Diwali Party menu ideas | Diwali recipes

Diwali 2016 is on Oct 29th and we have one more week left for diwali. I have posted many diwali recipes and few more recipes coming up in the next week. I know many people must have planned to host party for diwali. I thought i will give some ideas on the recipe list, so that you can plan your diwali dinner lunch menu or dinner menu. I have given a list of popular Indian party recipes which i have posted in Jeyashri's kitchen. Choose from a wide range of starters, main course, curries, subzis, dals and desserts and make your diwali party a super hit. Check out my full collection of diwali recipes.  Click on the pictures given below for the recipes. Check out my complete recipe index list to view all the recipes from Jeyashri's kitchen. Also check out my cooking for guests series to get more ideas.

AADI 18 SPECIAL RECIPES| COOKING FOR GUESTS 25

Aadi 18 2015| aadi perukku | 18 aam per| is celeberated tomorrow (august 3) . Generally variety rice is prepared on this day. The word "perukku"means flourish , so whatever new thing you start in this day it will multiply. Generally, farmers sow seeds on this day. When we were kids we used to wear new dress for this aadi perukku. Amma used to buy something in gold on this day. But i won't say this tradition is followed in all houses. Mainly in our relatives houses i have seen them making them variety rice only. After i got married, in my in laws house, they are not much fond of variety rice and so for this aadi perukku just a paruppu payasam will be made along with usual lunch menu.
When i was pregnant with my younger one, my perimma who lives in Trichy, visited my mama's house in chennai. During that time aadi 18 was there and my perimma invited me for lunch . Even after 10 years, i could recall the items she cooked and the taste of all the dishes was awesome. So i thought, i will post a cooking for guest series with a South Indian aadi 18 lunch.
Check out my complete list of aadi festival recipes
Scroll down to see many more options

Kozhukattai, Ven pongal, Sambar | Cooking for guests 28

no onion no garlic dinner menu

Though i have few guests in the past few weeks, i couldn't take pictures in a hurry. Two weeks back when i have my friends family for dinner i made this for them. One of my friend has her parents from India for Navaratri. Since they won't take onion and garlic during this time, i made this menu for them. Since it a small get together of 10 people i tried my hands on kozhukattai for all. They enjoyed the menu a lot and we all had a very good time. Just a little planning in advance, you can make this easily. Check out my cooking for guests series .

CHANNA MASALA VEG PULAO PANEER BUTTER MASALA| COOKING FOR GUESTS 27

No onion no garlic menu

I know i have been not regular in cooking for guests series. Though i have lots of friends visited me in the past few weeks, but somehow don't have time to click the platter before they come.But will make a collage of that and post it in the coming weeks. Since i have been posting no onion no garlic recipes in the blog for this month, i thought i will post a South Indian and North Indian menu without onion and garlic. For me it is easy to make a South Indian menu without onion and garlic. But planning a North Indian menu is a bit tough for me. But now i can say with a good collection of no onion no garlic recipes ,it is possible to some extent. Let us see in detail about the menu which i have shared . This menu includes, Coriander lemon soup, Roti, Paneer butter Masala, Channa masala, roti and gulab jamun.

VEGETABLE BIRYANI, BEETROOT VADA, SEMIYA PAYASAM| COOKING FOR GUESTS 26

Last week i got a surprise call from my a very good friend of mine, that she is visiting Singapore. We planned to meet one day and i am so excited to meet her almost after 10 years. We spent a whole day talking about our college days, family and friends. I cooked this lunch for her and quickly clicked before we start out lunch. The super hot vegetable biryani, beetroot vada, potato curry on a rainy day with lot of laughter with a best friend around, a day well spent i can say.

MUSHROOM PULAO, MALAI KOFTA, MANGO SAGO - COOKING FOR GUESTS 23

This week in cooking for guests series, i have compiled a bit simple and yet super hit menu. The menu includes, Malai kofta, Mushroom pulao, plain paratha and mango sago pudding. As i told before, i will be posting a picture collage of the menu from next week in this series, like how i did for cooking for guests series 9.   Actually i planned to post a chaat platter. Since this picture was in my draft, i thought before the mango season ends, i will post this menu. Will post a  chaat platter next week for sure. Now let's see how to plan the cooking of this menu.

SARAVANA BHAVAN STYLE MINI TIFFIN | COOKING FOR GUESTS 22

Saravana Bhavan style mini tiffin is my dream to make it at home. Though it has so many items in the menu, if planned well, it can be made easily. This can be made for a brunch and also for dinner too. I still remember the when i was pregnant with my first kid,i used to crave for this  mini tiffin in saravana bhavan. Though i won't eat outside food more often but once in a while i go and have this mini tiffin . Recently when i tried there, the quality was so bad and after that i stopped eating in saravana bhavan. But wanted  to make it at home and here i am with the post of saravana bhavan style mini tiffin in cooking for guest series .

