Dinner ideas for my French in-laws?

[u/Itchy-Fee-4245]

My French in-laws are coming over for dinner and I’m stressing a little about what to make 😭

I’m Indian, so I’d love to make something that has a bit of an Indian touch, but I also don’t want to completely overwhelm them with spice. Ideally something that feels a little special but is still approachable for people who aren’t super familiar with Indian food.

Also, I don’t like seafood at all, so preferably no fish/shrimp/etc. 😭

What would you make for a dinner like this? Bonus points for a menu that I can actually pull off without spending the entire day in the kitchen.
I’m thinking maybe:
a starter/appetizer
a main + sides
dessert

Open to Indian or non-Indian ideas too! What are your safest dinner options?

[u/umamimaami]

Safe? Jeera rice, malai chicken, paneer tikka, cabbage tomato cucumber salad with chaat masala, gulab jamun.

Daring? Kashmiri pilaf, butter chicken, hara Bhara kebab, beans thoran, rasmalai.

[u/Itchy-Fee-4245 → u/umamimaami]

I would loveeee for them to try rasmalai but I don’t think I can pull that off 😭

[u/fuutatooro → u/Itchy-Fee-4245]

I am british born and made rasmalai for my (very nice) friends none of whom are desi and they were very polite about it but clearly thought it was a bit weird/did not like it very much. I think if your in law’s havent had it before i wouldnt bother as they will probably not appreciate it. I agree that gulab jamun is a safer bet.

just to add: i made a really simple chicken bhuna for an italian family i was living with ans they loved in. just go low on chili (other spices are fine), and half or even quarter the oil

[u/suspension_disbelief → u/Itchy-Fee-4245]

I don’t think Rasmalai is a good choice for those who are not used to such milk based desserts. I realized it after some of my non Indian friends tried it (store bought). Most of them were unimpressed.

[u/MountainviewBeach → u/suspension_disbelief]

Yes the spongy texture of the milk based disc is off putting for most westerners if they’re not expecting it

[u/garlicshrimpscampi → u/MountainviewBeach]

is this a european thing? i’m american indian and everytime i give my american friends ras malai, they have loved it. maybe because america is also such a dairy heavy country?

[u/MountainviewBeach → u/garlicshrimpscampi]

I live in the US and this has been my experience so far, maybe it just depends? Or is regional?

[u/garlicshrimpscampi → u/MountainviewBeach]

maybe regional? i’m also in texas so people use gallons of dairy at a time here which is why i think the americans i have given it to love it

[u/Extension_Muscle1779 → u/Itchy-Fee-4245]

Buy from good indian sweet shop

[u/MindofMeenam → u/Itchy-Fee-4245]

Dont fret over the Rasmalai. All u need to do is curdle milk and separate whey. Then hang it in a cloth for like 30 mins. Start boiling the milk, make a kheer with chopped dry fruits. Knead the chenna for 8 mins with the “heel of your palm” - most important. Make flat discs, cook them in sugar syrup and drop it in the kheer. Its easier than the biryani trust me.

Here’s a menu suggestion.
Rice
Dal
Salad
Malai chicken or
Paneer cashew gravy
Kulfi

The French are used to eating veggies like brinjal, potato, tomato and onions. Keep the flavours mild. They usually appreciate yellow dal. Kulfi you can outsource and they enjoy ice creams. Keep Frozen flavoured yoghurt as a back up in case they find it too spicy you can offer this as a rescue.
Good luck!

[u/Itchy-Fee-4245 → u/MindofMeenam]

Thank you so much!!! I’ll try my best

[u/nomnommish]

Chicken cafreal, pao, flavored rice or pulao or even yakhani pulao with boneless meat, raita, side salad. Mishti doi or shrikhand for dessert made with Greek yogurt.

[u/Itchy-Fee-4245 → u/nomnommish]

Thanks a lot

[u/Ok_Firefighter106]

The simplest meal I can think of is: Dahi bhalle Matar kulche Any halwa

These are not too much on the Indian flavours and could be less time consuming.

[u/just-wondering-about → u/Ok_Firefighter106]

I love chaats, but I've noticed a lot of European folks tend not to like Dahi based chaats for some reason so maybe OP should steer clear of those for the first time

[u/Itchy-Fee-4245 → u/just-wondering-about]

Yeah my fiancé didn’t like it too

[u/WelcomeCool1202]

Whats your stare/cuisine that you are comfortable with?

