One third of the Indian population are vegetarian so it is necessary for Indian caterers to supply a good variety of appetising dishes for vegetarians. All Indian meals will have some vegetable accompaniments. Pure vegetarian catering is the speciality of many Indian caterers and there are a huge number of events which demand a pure vegetarian menu. In terms of Punjabi catering, which caters for both veggies and non-veggies, here are some examples of the most popular vegetarian dishes in Indian catering.
Aside from the typical Samosas and Spring Rolls, at the top of the list has to be the traditional Aloo Tikki. A spiced potato patti served with a yoghurt topping, chickpeas, onions, tamarind chutney and plenty of fresh coriander. This is a delicious starter, the hot aloo tikki’s served with chilled creamy yoghurt are mouth-watering. A lighter alternative to this is the Aloo Papri Chaat which consists of cubed of boiled potato, chickpeas, onions and papri pieces covered in yoghurt and tamarind chutney, sprinkled with red-chilli and garam-masala and garnished with fresh coriander. A really refreshing starter, perfect for those summer banquets.
The customary Vegetable Samosas and Spring rolls do crop up on the menus, however with so many more interesting vegetarian items on Indian catering menus, clients are beginning to opt for more exciting dishes. One example of this is Pili Pili Boga, an extremely popular vegetarian starter on the Curry Special Banqueting menu. This dish is an assortment of fresh vegetables lightly coated in a spiced garlic cornflour mixture, fried and served piping hot. Paneer is a Punjabi cottage cheese which is used in many recipes and for those who wish to serve a Paneer based starter, Tandoori Paneer Tikka with cubed onions and capsicum is a must.
There is a huge selection available of the all important main course dishes for vegetarians. Paneer usually features in one of the choices. This is commonly a Makhani Paneer or a Palak Paneer, the latter dish consists of paneer cubes cooked in a rich and fragrant spinach curry. Malai Kofta is a delicious veggie alternative to meat Kofta curry. A Daal is an essential on any Indian catering menu. In Punjabi culture the traditional Mah Di Daal (black lentils) is significant and is always served in the wedding banquet. Makhani Daal, a creamier version of black daal is very popular also. Another highly recommended dish is Alu Ravaiya, baby potatoes and baby aubergines cooked in a dry Masala sauce. The appearance and presentation of this item is excellent, the miniature whole vegetables look very appealing. A chickpea dish such as Aloo Chollay or Chana Masala is usually quite prevalent on an Indian catering menu.
For further advice on Punjabi and Gujarati Vegetarian cuisine, please contact Curry Special Ltd on 020 8518 3003.