Christmas Feast Ideas for Indian Food Lovers

Christmas is on the cards and everybody is busy planning Christmas parties, get together, family dinners etc. And there is one common thing that needs to be planned i.e.  The Christmas Feast. No matter how awesome the arrangement is, good food is really the most important thing that you need to ensure.

I know you haven’t heard much about Indian food from my side but if you follow me on my social networks, you would know that I work on a project for www.indianfoodzone.com where all I do is research, experience and talk about Indian Food. I am literally thinking about Indian Food all the time these days.

So, I thought it would be a good idea to combine both the things – Christmas Feast and Indian Food. Yep, this post is about how I would plan the Christmas feast for my family get together. And you are free to take my idea and present it as your own and enjoy the appreciation. 🙂

Snacks: Vegetarian

1.Paneer Tikka: This is like my all time favourite and this dish is loved by almost every foodie who has tasted it. Paneer Tikka is prepared by marinating the chunks of Paneer (Cottage cheese) in a mixture of spices and then grilling them on a Tandoor( Indian verison of oven). Even if you love non-veg food, you cannot afford to miss this one in your Christmas feast.

2.Masala Idli: This would be an unexpected addition to the menu. Masala Idli is a spicy version of the south Indian dish Idli – a savory cake that is popular throughout India. Usually people serve normal idlis but I prefer this zesty version of Idli.

Snacks: Non-vegetarian

3.Tandoori Chicken: This recipe of roasted chicken prepared with yogurt and Indian spices, is appetizing to every non vegetarian. Though I am not going to serve wine in the Christmas Feast I would prepare but I need to tell you that Tandoori chicken with wine is a perfect combination of food to have on the dinner table. It seriously kicks off the conversations 😉

4.Shami Kebab: I tasted this dish for the first time on my last birthday and since then; I have always drooled at the name of the dish. Kebab is basically meat/vegetable grilled on skewers and Shami Kebab is a special version of kebab that is popular in India and nearby countries.

Main Course: Vegetarian

5.Shahi Paneer: Known for the scrumptious gravy consisting tomatoes, spices and lots of cream, Shahi Paneer is a royal Indian dish that works like a ‘staple’ for every Indian dinner. I could not afford to miss this one. If everything in the menu goes wrong, Shahi Paneer would still save the day.

6.Eggplant Bhartha: This is an exotic dish prepared through skinned roasted brinjals and I know this is rarely on the famous Indian menus. But the spicy version of this dish is too good to be skipped.

Main Course: Non – Vegetarian

7.Butter Chicken: This Christmas feast you must enjoy this classic staple of Indian Food. Yep, it has lots of calories but at the same time, it is yummylicious. That’s why it is on my list.

8.Egg Masala Curry: When it comes to non vegetarian main course, most of it is chicken.I don’t prefer other kind of meat. Moreover, I needed a very spicy version. Egg masala curry would be perfect for that. It is different. Try it!

Dessert

9.Gaajar Ka Halwa: This dessert made with carrots is a must have in winters. That’s why I think it should be in the Christmas feast. Right?

10.Ice-Cream: this year has been full of food experiments which were done by me and my best friend. And one such experiment was having Gaajar ka Halwa with ice-cream. And oh my god! It was awesome. And that’s why this goes in the dessert part even when it is chilling winters.

Rice

11.Hyderabadi Biryani: My meal is so incomplete without rice. Most of the people in my family don’t prefer rice but I do. So, they have to eat it. And I would enjoy one of the most popular rice based dishes in India – Hyderabadi Biryani.

12.Plain Rice: This is like a staple for the meal. Also, the diet conscious people would love it for these are usually boiled which reduces the fat content.

Drinks

13.Spiced Tea: I just forgot to mention the drinks but yep, they had to be included for I just don’t like cold drink with snacks. Plus I am getting so addicted to tea these days so I thought that the Indian version of tea would be a perfect beverage. (#FoodFact Tea isn’t basically Indian)

14.Cold Coffee: Some people just don’t like hot beverages. Also, sipping cold coffee in chilly winters is so fun. Just don’t let your mom know about it. 😉

Sides

15.Pudine Ki Chutney: The side dishes are always too delicious and this is one is my mother’s favourite. Well, she loves preparing it and I love relishing it with tasty chapattis. The mint leaves are grounded into a fine paste along with a number of spices and ingredients like onion etc. This is the only one that has the capability of replacing tartar sauce from my favorites menu.

16.Mango Pickle: Well, I know after making so much of stuff, I would be too tired. So, I had to be the lazy me here and pick up this side dish which is always there in excess in every Indian household – Mango Pickle. If you don’t have it in your home, it is easily available in departmental stores.

17.Boondi Ka Raita: I couldn’t skip adding a kind of yogurt in the meal. And I so love this one. It is toothsome.

Breads

18.Normal roti: No matter how awesome dishes we prepare, Indian tummies get satisfied only when they are filled with this bread – Roti . Just never forget to include this in the meal for your young friends might enjoy the meal without roti but the elder ones would never do that.

19.Tandoori Roti: though I had wanted to prepare naan (bread made with gram flour), I had to stick with Tandoori Roti for I believe it is healthier and easy to make. 😉

Well, I think 19 food items that are filled with the Indian touch are enough to bring smiles on everyone’s face.  All the members of my family have different kinds of tastes and I tried to include food items that would fulfil the demands of every glutton who is invited to my Christmas feast.

I shared this so that you can also get some help in planning a Christmas feast with Indian Food. I hope this article was of some help to you. And don’t forget to tell me if the images made you drool or not 😛

Also, If you’re making any of these items on Christmas or the entire menu, don’t forget to tweet the pictures to me @lifeofmanpreet. I would love to have a look at them