Indian Menu Days 12, 13, 14 for September 28, 29, 30.

For India

Sous Chefs- Rin and Tori:

We make 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 2 qts. on Day 12 and 1 full recipe on Day 13/14

Salad - 1/4x 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 - if we have time to make them. 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 for Day 12 - 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.  On day 13 we will make Lemon-Mint pilaf, speak to chef in advance for recipe and make 10 cups. For Day 14 we can discuss other options in advance. Use Basmati rice and speak with Chef about the amount of seasoning 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- Herme: 
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.


Dal Tadka - the lentils are already soaking in water.  Make 3x recipe on Day 12, when finished, remove enough for family meal and then cool the rest for use on Days 13 + 14. check with chef on flavor and consistancy before removing from the cooking pot. 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.

Samoosas- If you have time on Day 12, make 2x the recipe for the dough and 2x the recipe for the filling. If you do not have time, talk to the chef to plan making it early on Day 13.

Whenever you make it, remember, this is a PASTRY dough, be careful not to over work the Gluten. Filling should be prepped, 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.


Station #3- Fernando : 

Fish curry - On Day 12 be prepared to make about 6 portions and on Day 13 + 14, that should double.  Read recipe, know all ingredients, watch video and ask chef to help get started, This is an unusual and unique dish and requires the assistance of the chef the first time you make it.. Make sauce ahead, hold hot, poach fish in sauce a few orders at a time, just before serving. Serve from steam table in 1/2 hotel pan. You may receive enough fish on Day 12 for the rest of the block, so ask how much to use for day 12 and ice the rest for the next day.

Pooris(puris) bread - make 2x dough on Day 12 and we will use it for each other 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.
You must also have pork  Brined for Day 1 -  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, you can stretch this out over 3 days- Fabricate and tie the roasts on Day 12, Brine them on Day 13, and marinate on Day 14.

Station #4- Kat - 

Pork Vindaloo  is already marinating for all days. On Day 12 you will cook it all for the remainder of the block, once cooked, please remove emnough for family meal on Day 12 and divide the rest into 2 containers to cool, store and reheat on Day 13 + 14.

Plan to start cooking it very early. Get your mise en place and ask Chef to help you get started, it's fairly easy but I'd rather start you off then burn 20# of pork!
 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.

Bondas - Again - all of the filling mixture can be made for on Day 12 for all 3 days, so make 3x recipe of filling. If you'd like, you may also make 3-4x the batter, but it does thicken as it sits and will require soem thinning each day before use. 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 - Make this only after you've started the pork and the bondas. It may not get done at all on Day 12, but read up on it so you can put together a "kit" for making it on Day 13 + 14.  Crack open fresh coconut and remove flesh - chef can help. Toast in oven, stir occasionally to keep coconut from scorching. Toasting chick peas is a long process, so start early- they should  soak over night in water with a small amount of baking soda - on the day you use them, drain off the soaking water and place in a pot with enough fresh water to cover. Simmer until tender but not falling apart, drain and cool. Then they may be toasted on a sheet tray in a low oven toasted until they are cooked through and 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.

Ask me for other recipes for you do do on Days 13 + 14. I have several fermented flat bread recipes which must be started a day or two ahead, so starting the ferment on Day 12 would be perfect. Also, there are several chutneys that we don't often make that you could take on as well.

Finally - I've been asked to do some recipe development on a Korean project. If you have time on Day 13 or 14, I may have you work on some of that.

Station #5 - Alex - Make 1 full recipe of nann on Day 12. If you have time, you may be able to make a second dough later and allow it to do a slow rise in the cooler for Day 13. Talk to the chef about how to do this.
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 15 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:

Paneer Saag - Make 1 full recipe for each day. Make the cheese as early as possible, so plan to start heating the milk by 7:15. You will be making 3x recipe, which will last you for all 3 days. Once cheese curdles, strain into a cheese cloth and 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.