For production, Here's what you need to know for India:
Sous Chefs- No Changes - You should be able to handle all of the standard duties, so be prepared!
We made our own yogurt on Day 11 to use on Days 12 + 13 + 14. On Day 12, Recipes calling for "drained yogurt" should start to drain 3 containers in a china cap lined with cheese cloth, start this right away so that it has plenty of time to drain - don't squeeze it, let gravity do all of the work.
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, we'll use a 10" plate as a template to cut circles to fit inside of the 12" plates for service.
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+ 13/14- will be Tomato Dal Rassam. Make 1/2 recipe on Day 12 and 1 full recipe on Day 13/14
Salad - 1/2x recipe for Day 12 and a full recipe for Days 13/14. This salad is served with the other accompaniments on a small, round "condiment" plate, you only need about 1/4 cup 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 13/14. Use Basmati rice and speak with Chef about the amount of saffron to use. 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. There are both "Sweet" and "Salted" lhassis, do a bit of research and find alternatives for days 13 + 14
Station 2:
Samoosas - this is THE MAIN dish that you will be responsible for on Day 12 - Make 2 1/2 x the dough and use 1/2 of that for Day 12 and the remainder for Days 13 + 14. The Dough needs to be made early- remember, this is a PASTRY dough, be careful not to overwork the Gluten. Make dough first, then filling, then they need to be assembled and finished. Let me help you toast the spices, they burn easily.Hold formed samoosas on parchment paper - they stick to paper towels! 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.
Bring the recipe for Lamb Khorma and be ready to prep and marinate it for Day 13. Talk to me early about making a "kit" so you'll be able to quickly start cooking it on Day 13 and then move on to the samoosas. On Day 13, start early, braise in small rondo on top of stove - keep covered, stir often, don't scorch. Cashew paste is made by soaking cashews in hot water and then pureeing in food processor. On Day 13 it will be served from the 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.
Station #3:
You will be responsible for the Fish Curry and Pooris bread. You can make 3x the liquid and spices for the fish curry on Day 12 and save most of it for use on Days 13 + 14. On Day 12 you will use a combination of Squid, Shrimp, and catfish left from the Thai menu. On Days 13 + 14 you will use the fresh Amber Jack in the cooler. Making the base for the curry liquid is the most important part, read the recipe, watch the video, and talk to the chef before you begin.
Pooris(puris) bread 1x dough for each day, so make 3x the dough recipe on Day 12 so you are set up for Days 13 + 14 in advance. - 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.
On Day 12 or 13 Check to see if there is pork already Brined for Day 1 - if not, plan to fabricate and brine pork according to the BBQ pork recipe in the Chinese Section; in any event, once it's brined, you need to put it in the marinade from the same recipe. Talk to the Chef is this is too much for you to accomplish alone, we will get someone to help you. It MUST be done.
Station #4;
Pork Vindaloo is already marinating for all days. Use 1/4 of the pork for Day 12 and use the remainder for Day 13/14. 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.This must be started early and you should ask for Chef's help at the beginning so that it does not scorch.
Dal Sambar - make 1/2 recipe Day 12 and 1 full recipe for Service, also start very early. Toasting the spices for this can be tricky - ask chef to help you start so you don't burn them. Lentils should cook until mushy. Keep heat low, stir often, keep pot covered. If lentils start to stick, change pots and add a bit more water. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan according to sous chef's diagram. TIP: Indian cooks soak their lentils in water over night with a small amount of baking soda (about 1 tsp. per kilogram of lentils). This helps soften them and shortens the cooking time
Don't worry about the Bondas and Pachadi...
Station #5: CHEF WILL TAKE CARE OF THIS STATION SET UP
On each day - including Day 12 - Make 1 full recipe of dough for naan first thing; 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 40 pieces on Day 13/14. The Chicken should already be marinating on Day 12 but needs to be prepared on Day 12 for 13 and Day 13 for 14. 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.
Station #6: BE PREPARED TO MAKE BOTH DISHES ON ALL 3 DAYS. It's simple enough for 1 person if they are organized and moving efficiently.
Paneer Saag - 1/2 recipe for each day. 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.
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