Mamta's Kitchen - A Family Cookbook





Getting it all ready at the same time

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On 20/10/2011 06:10pm, Seabird wrote:

I have looked at the Menu Planning but the problem that I have is preparing the main meal and the side dishes so that they are all hot and fresh and the same time. I have this trouble whatever the cusine. I end up all hot and flustered and then don't feel like eating anything. Anyone got any tips on how they overcome this?

On 20/10/2011 08:10pm, Lapis wrote:

if cooking for a lot of people (say over 10) then I find a spreadsheet with a time line (like project management, if you follow me) is useful, even vital.

Timing in cooking is a very important aspect, something I learnt from my father, who was a head chef. Getting everything prepared so that it is all ready to serve at once is a difficult thing, and needs a lot of practice, and experience.

I always tell people when the food will be served, so they will be as ready as I will be (that's the idea, anyway!).

When I lived in the Lake District, a well known chef had gourmet evenings. All guests had to be seated by 8:10 pm, anyone who was not was not served, a bit extreme, I think, but getting food to the table exactly on time is something to aim for.

On 21/10/2011 09:10am, Mamta wrote:

Hello Seabird

It is rather a long answer:

How to plan an Indian party; Over the years, I have planned meals for 8-80 people. You don?t want to be doing too much just before the guests arrive, or you don?t get a chance to enjoy. This is roughly what I do, with minor changes.

  1. Make a menu a couple of week in advance, with flexibility about what is available best in vegetables, meat/fish etc. on the day/season.

  1. Do shopping for most things 2 days before the party, leaving things that have to be absolutely fresh on the day, which is not very often.

  1. As I have no cooking help available and as I am getting older (!), I cook most of the meat/dal/beans/curry dishes the day before; you can do this in Indian cooking, especially if you are lucky to live in a cold country. Many curries actually taste better the next day. Also, I don?t want the whole house to smell of cooking as guests arrive.

  1. All pre-cooked dishes are either kept in airtight tubs or in their serving bowls, covered and then cling filmed, so no smells intermingle while in the fridge.

  1. Most Indian desserts are okay if cooked the day before. Fruit salads, I make on the morning of the party. Pour cream etc. in appropriate jugs, cling film and leave in the fridge.

  1. Tandoori style dishes, I marinate the day before. To make more space in the fridge, I will often take vegetable/fruit drawers out the day before a party and keep my vegetables in my cold conservatory/garage/shed.

  1. I prepare vegetables for bhajies, onions/ginger/garlic for all the dishes the evening before, but chop according to need as I cook. As dishes get ready, I dish them into serving bowls/tubs, cool them, cover/cling film them and keep in the fridge. I never leave food lying around at room temperature.

  1. Chapatties/other Indian breads, I cook on the afternoon of the party, unless I am making tandoori roti/millet/cornmeal roties, which have to be cooked at the last minute. But these I only make for small number of people, for a sit down meal. I cook them under a very hot grill, so I can cook 5-6 at a time, while they start serving. I wrap chapatties in double aluminium foil, to be heated later on in a hostess trolley. Hostess trolley is a must in my view, if you entertain a lot. I aouldn't be wihout mine. For big parties, I have been known to borrow one from my friends too!

  1. Raitas, chutneys etc. mostly made the day before, especially things like Dahi Vadas, which require frying.

  1. Starters are often cooked last, though they are ready marinated/prepared to cook in the oven. Depends upon what it is you are making. I will ready the baking tray well before though, already lined with foil in advance. Just before guests arrive, I will place the meat on the tray, ready to be put in the oven.

  1. Salads and fruit salad (which we almost always have as an extra dessert) I will prepare in the afternoon of the party.

  1. 3 hours before the expected meal time (your trolley may need less or more time), my OH knows to put the hostess trolley on. I remove cling films, and put all curries with gravy, dals etc. in. Dry vegetable bhajies go 1 1/2 hours before and chapatties in double foil about on hour before meal time.

  1. I usually sit and watch T-V/have tea etc. for a couple of hours before guests come. Then shower/change.

  1. Aftern they arrive, I will stick the starters in the oven.

  1. After starters are cleared, I will put the rice on. We usually have 1- 1 1/2 hour?s gap between starters and main meal. If I am making pilaf, I would have fried onions etc. beforehand, so I only have to add rice at this time.

  1. Then dinner is cleared away, for which I book help if I have more than 8 people, so I am not spending all my time in the kitchen.

  1. Last is all the desserts (we usually have 3-4-5 for a buffet party) and coffee, all placed on the dining table, for people to help themselves. Most of our friends do not drink coffee any more, they have sleeping problems if they do just like me!

My help leaves after desserts are served, she has young children at home.

After guests leave, my OH will help to bring everything into the kitchen and help to load the dishwasher. If anything needs to be washed, it is done next morning. All things are put away next day and we live on left overs for about 2 days LOL!

On 22/10/2011 10:10am, Seabird wrote:

Wow what an answer. I'm going to book one of your classes!

On 22/10/2011 11:10am, Kavey wrote:

Hi Seabird

We've just filled all the places for the next course and not yet set a date for the one after, but if you'd genuinely be interested in attending, you may like to add your name to our mailing list for the classes, here:

http://eepurl.com/dVCEz

Kavey

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