National Curry Week is fast approaching, closely followed by Diwali (the Hindu festival of lights). Both of these occasions represent excellent opportunities to trial a broad spectrum of Asian cuisine potentially incorporating the most popular items into menus and grab and go offerings long term. In this post we focus on Indian foods – from curries to street food, dishes designed for on the go - to help you create that warm Indian Summer feeling whether the weather warms up or not!

Indian Food But Not as We Know It 

‘Indian’ cuisine has long held  a special place in the British Public’s heart, though the heritage of some of our most beloved menu choices are, in reality, far more local in origin than we might think. Chicken Tikka Masala for example, which recently ranked eighth amongst Just Eats best-selling take away dishes, was invented in Scotland, while the Balti was born in Birmingham. Of course not all Indian food is spicy and curries don’t just come from India so, if you were thinking National Curry Week had to mean fiery Indian dishes only, there are lots of milder Indian recipes to try, along with curried dishes from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Japan, China, Malaysia and more.  

Bowl Concepts

Dahl - a mild and extremely versatile lentil based dish flavoured with cumin, turmeric, garlic and coriander - can be served in a compostable container or portion pot as a soup to-go, dip, jacket potato filling or simply ladled over rice. Basmati rice-based biryani’s and pilafs (perhaps the risottos or paellas of India) provide a flavoursome lunch alternative that may be eaten alone or topped with other dishes. While podimas potato - mashed potato cooked with onions, mustard seeds and other vegetables - is another street food fav and ideally suited to a takeaway container or biodegradable bowl. 

Handheld Snacks

Homemade samosas are perhaps the number one Indian handheld snack. Stuff with a wide range of ingredients - pea and sweet potato or paneer (a type of Indian cheese) is a particularly comforting combination - then bake rather than fry for a healthier finish. Pakoras, spiced vegetable fritters dipped in chickpea flour and deep fried, are another delicious treat. Or try serving lamb koftas (meatballs) served on the skewer and accompanied by a range of sauces for an authentic street food offering. These grab and go foods may all be eaten there and then, perhaps wrapped in grease resistant paper sheet to help protect fingers, or bagged up for later enjoyment.  

Indian Sandwiches and Wraps

The high street is packed with Indian inspired sandwiches and wraps and chicken tikka is probably one of the most prevalent as well as potentially low fat choices. Tandoori-style (meat marinated in a garlic and mildly spiced infused yogurt) chicken or Quorn, offers similarly subtle flavours to a tikka and can be served in a wrap, pitta or other speciality bread, they are also delicious when served with any combination of rice, potato or salad. Tandoori actually refers to a traditional type of (clay) oven but the dish can be cooked in a hot conventional oven too.

Alternatively try dosas (a rice and lentil pancake), chapattis / rotis or parottas (Indian flat breads) in place of European breads and stuff with lamb koftas, vegetable pakoras, paneer, brinjal curry (a mild aubergine dish), raita (mint and cucumber dip), chutneys and more. Made to order feasts can be served in recyclable deli paper sheets while pre-prepared delights can be boxed up in a wide variety of plant-based sandwich packaging.    

Dietary Requirements

Indian cuisine provides a wealth or vegetarian recipes as well as dairy free and gluten free options too. For example, saag paneer (spiced spinach onions, garlic and cheese) makes for a delicious vegetarian sandwich filling or rice pot topper and mushroom theeyall (mushroom and coconut curry) is both creamy and meaty despite being both meat and dairy free. Meanwhile the gluten intolerant may wish to replace naans with rice rotis or lentil dosas (see Sandwiches sand wraps above).      

Cautious Customers

Fusion dishes can offer a more familiar entry route for cautious customers therefore you may like to try experimenting with: Indian pizza toppings; the addition of chutneys and other spicy condiments to sandwiches and wraps (mango chutney is especially good with just about any cheese – believe us we’ve tried); offering curries with baked potatoes; or even trialling an Indian roast - tandoori chicken, Bombay potatoes and veg. While aromatic south Indian recipes offer milder alternatives to heavy Anglo-Indian curries - try coconut based Mappas or Keralan cuisine for a lighter, fresher finish.

To view our suggested plant-based packaging products for Indian foods on our online shop, please click on the links below:

• Plant-based takeaway packaging
• Takeaway boxes
• Disposable bowls / pots with lids
• Grease resistant paper sheets
• Sandwich packaging
• Dietary stickers and labelling