BAJJI, PATTANI SUNDAL, APPALAM, ROSE MILK | COOKING FOR GUESTS 21

Cooking for guests is back in Jeyashri's kitchen. I have stopped the series after doing it for 20 weeks. I find it difficult for me to cook an elaborate meal on a normal day when i don't have guests. But i have been getting many mails from readers to resume it back again. Also they wanted to post how i plan to make the recipes . I will try to post it every week, but this time i may post with some pic collage too. Which means, i will just guide you with the meal planning , not that i will cook on a day the entire meal and click the picture and post. But will write in detail about the procedure and planning.
 Todays one comes with a snack menu. The theme for this snack is Madras street style food. I have read in a friend's post in facebook, that they had a madras street style food party at their home. When it comes to Street style food of madras, Idli, sambar, bajji, Thenga maanga pattani sundal, rose milk (famous kalathi kadai rosemilk of mylapore) big appalam, filter coffee.... so many things will come to my mind. I just complied a simple snack menu with bajji, thenga maanga pattani sundal, appalam, and rose milk.

NAVARATRI RECIPES - COOKING FOR GUESTS- 9 COMBOS FOR 9 DAYS

Navaratri 2014 is starting from September 25 and for those keep Golu will be super busy inviting people for home everyday evening. Actually in my hubby's house we don't have the practise of keeping golu, but my mom keeps an elaborate golu. We love to help out our mom in keeping the Golu and make the park. Those are very nice and wonderful memories. We generally go to each other's house and get sundal ,which is generally folded and given in a newspaper. Nobody will give any fancy return gifts and if any elders come they will be given Blouse bits along with the manjal kumkumam. But now a days Navaratri is a huge festival.  Especially  people living in abroad, they make it as a big get together by calling each set of friends on a particular day and almost a mini dinner is served there. I have few of my close friends who do run out of ideas as what to make for their guests on navaratri evenings. I generally call my friends for Varalakshmi Pooja for which i serve a mini dinner too.
  To lessen the job of planning the menu for the guests i have complied 9 combos of recipes from Jeyashri's kitchen and given here. All recipes are no onion no garlic recipes. I wish this will be useful for those plan for a snack menu for Navaratri for their guests.
  You can add or omit any items from the combo and make it either simple or elaborate. Any other request for navaratri, please leave a comment. Few interesting recipes for navaratri sundal and payasam recipes  are coming up soon.
   The above golu pictures are contributed by my friends. The left one with coffee brown background is Aarti's Golu. Aarti is a very artistic person and she does bead jewelry too and she has a facebook page for her Shreyathi creations. If you remember my Butter Murukku  post, the cute jute bag is made by her only.
   The picture on the right is Akila's Golu . She got introduced to me very recently and while talking she casually told that she keeps a big golu. When i asked her the pictures she sent this divine temple Golu picture to me.
   Even my very good friends Shriprada, janani and kirthika also keeps Golu every year elaborately. But the didn't have any picture to fit in my site.
Check out my Collection of  Navaratri Recipes  which i posted last year.
Scroll down till the end of the post to see many more alternate options too.
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COOKING FOR GUESTS SERIES #20 |CHAAT RECIPES | EVENING SNACK MENU

Posting chaat recipes in cooking for guests series is my daughter's idea. Actually i made this for my kids as a snack when they came back from school. I made in small quantities and they finished all of them in few minutes . Generally they take some tiffin or variety rice  for lunch box and after coming back from school, they usually have full meal with rice, dal, curry and yogurt. So this will be filling for them as most of the days they go for some classes in the evening. If they have some snacks , both of them will feel hungry around 6 pm. But this snack was very filling for them and your guests can sure be pleased with this chaat menu for snack. They can easily have a light dinner after this filling chaat.
By the time i finished making, the kids reached home and i took the pictures in hurry.

COOKING FOR GUESTS SERIES #19 |WEEKEND BRUNCH IDLI |SAMBAR AND MORE

Cooking for guests , for many episodes i made the food for my own family . As you all know practically it is not possible for me to call guests every week. This particular meal i made specially for my friend, who was moving out of Singapore . She is a North Indian and loves South Indian food. When i invited her for dinner, she strictly told "Jeyashri don't make north indian food , please make it south indian" . And also she  didn't give me much trouble in deciding on the menu and told me that she want idli and sambar in the menu and also avial. So my job is so easy is and i decided the menu in few minutes and noted it down in a paper, so that i will not forget !!. We had a lovely moment and the entire family loved the food. I made the meal for dinner and you can make this for a weekend brunch too.
Planning to come back with some other interesting series soon.

COOKING FOR GUESTS SERIES #18 | TAMIL NEW YEAR SPECIAL LUNCH MENU

இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு நல்வாழ்த்துக்கள்

This week in cooking for guests series , i have made full elaborate meal we cook for Tamil New Year. Tamil New year is celebrated tomorrow . When we were in India i used to cook elaborate  meal for all festivals. After coming here though i make the important items for each and every festival. The reason behind this not due to laziness, but most of the festivals come on working days and for lunch i will be the only person at home. Suresh and kids will pack lunch for office and school. Even it is on a holiday, nobody will eat an elaborate meal. But i wanted to make an elaborate meal for this cooking for guests series and today i will be sharing the Tamil New year lunch menu.
I couldn't get proper banana leaf , and the one which we get in cover was not so proper when i opened. It was bit wide and was difficult to cover in my lens too. Though i am satisfied with the meal i am not satisfied with the pictures. But i don't have option , as i don't get banana leaf in near by shop and i opened the leaf . just before serving the food. So the food was ready already and i have to click. Will update sometime .

