Neighbourhood "running dinner"

[NewToRenting]

We live overseas, in a multicultural community (with lots of Britishers hence asking on here!). One neighbour has decided to organise a "running dinner".

Google definition: A running dinner is a dinner where (almost) none of the participants know each other and every course is eaten at a different house of one of the participants. This participant is called the host of that round.

I'm an introvert but decided this would be a good chance to know some neighbours at least, so signed up.

The schedule for the evening looks like this:
5.30pm - Arrive for starter.
7.00pm - Arrive at main course - I have been asked to host this.
8.30pm - Arrive at dessert course.
10.00pm - After dinner drinks.

Ours is a (boring!) teetotall vegetarian household. I'm planning to serve chick pea curry, rice and raita. Does the menu sound ok? Should I be serving soft drinks/ salads/ side dishes as well? Does this look like enough food?

Drinks - Lime soda is a good shout. I would offer a choice of red wine, white wine or lager with curry but I'm not a teetotal house.
Food - saag paneer and an aubergine brinjal would be good. I understand that rice and bread(ma'am, chapati or roti) isn't very authentic but I'd serve both anyway. As pp say, this is a dinner party so you need to make a bit more effort than family supper.

Curries are a good idea as you can have everything cooked and ready (except the breads) while you go and have your starter. Curries heating/staying hot in the oven.

I would offer cold lager or a radler where lemonade is added instead of serving wine , it’s delicious with curry whereas wine doesn’t work for me

I agree curry is a good idea as you can add lots of sides, even if it is chickpea/no meat I think the rice is nice and bulky/filling, it will satisfy people. You mentioned it’s only 6 people which is totally doable, lots of options for sides - flatbread, bhaji, pakora, potatoes…

Dont serve vodka cocktails with dinner. You have a 90 min slot between 6 people (only 4 drinking) - I’d have red wine, chilled white wine, cold beers (nice with curry), fizzy drink option, still and sparkling water with lemon slices on the side.

I think you need to clarify the 'rules' around booze actually - when my friends did this on their street, everyone provided their own so that the main course person didn't get stuck with the biggest bill, equally so that the dessert person wasn't drunk dry! Don't assume you should serve alcohol. It actually seems really unfair to me that you should be expected to do this if you don't drink.

Agree that you need a few extra sides though!

I'm not a newbie to the neighbourhood though I do feel like one 😁

To the poster asking if my diet restrictions have been communicated - yes everyone was asked to share their allergies, preferences etc.

I was quite looking forward to this evening, but looks like a lot more cost and work than I had thought, with alcoholic/ non alcoholic drinks, 2-3 curries, rice, breads etc. I asked about swapping with the the person doing Starters and was very nicely but gently batted away 😆

Too late to back out now so I will host the dinner gracefully, incorporating the suggestions on this thread. Thanks very much everyone!

Oh and I did ask about alcohol and the expectation is indeed that I will be serving wine with the meal. So I will make my way to the licensed shop later today.

Can’t quite believe the four bottles of wine posts, it’s for 90 mins, only 4 people at the table drink.

Ignore all that, I’d serve beer it goes well with a curry, wine simply doesn’t.
I’m veggie and we love a chana masala, good choice!
You could do a spinach w/ onions & ginger side & brown rice & raita & naan. That’s plenty enough for 90 minutes.
Enjoy getting to know your neighbours.

Are there only 4 groups involved? If more, I would ask them to contribute the drinks. Otherwise it does an unfair.

Btw, I think your curry sounds great and you don't need to fuss too much about extras. It's likely the other groups will over-cater and highly likely that the schedule will run late so better to have something that won't spoil if its not served on time.

If you are determined to serve wine, although I personally would stick with cheaper lager and soft drinks, a Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc would be good choices.

I don't think it's fair that you are expected to provide wine as well as the main course(s). If they want alcohol then they can drink Indian lager which is a much more authentic drink with curry anyway.

I really feel they should be led by you in what is normal/appropriate to drink in a vegetarian no alcohol household, not have other's expectations forced onto you.

I think it’s fine to ask people to provide their own alcohol as you are doing the main course.

Edited because I saw op update! I think that's a bit unfair on you tbh.

I agree that your main needs to be a bit more substantial but some of the drinks suggestions here are ott, especially if there's a drinks course. I'd just serve beer and lemonade personally. If people want a specific drink they will know to bring that.

If you want a suggestion for a side the Dishoom broccoli salad is amazing. It’s so bright and fresh. It’s a dish that whenever I serve it, people ask for the recipe. I think a chickpea curry is fine to serve. It can also be midweek cooking, but it’s generally well liked and can be prepped in advance. I wouldn’t be sad to be served chickpea curry (though I’m also vegetarian!). For a second curry if you want to make one, this cauliflower curry is simple and really good. As it’s creamy it will probably feel a bit distinct from the chickpeas.

No she doesn’t.

You don’t need multiple curries for 6 people. It’s a dinner. You serve them enough for a plate of dinner. Do you cook 3 different curries when you have your own meal? Of course not. Do you think they are going to offer 3 different starters? No.

Yes I agree and you really don't need to provide a bottle of wine per Person!

I bet your suggestion was 'batted away' because you've properly been shafted

I would off a vegetable dish or two but otherwise great, love chickpeas

I’d serve 2 curries, one more tomato based for varied colours. Plus something like aloo-Gobi as side. Wine - get a box of red and white. Will be cheaper than buying bottles and it keeps so can pass it on afterwards.

Hi, OP -I agree you have the lion’s share of the work. If the evening is a success, perhaps it will be repeated. You can politely but firmly claim other roles the next three times!

I love wine with dinner. It really should be provided with each course. If so people probably won’t be drinking a bottle each at your house. The problem is that you don’t know how many will prefer white and how many red.

I see this as an opportunity to get to know some well inclined neighbours. I would make the most of it. That makes it worth a bit of a splurge in the knowledge that next time someone else will be doing mains and your new friends won’t be muttering that you and DH are tight.

I’d say about 8 bottles of wine OP

Are you a lion?
You'd live.

@GR8GAL

no. Op doesn’t need to serve meat. People can cope without it for one night.

Thanks everyone, lots of different perspecives here. It is a bit much but hopefully the effort will be worth it!

I really appreciate all the suggestions. I think I will go with chana masala, paneer makhani and aloo gobi (because I am confident of doing a decent job with these) along with raita, rice and some sort of bread.

Non alcoholic drinks - mint lemonade, juice, Coke, still/ sparkling water. Will decide on beer or wine when I reach the shop. So now I have a plan 😊

For those of you who shared recipes - thank you very much. I will definitely try them, but the first time when it's just my family.

When I was a student, a million years ago, the local churches hosted something similar for the students from the Christian Union. That was called a Grub Crawl!

nice name😀

chana masala, paneer makhani and aloo gobi (because I am confident of doing a decent job with these) along with raita, rice and some sort of bread.

Sounds absolutely perfect.

And you really don't have to buy alcohol - a couple of slightly non-standard soft drinks would be fine. Mint lemonade and a mango juice or mango lassi would go well with that menu. If anyone is so desperate for alcohol that they can't wait 90 minutes, you can add a splash of the vodka you already have.