Indian Menu days 12 + 13

Hi Everyone - I usually do a fish curry dish from station 6 for the Indian Menu, if anyone would like to pick it up, let me know. We will have fresh mackerel coming in tomorrow as well as some shrimp to use up. 

Sous Chefs-

We will make our own yogurt on Day 11 to use on Days 12 +13 . Have someone Drain 4 quarts of yogurt for Day 12 as soon as you come in, you'll need it for both days. If you don't understand the process, ask first and I'll help you.

All entrees will be served on a 12" round plate LINED WITH A BANANA LEAF CIRCLE. traditionally, Indian diners will not eat from plates, they use banana leaves to hold the food, these circles which fit into the 12" plates. Ask me early and I'll show you how.

Menu is divided into "North" and "South" - everything will be in 1/2 hotel pans on the steam table except for the accompaniments. Draw a detailed diagram of where everything will go on the steam table. There won't be enough space on the steam table for the rice - put rice in chaffing dish at end of steam table near plates. Show me the diagram right after the supplemental is placed and I can help you adjust it.

Soup for Days 12+ 13 will be Tomato Dal Rassam. Make 1/2 recipe on Day 12 and 1 full recipe on Day 13.

Salad - 1/4x recipe for Day 12 and 1/2 recipe for Days 13.  This salad is served with the other accompaniments on a small, round "condiment" plate, you only need about 2 TBSP of salad per plate surrounded by the other condiments - chutni, raitha, pachadi. It will be similar in set-up to the street food plates - on service days, these can all be plated ahead.

Rice - Saffron rice Pilaf - make SURE you know everything there is to know about rice Pilaf METHOD -this is where people fall down, I will ask you about it so be prepared. Use 6 cups raw Basmati rice on Day 12 and 10 cups on Days 13. Use Basmati rice for the pilaf. Serve from a chaffing dish in shallow, full hotel pan.

Mango lhassi - the yogurt is being made overnight - should be ready in the morning. You will receive frozen Mango Puree from the store room. Don't plan to make mango lhassi both days - look for some other flavors or talk to me. Serve in 10 oz milk glasses - check that the glasses are in the kitchen early, if not - let me know.


Station 2:
Lamb Khorma - start early, braise in small rondo on top of stove - keep covered, stir often, don't scorch. You will receive 2# lamb cubes for this on Day 12 and 4# for Day 13 + 14. Cashew paste is made by soaking cashews in hot water and then pureeing in food processor. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan. Ask Sous Chefs where to put everything. DON'T forget the garnishes for this dish - have them in place before service starts.

Samoosas- Make 1/2 recipe for Day 12 and 1x Days 13. The Dough needs to be made early on Day 12 and extra can be made to be ahead for Day 13 , filling should be prepped, then they need to be assembled and finished. Let me help you toast the spices, they burn easily. The samoosas should be fried in small batches as needed for service and served from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan. Sous chefs should have a detailed diagram of where everything goes, follow their instructions.

Dal Tadka make 1/2 recipe Day 12 and 1 full recipe each other day. It's easy to make, but consider starting very early. Toasting the spices for this can be tricky - get chef to help you start so you don't burn them.The lentils should be mushy - falling apart -and the "tadka" added at the end. Bring to the steam table in a 1/2 hotel pan and place it according to the sous chef's diagrams.

Chili Chutni - we should have enough for the rest of the block - it should be made already from Day 11, check tracking schedule to see who made it and ask them where it is.

Station #3:


Paneer Saag - 1/2 recipe for day 12 + 1 full recipe for Day 13. Make cheese as early as possible, it can be made a day ahead, but if it's not- 7:15 or so on Day 12. Let drain and firm until cool, then cut into small dice. Spinach is braised - meaning a longer, slower, moist heat method. Have all MEP near a wok and be ready to start cooking slowly by 9:45. Let simmer on low heat, covered, until spinach is very soft. Then finish with cheese and yogurt. The paneer saag is a braised veg dish, it needs to be started in a large wok no later than 9:45 in order to cook slowly and gently and should be finished no later than 10:45

Vegetable Curry - Also a braised veg dish. Long, slow, moist heat, covered. All MEP ready by 9:45, cook slowly until cauliflower is very tender.

Both dishes served from steam table in 1/2 hotel pans.

Station #4;

Pork Vindaloo  is already marinating for all days. Use 1/3 of the pork for Day 12 and divide the remainder for Day 13.You can make it in a large wok, but you have to be very careful about heat control and evaporation - keep the flame low and keep the wok covered. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan - see sous chef's diagram for where to place it.

Dal Sambar - I know that this is on the tracking schedule, but I'm dropping it. We already have a lentil dish on the menu and I REALLY want you to have a chance to see the Pooris (or Puris) bread.The recipe is on the web site with a demo. I'll helpyou set it up if you need me to.

Pooris(puris) bread 1x dough for each day- Make dough early - before anything else. Check with chef for proper consistency, let it rest, ask chef for advice on rolling and cutting. Watch demo on frying and pre-heat cast iron pans about 20 minutes before you plan to fry. These should be fried before service and held warm on paper towels to absorb extra fat. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan lined with paper towels, sous chefs will have a diagram telling you where to put them.

Bondas - 1/2 recipe for Day 12 and 1x recipe for Days 13/14. Filling for this can be made a day ahead - so you may make extra on Day 12 for Day 13. Cook potatoes early, let chef help with spices toasting; combine potatoes and spices and let chef demo how to size and shape. Dip in batter and fry only as needed for service. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan according to sous chef's diagram.

Pachadi - BECAUSE OF THE ADDITION OF THE POORIS BREAD - THIS IS NOW OPTIONAL - DON"T MAKE IT IF YOU DO'NT HAVE TIME - If you decide to make the Pachadi anyway, Make 1/4 recipe for Day 12 and 1/2 for Days 1#. Crack open fresh BROWN coconut and remove flesh - chef can help. Toast in oven, stir occasionally to keep coconut from scorching. Toasting chick peas - they must be toasted until they are cooked through and REALLY crunchy - if they're soft in the center, they're not done. Check with chef for help on this technique, it's very different from western cooking.

Station #5:
Make 1 full recipe of dough for naan first thing; make 1 recipe for each day- it needs to rise, be divided, and rise again. Naan should go into the tandoori oven between 10:15-10:45. Watch the video so that you are familiar with the set up and make sure you know which tools to use - have them on your station for a demo by 10:15.

Tandoori chicken - Make 20 pieces on Day 12 and the remaining on Day 13. The Chicken should already be marinating. Remove from marinade and put on skewers early in the day. The meat will cook more easily if it's not cold right out of the cooler. Skewered meat can be held on plastic lined sheet trays at room temp. Be ready to put skewered chicken in oven by 10:00 AM. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan according to the sous chef's diagram.

Raitha is made with drained yogurt - if the yogurt did not get drained the night before, drain it in a chinoise lined with cheese cloth for a couple of hours before making, put in small container for sous chefs to arrange on the accompaniment table.

If you think you;ll have extra time, talk to me about the fish recipe mentioned at the top of the page.