Why Should You Include Indian Cuisine in Your Catering Menu?

Indian food is known for its rich mixture of flavors. Its dishes vary from mild to spicy, depending on the ingredients used.

Its dishes can also satisfy vegetarians and those with other dietary restrictions. Plus, it is an excellent choice for catering office meetings and other events. Here are a few reasons to include Indian cuisine in your catering menu:

Flavorful Dishes

One of the most exciting aspects of Indian cuisine is the wide range of flavors. Due to extensive immigration and intermingling of cultures over millennia, India’s regional dishes have a variety of influences.

The spices in Indian cuisine are also diverse and complex. While some, such as turmeric, cinnamon, and nutmeg, may be familiar to many people in the West, Indian cooks utilize a variety of regional spices that provide unique depths of flavor.

The Northern Indian culinary style is the most prevalent in restaurants outside the country, focusing on dairy, such as milk, paneer (Indian cheese), and ghee, as well as a heavy use of tandoor-style cooking. Other popular Northern dishes include samosas, a deep-fried pastry stuffed with potatoes and meat or vegetables, and kebabs.

Variety of Dishes

Indian cuisine catering menu Westchester NY is an excellent option because it is versatile and can accommodate many different dietary restrictions. It also offers a lot of options to satisfy your guests’ cravings.

The dishes in this style are cooked at high temperatures in a cylindrical clay oven known as a tandoor. This gives the food a distinctive smokey flavor. Tandoori chicken is a popular dish that can be enjoyed by vegetarians and meat eaters alike.

Dishes labeled “tikka” contain boneless meat marinated in yogurt and traditional Indian spices before being roasted in the tandoor. This style of cooking creates succulent, tender meat.

Dishes containing “masala” have a medium to hot spice level and often come with a gravy best eaten with bread or rice. Other popular dishes include saag, which provides leafy greens, and paneer, a type of soft cheese.

Freshly Made Dishes

Indian cuisine has a rich history of blending cultures and foods. This fusion has led to various dishes sure to please your guests.

Many Indian dishes are complemented with side accompaniments that help cool the palate and balance their spiciness. These include yogurt, a selection of chutneys, and cooling drinks like lassi and iced chai.

Indian cuisine also includes a wide range of sweets that are perfect for a satisfying finish to a meal. A few popular options to consider include rasgulla and hot gulab jamun. These desserts have a light sweetness that makes them perfect for any catering event. Also, they can be easily adapted to meet your guests’ dietary needs. This is important as many people have dietary restrictions due to religious, cultural, or health reasons.

Healthy Dishes

If you’re unfamiliar with Indian cuisine, scanning an Indian catering menu can feel overwhelming. However, plenty of options are available if you’re looking for something healthier than the usual pizza and sandwiches.

The spices used in Indian dishes pack a powerful punch of flavor while also being relatively low in calories. Additionally, many vegetarian dishes make them a good choice for anyone on a health kick or trying to cut back on meat.

Ayurvedic principles are deeply rooted in Indian culture, and a healthy diet is often a priority. Ayurvedic cooking uses herbs and spices to balance the body’s doshas, and this concept is reflected in most Indian dishes. Side dishes like yogurt, chutneys, and raitas also temper the spiciness of Indian food.

Convenience

Indian food can accommodate a wide variety of tastes and dietary needs. For example, it can be prepared without ghee (clarified butter), which is commonly used in cooking, and can cause heart palpitations or upset stomachs. The dishes can also be made to be low in calories for those trying to lose weight and high in fiber and nutrients for health-conscious individuals.

In the ongoing debate between convenience and authenticity, it’s essential to consider brands that prioritize quality ingredients and traditional cooking methods. This balance can ensure that frozen and ready-to-eat products provide time-saving benefits while still retaining the true essence of Indian cuisine. Fortunately, several manufacturers have successfully struck this balance in Indians foods. This is good news for consumers looking for healthy convenience options that rival freshly prepared dishes.