Asian Wedding Cuisine

Menus for Asian weddings have progressed immensely

Indian and Pakistani food plays a very important role in Asian weddings and all other celebratory occasions. Depending on the type of event, the cuisine for the day should make guests feel they are special and their taste-buds dancing to the sumptuous food served. As the cuisine is always a talking point of Asian weddings.

The format of traditional Asian weddings is such that the family of the bride are usually responsible for cuisine for the special day and its quality and cost. Although, this is not always the case nowadays.

Also, not all Asian families agree with the partying side of a wedding. In this case, usually is due to religious grounds, food is served in a more simple fashion. Serving is done where the ceremony took place and can be of a strictly vegetarian nature with absolutely no alcohol either.

Early days of Asian weddings in the UK were a more homely affair where food was usually prepared by the family and close relatives for the occassion.

For Punjabi weddings, for example, large utensils such as patilay (huge cooking pans), serving thalis (steel trays for serving the meals), cups and cultery were hired from local temples or shops for the event. Meat, if served, was usually be cooked by men in the family whilst the remainder of the dishes by the women.

At that time, women did not attend the partying aspect of the wedding, a key part of a Punjabi wedding today. So, usually after the religious ceremony in the morning, the women went back to the house and teamed together to cook the rotis, rice and heated up the dishes, which were then transported in cars and vans to the venue of the party.

The venue was usually a pub or club where the function room, especially hired for the afternoon, played host the men folk usually drinking beer and spirits and dancing to a live act of Punjabi singers. The singers were usually a duet group of a man and women or a small group of men playing live instruments such as harmonium, dholak, tabla, tumbi, accordian and some basic electronic keyboards. The food and drink was served usually by the bride’s side of the family to the groom’s family and relatives. Basic event management was the flavour of the times!

All this has dramatically changed, as Asians have integrated into the fabric of British life and have been successful in business and professional careers. Progression in Asian weddings in terms of lavishness and content have transformed the cuisine aspect of a wedding.

Changes started with outside caterers from local sweet centre shops beginning to supply food for weddings. Usually charging by the ‘thali’ (steel tray with a set menu) per head. Along with the trend of full families attending wedding functions, including women and children, at hired venues such as halls and hotels. Hence, changing the outlook of weddings and especially, the cuisine.

The party aspect of Asian weddings became the ‘reception’ event, and food and drink became a very important part of the reception, along with entertainment such a live bands and DJ’s.

Today, this has further changed, where the cuisine is supplied by more specialist caterers and wedding event management companies. This trend has progressed with the desire of families arranging a wedding wanting to impress guests more with diverse menus and more extravagant settings with specially laid tables and food served by waitresses and waiters or displaying large choice buffets.

Menus for Asian weddings have progressed immensely. Different menus for different occasions, much more choice of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, mixed items on menus from both the East and West and providing stalls of chocolate fountains, bhel puri, gol guppa, ice cream and fruit punch, are all part of the change.

An example of one caterer providing food for Asian weddings is the Spice Corner based in Birmingham, in the UK. An innovative catering company that delivers foods to events at a high standard. Their passion is to satisfy clients with the finest foods and provide a full and varied choice for customers to choose specifics for their event.

They supply English, Indian, Chinese, Carribean and Gujrati menus. The Indian one for example, includes the following dishes.

Starter – Hara Bhara Kebab, Aloo Tikki, Kachori, Chilli Paneer, Amritsari Fish Pakora, Paneer Pakora, and Chicken Tikka.

Main- Tarkha Daal, Green Sabhji, Kharai Chicken, Lamb Rogan Josh, Pliau Rice, Naan and Roti.

Dessert – Ras Malai, Gulab Jaman and Fruit Salad.

The Spice Corner has been endorsed well known British Asian celebrities from the Bhangra music world including Jassi Sidhu, Shin of DCS and Sukshinder Shinda. As their clientèle is not just only Asian weddings but corporate and business clients and business such as HSBC bank and BT.

DESIblitz caught up with Spice Corner at the Asian Bridal Fayre in Birmingham, to see what they had on offer and their opinions about Asian wedding cuisine. Watch the video to see what they had to say!

As you can see the diversity of Asian Wedding Cuisine is set to continue with more and more innovation and unique supply to support the changes in demand.

DESIBlitz.com will bring you more articles on the advent of South Asian cuisine especially in the UK and how it affects the lifestyle and culture. So, do visit us for more!