Only for my awesome Indians

[Anonymous]

I'm hosting a family from a southern state for dinner. I already have my vegetarian requirements with a chicken addition for Dad! And an amazing chocolate dessert. Anything else I need to know? I can't wait to have them in my home! I'm not sure if they drink alcohol and my chai is certainly sub-par!

[Anonymous]

No to the alcohol

Make whatever North Indian dishes you usually do - Rotis and panneer/okra or bell pepper/potato sabzis are popular in the South. Make some chaat.

When I go to a North Indian friend's house, I would rather eat whatever is their traditional food than the same old food that I know to make.

[Anonymous]

I'm of South Indian descent. They're not going to expect you to have South Indian food for them. So you don't need to make chai, but you can offer tea or coffee or alcohol, just as you would to any other guest. They can choose to accept or not. Making sure you have good vegetarian options (and just not some tiny vegetable side that you think is an entree) is key.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No to the alcohol

Make whatever North Indian dishes you usually do - Rotis and panneer/okra or bell pepper/potato sabzis are popular in the South. Make some chaat.

When I go to a North Indian friend's house, I would rather eat whatever is their traditional food than the same old food that I know to make.

There are plenty of South Indians who drink alcohol (although less than in other parts of India). Nothing wrong with offering, and having them say no.

[Anonymous]

I’m South Indian and know a large group of aunties and uncles who are also immigrants from South India. Most of them drink alcohol. Aunties love margaritas, sangria and wine (though some only like sweet wines, some only red etc) and uncles love whiskey. Most of them like chaat, and standard North Indian fare like dal makhani and butter paneer. Some of them don’t like garlic so I’d use it sparingly so that it doesn’t dominate. Many of them don’t eat mushrooms.
I’ve been to many of their parties and have noticed that most of them don’t know how to make good chai either as South Indians are primarily coffee drinkers.

[Anonymous]

Other than any vegetarian requirement which you already have taken care of, make whatever you are good at. I am South Indian, and don’t expect South Indian food when we get invited. Nothing wrong with offering alcohol. We drink but also know lots that don’t. Nobody will be offended. Also to previous poster, I am from Kerala and people there thrive on chai and not coffee . OP, just offer whatever you like/are comfortable with and don’t stress yourself out

[Anonymous]

Agree. It’s best to make really great versions of your own good than to try to make food you’re not that familiar with.

[Anonymous]

*food*

[Anonymous]

Agree with others - find out about food restrictions and otherwise do what you're good at. Agree on avoiding too much garlic.

[Anonymous]

Make sure you have something with spice. My husband is South Asian. I usually just add a hot pepper to a dish. I would be careful about alcohol. If you know they're Muslim for example I would not offer alcohol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m South Indian and know a large group of aunties and uncles who are also immigrants from South India. Most of them drink alcohol. Aunties love margaritas, sangria and wine (though some only like sweet wines, some only red etc) and uncles love whiskey. Most of them like chaat, and standard North Indian fare like dal makhani and butter paneer. Some of them don’t like garlic so I’d use it sparingly so that it doesn’t dominate. Many of them don’t eat mushrooms.
I’ve been to many of their parties and have noticed that most of them don’t know how to make good chai either as South Indians are primarily coffee drinkers.

Yes!
Aunties drinking margaritas make me laugh.

Where can you get good South Indian coffee around the DMV?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree with others - find out about food restrictions and otherwise do what you're good at. Agree on avoiding too much garlic.

What are you talking about? Garlic and ginger are the basis of most South Indian cooking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with others - find out about food restrictions and otherwise do what you're good at. Agree on avoiding too much garlic.

What are you talking about? Garlic and ginger are the basis of most South Indian cooking.

Ginger, yes, but not garlic. Many orthodox South Indians don’t eat onion or garlic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with others - find out about food restrictions and otherwise do what you're good at. Agree on avoiding too much garlic.

What are you talking about? Garlic and ginger are the basis of most South Indian cooking.

Ginger, yes, but not garlic. Many orthodox South Indians don’t eat onion or garlic.

I am a South Indian. I have no idea what an "orthodox South Indian" is. Garlic is common in all foods except desserts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with others - find out about food restrictions and otherwise do what you're good at. Agree on avoiding too much garlic.

What are you talking about? Garlic and ginger are the basis of most South Indian cooking.

Ginger, yes, but not garlic. Many orthodox South Indians don’t eat onion or garlic.

I am a South Indian. I have no idea what an "orthodox South Indian" is. Garlic is common in all foods except desserts.

There are certainly many families who don't eat onion or garlic. You may not know that, PP, but there are plenty. OP, I would say that if your friends are in that group, they would have let you know and not accepted a dinner invite blind. My family in India is like this. They don't eat at many people's houses, for various reasons. My parents started eating onion and garlic when they came here, so they're more flexible as long as it's vegetarian. Anyway, I would not worry about that, but PP just doesn't know (which is fine, lots of diversity in S India; I'm sure I don't know the traditions of certain groups). It really comes down to family traditions. My in laws (also South Indian) use garlic in everything, but my family definitely does not. They use onion in their own cooking, but I don't recall a time they have put garlic in anything.