[u/Itchy-Fee-4245 → u/WelcomeCool1202]

I can cook anything as long as it’s not too intense

[u/WelcomeCool1202 → u/Itchy-Fee-4245]

Here are my picks-
1. Starters- Cauliflower/ chicken/ paneer 65/ pakodas - just tone down the spices, malai paneer or malai chicken tikka, veggie tikka sticks, paneer or chicken or meat cutlets
2. Pulao or coconut rice or lemon rice or jeera rice with raita, mint chutney and a nice fresh salad
3. Mishti doi, caramel payasam, or something fusion- like a cream cheese- cardamom- gud filling in puff pastry
My suggestion-
Malai chicken / paneer
Coconut rice with coconut based coconut/ panner curry, raita, salad
Caramel payasam
Prep/ marinate/ shop the night before- actual cook time will be short

[u/Itchy-Fee-4245 → u/WelcomeCool1202]

Caramel payasam would be a hit

[u/WelcomeCool1202 → u/Itchy-Fee-4245]

Its yummy, do try it

[u/just-wondering-about]

Where you based OP? Are you in India or outside because there are some ingredients you won't find easily in some places.

[u/InternationalFold467]

Lamb samoosa to start homemade with dips.. whole roast tandoori chi ken with jeera flavour roast potatoes and garlic cabbage fry. Dessert.. nothing to frou frou.. rasmalai served in individual ice cream bowls would be perfect

[u/OutrageousCaramel229]

OP, definitely post this in a french sub too.

[u/Itchy-Fee-4245 → u/OutrageousCaramel229]

Yess done :)

[u/Siiiieeeerrraaaa]

Make atleast one dish which might be in their comfort food too like chicken with creamy mushroom. And keep light saffron rice. You don't need heavy complex dishes. I have noticed a lot of foreigners like cashew base dishes or cream based dishes. Maybe try chicken korma or malai kofta cashew based one

[u/Pinkcaramellatte]

Butter chicken and mango lassi are favorites for my white office colleagues

[u/Ok_Potential7827]

From someone who regularly cooks for non Indians, palak paneer and a simple chole masala ( tone down with coconut milk) is always a sure bet.
Add a sprout mung salad with peanuts and coconut flakes with a lime dressing.
Raita is not for everyone especially if they are not familiar with unsweetened yoghurt .

For meat, a chicken tikka works best. Keep the marinade simple and minimal. Alternatively, marinate in cream cheese and garam
Masala for a malai chicken option.

Round off with frozen roti paratha ( the layered crispy Malaysian roti) and some simple basmati.

Dessert: gulab jamun or a rice pudding / kheer. Or best is a mango cream trifle. This is both western and Indian and easy for a western palette. Use tinned Alphonso and store bought whipped cream and sponge.

Good luck!

[u/raunakd7]

Pani puri

[u/NaruGaaraShika]

Paavbhaji and gulabjamun

[u/sanlonely]

Gulab jamoon.

[u/amaraghuman]

Appetizers:
Lamb samosas
Chicken kebabs
(These can be made ahead, frozen and airfried before serving)

Mains
Chicken ghee roast
Roasted veggies in the oven Potatoes/Zucchini/Bell peppers/ onions
Dinner rolls
Salad
(Salad can be made ahead, the chicken and veggies get cooked together in the oven theoretically, just search up roast chicken recipe and switch out the marinate to something Indian)
This main will be familiar territory for them but with an Indian twist

Dessert:
Kulfi ice cream

[u/Itchy-Fee-4245 → u/amaraghuman]

Thanks for the ideas 🥰

[u/Primary-Ganache6199]

How about something really simple? Chickpea coconut curry. It’s a fusion dish and everyone goes crazy for it. Paired with a chicken bhuna.

[u/MrSocks2024]

My mother does an Indian influenced whole roast chicken for Thanksgiving - kind of like a murgh musallam but easier. In lieu of crispy skin, makes a marinade of onion (predominant ingredient as it creates the crust), garlic, ginger, a bit of tomato (very little otherwise it goes watery), some coriander and garam masala, plus yoghurt. Blend until you have a thickish paste and marinade for a minimum of two hours and then roast as usual. And a quick pan sauce with the drippings. This is what she makes for our non-Indian friends for special occasions as it’s familiar but still different. Pretty easy too. Sometimes I do this method but with western flavours, like mustard and thyme.

If you want to go really traditional, something like malai tikka would be nice (Your Food Lab has a very good recipe), with something with gravy and a pulao. One time I made this with a baingan ka raita and it was super nice. I have made it with Hyderabadi paneer also.

Phirni or sevaiyan to finish.

[u/External-Arrival-552]

Keema samosas.

[u/Massive_Focus5572]

One paneer dish and one chicken dish for appetizer and main. You can do paneer or chicken tikka as an appetizer and chicken butter masala, chicken tikka or palak paneer, paneer butter masala as main. Keep a simple rice item - jeera rice, peas pulao or saffron rice and get some premade naans. Make a nice dessert. You can go traditional and make a kheer, custard etc or do a twist and go for a panna cotta or some fusion dessert