What would you cook?

[GRCP]

8 people including 2 vegans. What would you cook? Just a main needed. Want to spend more time chatting and drinking than cooking!

What's the occasion and how fancy/ formal?

Do they like spicy food? I would do a big tarka dahl for everyone with homemade onion bhajis, roti bread, gobi aloo saag... and then do some lamb samosas, maybe sheekh kebabs and chicken pakora for the meat-eaters. I do this sort of meal quite often as we all like it, but it depends on your guests' tastes.

What about a sort of tex mex: burgers, corn cakes and a mexican bean salad. You could do beef burgers and vegan burgers on separate plates and everything else self service.

No occasion, just getting together - old friends, haven't seen each other in ages.

Yes all like spice, just don't want anything to fiddly

Thanks for ideas so far!

Fajitas are my go to if there are various dietary requirements as I can just put the various components out and people can just take what they want

That's a good shout. Could do a veggie chilli, rice, fajita veg, wraps, guacamole, salsa, cheese for those who want it.

Moroccan chickpea and veg tagine with couscous
Roast chicken in the oven for non veggies
Vine leaves, hummus, aubergine dip

Mexican beans with flat bread, corriander, salad & cheese on the side

Beans - onions and lots of Fresh tomatoes slow cooked with garlic and chilli and cumin and ideally black beans ( pintos or kidneys also work well )

You could do a Moroccan vegetable and bean tagine, aubergine, tomatoes, chickpeas, mixed beans, courgette, peppers etc etc. Prepare it ahead of time and just leave in the oven until you are ready to serve. Use tinned chickpeas & beans for convenience.
You could serve with flatbreads, or with couscous, both easy options with little or no prep involved. Though you could dress up the couscous with chopped dried apricots or pomegranate seeds for example.

If you wanted something to have with drinks before, falafel and yoghourt dip would work well.

How about a vegan tagine? With couscous, flatbreads, hummus etc

Or vegan chilli with guacamole, sour cream and cheese for the non vegans

This is a winner every time.

pinchofyum.com/vegetarian-shepherds-pie

burnt aubergine chilli from BBC good food is lovely and could be made vegan I think