Quick & Easy Indian Dinner Party Menu

Step 1: Prepare Gulab Jamun Dough

Tear 8 Kings Hawaiian Sweet Rolls into pieces and blend them into fine crumbs. Transfer bread crumbs to a bowl, add 1/3 teaspoon baking powder, and mix well. Gradually add 5-6 tablespoons of whole milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until a smooth dough forms, similar to chapati dough. Grease your palms with ghee and form small, smooth balls from the dough, ensuring there are no cracks.

Step 2: Prepare Gulab Jamun Sugar Syrup

In a pot, combine 1 1/3 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Heat on medium until sugar dissolves and the syrup boils. Add 1/2 teaspoon rose essence (or 2-3 cardamom pods) to the boiling sugar syrup.

Step 3: Deep Fry Gulab Jamun

Heat oil in a separate pan on low to medium heat for deep frying. Deep fry the gulab jamun balls on low to medium heat until golden brown, ensuring they cook thoroughly from the inside. This will take several minutes per batch.

Step 4: Soak and Garnish Gulab Jamun

Add a pinch of saffron to the hot sugar syrup. Add the fried gulab jamun balls to the hot saffron-infused sugar syrup. Garnish with rose petals and cover for 10-15 minutes to allow the gulab jamun to soak up the syrup.

Step 5: Prepare Dahi Wale Aloo Potatoes

Boil 4-5 medium potatoes, peel, and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Once hot, add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp kasuri methi. Stir quickly. Add the chopped boiled potatoes to the pan and mix well to coat them with the spices. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until slightly crispy. Set aside.

Step 6: Prepare Dahi Wale Aloo Gravy Base

In a separate bowl, whisk 1 cup plain yogurt with 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, and salt to taste. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a pot. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds, a pinch of asafoetida, and 2-3 slit green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds. Add 1 medium chopped onion to the pot and sauté until translucent and lightly browned (about 7-10 minutes).

Step 7: Cook Dahi Wale Aloo Gravy

Turn off the heat. Gradually add the prepared yogurt mixture to the pot, stirring continuously to prevent curdling. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of water to achieve desired gravy consistency and mix well. Turn the heat back on to medium. Let the gravy come to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the spices are cooked (about 5-7 minutes). Add the sautéed potatoes to the gravy and mix gently. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Step 8: Fry Paneer for Hariyali Paneer (Optional)

Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add paneer cubes and fry until golden brown and crispy on all sides. This step is optional.

Step 9: Prepare Hariyali Paneer Green Paste

In a separate pan, heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil or ghee. Add 1 large sliced onion, 3-4 green chilies, 5-6 garlic cloves, and 1/4 cup cashews. Sauté until onions are translucent (about 5-7 minutes). Add 1 bunch of fresh cilantro to the pan and mix well until wilted (about 1-2 minutes). Turn off the heat. Transfer the sautéed mixture to a blender. Blend once until coarsely ground. Add 1 cup of plain yogurt to the blender and blend again until a smooth green paste is formed.

Step 10: Cook Hariyali Paneer Gravy

In the same pot used for sautéing, add 1 tbsp ghee. Add whole red chilies, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and cloves. Add the blended green paste. Mix well. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, and salt to taste. Mix well. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of water to achieve desired gravy consistency. Let it cook on medium heat, covered, until the oil separates (about 7-10 minutes).

Step 11: Finish Hariyali Paneer

Add the fried paneer cubes to the gravy. Add 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp kasuri methi, and 1/2 tsp mint powder (if using). Mix gently. For tempering, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small pan. Add 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Lal Mirch (red chili powder) and immediately pour over the paneer gravy for color.

Step 12: Prepare Masala Pulao Tempering

In a small pot, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 bay leaf, 2-3 cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick, and 1/4 cup cashews. Sauté until cashews are lightly golden. Add 2-3 chopped green chilies and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.

Step 13: Assemble Masala Pulao

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of cooked basmati rice with the prepared tempering mixture. Add salt to taste and mix everything gently until well combined.

Step 14: Prepare Papad Chaat Base

Roast or fry 4-5 papads until crispy. Break them into bite-sized pieces and place in a large serving bowl. (The video shows breaking papads and adding to a bowl of already broken papads).

Step 15: Assemble Papad Chaat

Add 1/2 cup chopped cucumber, 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, and 1/2 cup chopped red onion over the papad pieces. Sprinkle 1 tsp chaat masala over the vegetables. Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of green chutney and 2-3 tablespoons of sweet chutney over the chaat. Garnish with 1/4 cup sev (nylon sev) and 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds. Add fresh cilantro for garnish. Mix just before serving to maintain crispness.

• For Gulab Jamun, use Kings Hawaiian Sweet Rolls for optimal sweetness and texture.

• When adding milk to Gulab Jamun dough, add 1-2 tablespoons at a time to control consistency and prevent stickiness.

• Deep fry Gulab Jamun on low to medium heat to ensure they cook thoroughly from the inside.

• For Dahi Wale Aloo, ensure the stove is off when adding the yogurt mixture to prevent curdling. Stir continuously.

• For Hariyali Paneer, sauté the green base ingredients until onions are translucent before blending.

• For Masala Pulao, cook rice beforehand and allow it to cool completely for best results (fluffy, separate grains).

• Prepare Papad Chaat just before serving to keep the papad crispy.

• For Gulab Jamun, use cardamom pods instead of rose essence if preferred.

• For Dahi Wale Aloo, you can use canned potatoes or boil fresh potatoes as per convenience.

• For Hariyali Paneer, you can add spinach or mint leaves along with cilantro for a richer green color and flavor.

• For Papad Chaat, add sev (nylon sev) or ratlami sev for extra crunch. You can also add crushed potato chips.