Potluck is Indian-themed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Decline. I'm very turned off by people hosting expecting others to host their party in reality. "We will provide naan and rice" makes them sound like they're 23 and looking to party with, "I have soda water, coke, sprite, and juice; you bring the booze!" As a PP said, if you host you need to be prepared for people to bring nothing but a bottle of wine where you can still feed them.

Agree. How kind of them to provide cheap rice and some bread, then expect guests to pony up for large amounts of expensive meat.

If you have to go, I would cook a bag of chick peas, then once cooked add coconut milk, tomato paste, and curry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Host invited us and after we confirmed dates, told us it was going to be an indian-themed potluck. Host is making rice and naan and asked all the guests to bring a subji. I don’t make Indian food. What the hell am I supposed to do in this situation?

1. No to potlucks during covid. 2. So host is making the two easiest dishes and asking everyone to go out of their way to bring/make an Indian dish? Yeah, nope. Hard pass even in non-covid times. There were some PPs that said most people make Indian food. No, many people do not make Indian food on the regular and the Indian food most people make are probably interpretations of Indian food. Why doesn’t the host just do a large takeout order? Or maybe ban together with some folks to chip in for takeout.

[Anonymous]

Based on the suggested recipes (just bring something simple and easy to make!), if everyone did that, I have a feeling the guests are going to leave hungry at this potluck…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Host invited us and after we confirmed dates, told us it was going to be an indian-themed potluck. Host is making rice and naan and asked all the guests to bring a subji. I don’t make Indian food. What the hell am I supposed to do in this situation?

Bring some fry bread?

[Anonymous]

I'm curious if the host if guests are indian. I do cook Indian dishes sometimes, but I can't guarantee that the recipes are close to authentic. If the crowd is mostly Indian but I'm not, I'm not going to insult them with my take on Indian food.

I would go to an Indian grocery store and buy a bag of one if the crunchy snack mixes, or boxes of frozen samosas, or a jug of mango lasi or something.

[Anonymous]

No way the host is Indian.

That’s not how Indian potlucks work and no Indian would show up for this.

Since this question has been asked of OP a few times and they’ve never posted back, I’m wondering if this is a troll thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps a distraction, but: are people who say this is silly reacting to the potluck or the Indian? I would be surprised to find a dinner party was unexpectedly potluck (though I enjoy potlucks), but if I were doing a theme potluck, Indian would be one of the first things I considered. Am I weird? I assume most of my friends who cook, cook Indian sometimes! (I’m ethnically Ashkenazi, as are most of my cookingest friends.) Doesn’t everyone have cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne on hand? Or do I exist in a weird foodie bubble?

I don't cook Indian food but I wouldn't lose my isht like people here have done if there was a potluck. I do have all of those spices but -- and this is important! -- I also have google, and I would use it to find a recipe and make that to take.

[Anonymous]

Decline. Generally, hosting a pot luck is rude unless it’s for a school (or other) type of event. It is especially rude to dictate that your guests bring a particular type of food that they may not be familiar with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gene Weingarten, is that you, OP?

Lol

Oh that would be genius!

Gene hosts a potluck to try real homemade food. Gets everyone else to make it and bring it to him. Enjoys himself immensely and is a convert.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Decline. Generally, hosting a pot luck is rude unless it’s for a school (or other) type of event. It is especially rude to dictate that your guests bring a particular type of food that they may not be familiar with.

It depends on the sub culture. In some communities, potluck is accepted for all sorts of events, including weddings. I’m not from that background, but I wouldn’t insult anyone who is.

[Anonymous]

Indian food is not hard to make.

[Anonymous]

I’m willing to bet:

1. The host is not Indian.

2. Will box up the leftovers everyone else brought for their lunches that week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gene Weingarten, is that you, OP?

Lol

Oh that would be genius!

Gene hosts a potluck to try real homemade food. Gets everyone else to make it and bring it to him. Enjoys himself immensely and is a convert.

Hahaha, my dad used to say that about Indian food based on the *one* Indian restaurant in my rural hometown, until I converted him with homemade food (from cookbooks). He has since purchased most of the cookbooks I own and gotten me a new one for my latest birthday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m willing to bet:

1. The host is not Indian.

2. Will box up the leftovers everyone else brought for their lunches that week.

Wouldn't bet against you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m willing to bet:

1. The host is not Indian.

2. Will box up the leftovers everyone else brought for their lunches that week.

Yup. No self-respecting Indian person would just have rice and naan. OP, I would come down with a cough real
fast.