Desi-Inspired Holiday Dishes
The holidays are here, which means delicious food and time with loved ones! Whether you’re making dishes for yourself, your family, your significant other, or putting together a cute potluck with friends, this list of dishes will certainly impress. We’ve compiled a multiple course meal, South Asian style, for the holidays. Dive in and enjoy!
Everybody’s favorite Desi appetizer to start off the perfect holiday meal. Fill your samosas with your favorite vegetables, meat, or both! Or, do yourself a favor and purchase fresh ones from your favorite local Indian restaurant or market.
As we know, paneer is a fan favorite! You can never go wrong with paneer - Indian cheese! These delicious bites have a crispy outside, and melt-in-your mouth inside. A little bit of protein as our moms would say - but vegetarian friendly!
We know this might be a cliche dish, but for our meat lovers out there, Tandoori Chicken is the perfect option to accompany a multiple course meal. Make them as tandoori chicken wings, a Thanksgiving-esque Chicken, or regular drumsticks.
There’s an ongoing debate between pulao vs. biryani - while both are equal heavyweights on the dinner table (and at restaurants, dabbas, and street food), we opted for Pulao for this Christmas as a lighter (yes, a rice dish can still be light) dish to accompany the other rich dishes.
Okay, we need a little bit of vegetable action with this meal. Vegetable Korma is made with yogurt, coconut, nuts, spices, and the chef’s selection of their favorite vegetables. This dish is typically served with naan or rice - the choice is yours! A mild dish filled with nutrition to cleanse the palette.
Get your greens! Classic brussel sprouts sauteed with spices (garam masala of course) to change up the game. These are perfect on their own as an appetizer, or on the side.
For dessert, there’s no other than Gulab Jamun. Fried handmade balls of dough soaked in rose syrup…mouthwatering! Make these at home, or support your local Indian grocery stores to purchase some gulab jamuns. Don’t stop with just one, it’s the season to indulge.
