National Curry Week Menu Suggestions

It’s National Curry Week, so we have put together some of our favourite recipes to celebrate! Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or putting together a simple family meal, these curry recipes, Indian snacks and simple desserts will help you create a fantastic feast for everyone to enjoy.  And why not make a night of it by testing your curry knowledge with our Curry Quiz?

Dinner parties can be stressful, so we’ve prepared a full traditional Indian dinner party menu that includes simple shortcuts like preparing the day before so you can save time but not skimp on flavour. You can tailor this just to your liking; nibbles, starters, and desserts can be swapped for a lighter meal, milder recipes can be substituted with extra spice, and you can scale the ingredients to fit how many guests you’re cooking for. Ready to spice up your curry night in?

TOP TIP: Rice cookers are a fantastic addition to your kitchen gadgets.  They take all the stress away and you can prepare the rice in advance and leave to keep warm.

NIBBLES

Roast Pumpkin Dip – a simple homemade dip perfect for toasted pitta or breadsticks. If you’re not a pumpkin fan, substitute with your favourite roasted veggie.

Savoury Spiced Nuts – delicious snacks to enjoy while you wait for dinner. These can be prepared ahead of time, just store in an airtight container until serving.

STARTERS

Sweet Potato and Pepper Soup – the perfect option if you’re cooking a feast and want to get the starter ready ahead of time. Keep warm in a slow cooker, on the hob, or in the oven.

Pakoras – although these need to be made just before serving, these pakoras are delicious and worth it!!

Aloo Ki Tikki  – tasty spiced potato patties that can be fried up and then kept warm before serving.

MAIN COURSE

Depending on the size of the group, you could offer a variety of different curries or just choose one or two of your favourites. If you would rather serve a selection, simply cook them in advance and keep in the freezer. Garnish with a generous amount of fresh chopped coriander just before serving.

Also, all of these main courses are dairy free and gluten free recipes, so no need to worry about your guests dietary requirements if this is an issue! 

Beef Curry with Spice Pots spicy Goan Blend  –  this is one of our original recipes and an all time favourite! We suggest making this in a slow cooker.

Lamb Curry with Spice Pots Bhuna Blend or Rogan Josh blend – if you’re on a budget or want to bulk out the meal more, feel free to use half lamb and half potatoes.

Chicken Curry with Spice Pots mild Korma Blend, or if you like it spicy, try our Madras blend – an easy chicken curry recipe that will work perfectly for a big crowd as you don’t need to marinade the chicken prior to cooking.

Vegetarian Curry with our Tandoori Masala Blend – this curry uses two different types of mushrooms and is very filling! Add peas and spinach or chickpeas for some extra flavour.   

Roast Aubergine Curry – another meat-free alternative if your guests aren’t keen on mushrooms. You can roast the aubergines ahead of time and freeze for extra ease.

Lentil Curry - this daal recipe is a Spice Pots favourite, and another vegetarian one. You can use any one of Spice Pots blends in this. Perfect as a vegetarian main meal or to accompany a meat curry.

SIDE DISHES

Curry can be a heavy meal, so side dishes can help balance this out – plus, brighten up the dinner table!

Kachumber Salad – a zingy salad that can be prepared in just minutes.

Carrot Salad - this is ideal for making the day before as the flavours can develop overnight. Spices such as cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and turmeric are all required for this recipe.

Mint and Coriander Raita – goes especially well with lamb curry, but will perfectly complement any curry you drizzle it over.

Easy Flatbreads – although it takes a little longer, making your own flatbreads can step up your meal instead of using shop-bought naan bread. Make the dough ahead of time and freeze it if you’re short on time, but it will need to be cooked at the last minute so make sure to remember it or designate someone else to stick them in the oven!

DESSERTS

By now your guests will be pleasantly full, but that doesn’t mean there’s no room for a sweet treat!  Use Spice Pots sweet blend to elevate your desserts and tie your whole meal together.

Roasted Plums – generally served with vanilla ice cream.

Indian Shortbread – pairs perfectly with a fruit sorbet, homemade or otherwise.

Enjoy!