with shredded coconut. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 I would just have dh ask them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 I would just have dh ask them. And I would be sure to have at least one totally vegetarian/vegan option. We eat at some Indian friends' house regularly, and they serve us chicken. The wife does not eat it, only the vegetarian dishes. The husband does eat some chicken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted October 3, 2011 Author Share Posted October 3, 2011 Whatever you do will be appreciated! One of the nicest things you can do for someone who is far away from home is to invite him/her/them to share a home-cooked meal, of any type. I still remember when friends of friends made dinner for us one time in Europe. I hadn't had a home-cooked meal in weeks and was *so* appreciative. Don't stress about any specifics, just keep in mind this is a super-nice thing that you are doing. It will be most gratefully received! Efforts like yours really do make the world a better place. That's very kind of you to say, and a good reminder for me not to stress. :) Dh's co-workers from Chenai will not eat chicken - they do not eat any meat. They do consume dairy products. So, I make rice, tortillas, stir fried vegetables in olive oil with herbs, and put out sour cream and cheddar cheese along with both pinto beans and black beans. I go fairly heavy with garlic. This is always popular. I've also made fried potato cakes and fruit bowls with shredded coconut. Faith Faith, these co-workers of dh's are also from Chenai. His company has an office in Hyderbad as well. A few people have mentioned taco bar, which I think is a fantastic idea. I could include chicken as well as vegetarian refried beans in the offerings, and that would cover everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I would avoid any beef or pork. If he knows they eat chicken then go with that or choose a meal where you can have some meat for those who eat it and none for the vegetarians. An example would be pasta with marinara sauce and turkey/chicken meatballs on the side for those who so choose. Do note some folks also avoid eggs and/or dairy. So dh may want to ask if they have any dietary requirements just to be safe. I'm sure your guests will love the chance to have a home cooked meal, meet your family and see a slice of real life in the US. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Faith, these co-workers of dh's are also from Chenai. His company has an office in Hyderbad as well. A few people have mentioned taco bar, which I think is a fantastic idea. I could include chicken as well as vegetarian refried beans in the offerings, and that would cover everyone. I think it would be a good idea to ask if they are vegetarians. Many Indians are. If they are, then you can either skip the chicken altogether or cook only enough for your family. And I agree with the posters who suggested Mexican or any food with a kick of spice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Do note some folks also avoid eggs and/or dairy. :iagree: Yes Indian vegetarians avoid eggs as well, but we love our yoghurt. But all in all a good idea to ask about food preferences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Can't he just ask them? "We would love to have you over for dinner- please let us know if there are any dietary restrictions so we know what to plan." seems the simplest way to me! I'm sure they would appreciate the invitation and the thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa in Jax Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 In addition to the excellent suggestions you've gotten: My Indian friends love pastries/cake. A dear friend of mine (from Mumbai) said that she had no idea how to bake a cake! Every time she came over, I made a cake or cookie of some kind, b/c she loved trying new desserts. If that's not an option, have some ice cream, perhaps, for dessert. :) Mexican is a good choice, IMO. If you have rice, beans, peppers/onions, veggies, sour cream, avocado and chicken, for example, each person can add the things he likes. (Be sure your beans are vegan.) Indians, as a rule, don't put as much value on punctuality in social situations, so they may not realize that "dinner at 6" means to arrive at six. Don't be offended if they arrive 30 minutes or an hour late! Many (most?) Indian men will not want to hug when being greeted. Have a blast! Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolfromIL Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 If it were me, I would consider it an honor to cook my husbands employees their native cuisine. Think about it.....if you were in India, wouldn't you appreciate a hamburger and fries? For your dinner I would consider Sattu Parathas (parathas stuffed with fried chickpea flour) accompanied by Chokha (which is like a curry spiced mashed potatoes). Fish Curry goes well with most Indian cuisine. I wish you well and consider it an honor and an adventure!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 If it were me, I would consider it an honor to cook my husbands employees their native cuisine. Think about it.....if you were in India, wouldn't you appreciate a hamburger and fries? In Egypt we once ordered the "deluxe American burger" (choices were limited at the particular restaurant). We got 2 tiny burger patties, each of them had a fried egg on top and a slice of tomato on top of the egg. Sure, it made for a good story, but it was not really a taste of home. That is why I wouldn't cook Indian. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolfromIL Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 In Egypt we once ordered the "deluxe American burger" (choices were limited at the particular restaurant). We got 2 tiny burger patties, each of them had a fried egg on top and a slice of tomato on top of the egg. Sure, it made for a good story, but it was not really a taste of home. That is why I wouldn't cook Indian. :D Well at least they tried :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakimberly Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 oh I would NOT want a hamburger... we lived in China for 3 1/2 years... the few times we had "western" food prepared by Chinese friends made for funny stories but not delicious meals... Memories that are popping into my mind offhand are french fries loaded with multicolored candy sprinkles (??), a gorgeous fruit salad topped with at least a half-cup per serving of mayo, and spaghetti made with ketchup for sauce, and tortilla chips served with spaghetti sauce on the side instead of salsa. (and actually a few of those were at restaurants, not friends' houses!) I'm sure any one of those would have been charming had I not known the expected dish for each of those... but it was just so far from my expectation that it didn't work, you know? Granted, there were western restaurants that made passable western food (just as there are Indian restaurants that make Indian food here) but I'm pretty sure those chefs had a little more experience with western ingredients (as a chef in an Indian restaurant would have more exposure to Indian ingredients). It is nearly impossible for a person to cook authentic food from a region that is not their home. It might be tasty and might thrill your friends who are not from that region and they might say it is authentic... but a real person from that region would know the difference. JMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 We have a number of Indian friends who are meat eaters. When they visit a spicy chicken spaghetti is a hit with them. Indians, in my experience, love spice so I'd do Italian or Mexican. When I travel, I don't really want an attempt at an American dish, I want to experience an authentic meal from the country or family's traditions....but that's just me. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I think it would be fun to do something totally American -- and, of course, I do consider tacos, spaghetti, and pizza to be American! I would be inclined to do hamburgers, but not without checking to see if they eat beef! I would definitely be sure about any dietary restrictions before I planned the menu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2denj Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I would probably go with stuffed shells or three cheese or vege lasagna, garlic bread and salad. Apple pie with whip cream for dessert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cammie Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 You have had lots of good suggestions. If it was me I would definately have DH has them "veg or non-veg?" If the answer is that they eat non-veg then stick with chicken. I think Mexican or Italian is a great idea. Italian restaurants are a big hit over here. People from south India do love their spice so make sure to have some HOT salsa on hand! I am sure they will love any effort you make for them! Definately do not expect them to arrive on time - especially for a 6:00 invite. Over here, if we are invited for 7, we never would show up before 8 and dinner would be served closer to 10 (and sometimes not until midnight!) Just have DH clearly tell them that dinner is served at X. Very nice of you to offer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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