COOKING FOR GUESTS SERIES #17 | NORTH INDIAN MENU

This week i went so fast and i didn't plan any menu till Thursday night. But just before going to bed i soaked some rajma , as i thought i will make a North indian meal. Morning after the usual routine, i planned the menu , which can be made either for dinner or for lunch. This week's meal includes Carrot ginger soup, rajma masala, Kadai paneer, Plain paratha, mushroom puloa and fruit salad with ice cream. Actually this menu didn't much for me to cook . I totally enjoyed cooking this north indian meal and of course enjoyed eating too.
North indian meals are always most welcome among South indian friends. So if you have guests who are a big fan of North indian meal, just go ahead and make this meal.

COOKING FOR GUESTS SERIES#16 - TRADITIONAL LUNCH MEAL

Full meals or traditonal tamilnadu meals or kalyana sappadhu, whatever we call, i always enjoy very happy cooking a full meal. Though now a days , we cook so many variety of cuisine for guests, this traditional tamil nadu meals will always have a special appreciation always. Two weeks back when i had guests at home i made this traditional lunch. Though i felt later , it could be more elaborate with one more curry and a sweet pachadi, still the guests enjoyed the meal. Will post one full tamil nadu meals soon. My mom always used to make this menu for newly married people who visit our place during our childhood days. My mil's place the menu will be slightly different, which i will post soon.

COOKING FOR GUESTS SERIES #15 | KIDS SNACKS MEAL

Holidays has started for kids and making snacks for them in the evening is the toughest task for every mom. On the first day of holiday, my friend took my kids along with her kid to a movie. Since i have lot of work at home i couldn't join. But i told her i will make some yummy snacks for kids when they are back. So before they come i planned for a kids meal. I know few among them are very choosy with veggies, but kids when they are in group they eat vegetables which they don't like much. So i planned the menu accordingly and the end result was super hit. Kids loved and enjoyed the meal.

COOKING FOR GUESTS SERIES #14 | ALOO PARATHA PAPDI CHAAT AND MORE

This week cooking for guests menu comes with a North Indian lunch menu| even you can make it for dinner too. This can be made for brunch too on a weekend. Though this menu looks simple , i am sure your guests will be impressed by the combo of menu.

COOKING FOR GUESTS#13 - WEEKEND BRUNCH MENU

After posting an weekend brunch menu few weeks back, i got few mails  to post some more brunch ideas. So i made this last week with a menu with Kuzhi paniyaram, kara chutney, tomato rice, raitha, potato curry , curd rice and sago payasam. This is a simple and easy to make menu , if you plan well in advance. Enjoy making this brunch menu and have a happy time with your guests.

COOKING FOR GUESTS #12 | SNACK MENU - ONION PAKODA BREAD UPMA AND MORE

This week cooking for guests come with an interesting snack menu. When you call your friends or relatives during evening tea time , you can always make this menu and i am sure your guests will enjoy this menu. I made Onion pakoda,Bread upma and rava ladoo along with tea. Check my south indian tiffin menu which i have posted in guests series 7.

COOKING FOR GUESTS SERIES #11 - NORTH INDIAN MENU

This week guest menu is an elaborate north indian thali . During our India trip in December, me and my co-sisters went for a lunch at a famous restaurant for lunch. We planned for a buffet there but since it was a fully booked and we have left with the option of choosing for A la carte . We don't want to waste much time in ordering and want to go for a thali meal, so that we can chaat for a long time. Going out like this is a fantastic rejuvenation for all the 3 of us and we never miss this chance. I wanted to try the same meal at home last week. Do try this menu for guests and i am sure they will be super impressed by your cooking. Though it sounds elaborate you can plan and cook it easily.

COOKING FOR GUESTS #10 - PANEER PULAO CAULIFLOWER FRY AND MORE

 This 10th week of Cooking for guests recipes comes with a simple and yet a super hit menu. I have made this menu for a group of 5 people who visited us few weeks back. It was a totally a fantastic time and we didn't plan for the meet before. It was just a casual talk in the morning and we all met at our place in the evening. So i don't have much veggies at home and don't have much time to go the shop and buy things too. I planned a meal accordingly and checked my freezer for paneer and peas. Thankfully it was there. I had a huge cauliflower also in my fridge. And i always keep potatoes at home. So i decided to make potato cutlets, peas masala, paneer puloa , cauliflower pepper fry and rotis. I had some store bought chips and ice cream too.
I couldn't click the pictures on that day, but made it on last friday and sharing the same menu today.