jan 2025 - 02
make hosting great again, easy party menu, tips to easy hosting
make hosting great again
In June of last year, I wrote about dining table loneliness and why are not hosting anymore, on my Instagram and the response to my post was overwhelming. Never had I seen such an outpouring of responses in my comment section. And in the new year I still feel strongly about it enough to make it the topic of this edition of Sattva.
2025 is the year we’ve decided to make home entertaining cool again.
We used to host a few gatherings a year. Then Covid happened, and like any unexercised muscle, the entertaining muscle atrophied. Even during those times, I dreamed of house parties. I created two Spotify playlists—“House Party” and “House Party 1”—hoping that someday, social distancing would be a thing of the past, and we’d have friends over again. It gave me something to look forward to.
In 2023, we hosted two massive Diwali house parties: one with 60 guests and another with 80. We managed okay, which gave us the confidence that if we could handle big crowds like that, having 8-10 people over would be no big deal. Yet, by 2024, we lost steam and didn’t host much.
Cut to 2025.
We’ve decided to host small groups of friends at least once every 2-3 weeks. It’s the best way to build social connections, have diverse conversations, experiment with new dishes, give the house a quick spring cleaning, and introduce friends to new people to expand their social circle.
Yes, it’s a lot of effort. It’s a lot of planning. Whom to invite to ensure a good mix of people? What to cook? What to shop for? Where to shop? Place orders, make payments, plan the cooking schedule over a couple of days to avoid overwhelm, add little home decor touches…and then deal with inevitable last-minute cancellations.
I often ask myself if it’s worth it.
Wouldn’t I be better off cuddling with my dog and watching the latest series on OTT? In December, we hosted one gathering (50% cancelled at the last minute) and another last weekend (again, a few cancellations). Afterward, I asked my husband, “Are we crazy to be doing this?” If there’s one thing I dislike and am not good at, it’s logistics, and house parties come with a fair share of them.
But we’ve decided to keep going. Eventually, we’ll end up with a small list of people who genuinely enjoy hanging out together.
I’m not the only one talking about this.
Yesterday this tweet was going viral - ‘There’s no law against dinner parties. You can just ask your friends to come over for dinner.’
Someone on X asked me why I prefer hosting at home rather than meeting at a restaurant. Here’s why: the noise levels in most restaurants aren’t conducive to meaningful conversations. Even if the noise isn’t an issue, a sit-down meal restricts your interactions to the people seated next to or across from you. Mingling with everyone is tough.
A park picnic is another fun way to gather outside, but given how unfriendly our park authorities are, you don’t want to get into trouble. Plus, alcohol is strictly off-limits in public spaces.
I hope this inspires you to call a few friends over. If you’re my friend and reading this, I’d love it if you invited me! I’m the most non-picky eater. Even if it’s just Maggi, a cheese sandwich, and a beverage, it’s the company that counts—and the playlist, which I can happily supply :)
party menu
I promised my Instagram audience that I would share my party menu in my newsletter and he it is.
A good formula is something like this - just enough without being over the top. Customise the dips and dippers as per the rest of the cuisine. For example, Indian cuisine can use yogurt based or curry sauce like dips with potato chips or khakhras.
2 dips
2 items to use as dippers (crackers, sliced and toasted baguette, veggie sticks)
1 finger food like a croquette or kabab
1 main dish + 1 side (pasta + salad or Indian curry + rice)
1 dessert (you can ask a friend to get this too)
Here’s what I made last Saturday
Ricotta rosemary honey dip - Whisk 250g ricotta with a splash of milk or cream and a pinch of salt, until its soft in texture. Transfer it to a shallow bowl or platter and smoothen it out. Take 4-5 sprigs of rosemary. Strip the leaves off two stems and chop finely. Sprinkle over the ricotta. Heat up to 4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and fry leaves from 2 sprigs of rosemary until crisp. Let this steep for 5-10 minutes. Toast a few walnuts and chop roughly. Top the ricotta with the rosemary and olive oil, walnuts and 2 tbsp of good honey. You can also add chilli flakes for some heat. This recipe is so simple and yet so luxurious and rich in flavours, you will absolutely love it.
Inspired by this video on Instagram.
Beetroot and Feta dip - this one never disappoints, I had it in a pub in Manchester and I’ve been making it ever since. Fully documented on my blog
Peas and paneer kabab - Boil 500g fresh peas in salted water for 3 minutes. Drain and blend together with 250-300g paneer. Add enough bread crumbs to the mix. I added ginger, green chillies, parsley, black pepper and salt. This can be prepared the previous day. Refrigerate overnight or for few hours. Divide into tikkis, shape and press down on seed mix. Cook low and slow on a heavy greased pan, until golden on both sides. Inspired by this video.
Store bought crackers, and sliced baguette, toasted
Baked pasta shells - prepared the sauce the previous night and cooked pasta, assembled on the day of the party and baked just before serving (Alison Roman recipe)
Double beans salad - Soaked double beans overnight, cooked in salted water, drained and tossed in plenty of lemon juice, olive oil and a cup full of finely chopped basil. Add any other seasonings as per your liking. (Try this salad recipe)
Macerated strawberries and mascarpone - The previous day or few hours in advance, chop 3 cups of strawberries (sliced or roughly chopped). Toss in 5-6 tbsp of sugar and keep in a box in the fridge until ready to use. Whisk 250 g mascarpone cheese with 2-3 tbsp powdered sugar and 1/4 cup of cream until smooth. Keep chilled. Just before serving, spoon the mascarpone mixture in a shallow platter and smoothen out. Top with macerated strawberries. Top with a tiny sprinkle of salt.
Our friend, Tilak, made an extremely boozy decadent chocolate rum pudding and brought it along.
how to host (almost) effortlessly
start small - Have 3-4 people over instead of a crowd. Smaller gatherings are easier to plan, more intimate, and less stressful.
begin with close friends - Start with your inner circle. You don’t need to impress them with a fancy menu or decor, and you can even ask them to chip in with food.
keep a handy guest list - Maintain a running list of people you’d like to invite. These could be interesting folks you met at a friend’s party, someone who did you a kind gesture, or someone you’d like to reciprocate an invitation to. It’s easy to forget names when planning a party, so having this list to refer to can make it easy.
send out a save the date early - Give your guests at least 2-3 weeks’ notice. Even then, some cancellations are inevitable, but this allows you time to invite others from your list. Don’t forget to send a reminder 1-2 days before the party. Use this as an opportunity to ask about allergies or dietary preferences.
keep the menu and drinks simple - You don’t need a multicourse meal to impress. Store-bought chips, peanuts, and chakli work perfectly as starters with a drink. Focus on dishes that can be prepared in advance and either served cold (like dips) or reheated (like curries and baked dishes).
mix and match the serveware - Don’t stress about having a perfectly matched set of plates or bowls. Mismatched serveware adds charm and doesn’t affect the taste of your food! You can also rent serveware or use eco-friendly disposables—both are easily available on quick-commerce apps.
get help for clean up - If you’ve invited a bigger crowd, consider hiring help for post-party cleanup. It’ll make the experience a lot more enjoyable for you. There are apps that connect you with one time help for such occasions.
From past issue: A home fragrance I’m addicted to
Amazon shopping list for a home that smells amazing
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Dear nandita i don't know who would cancel to attend your houseparty! It's my dream to have you over for dinner and make guess my salad dressing ! (Hubby and i love to use various fruit vinegars each time)
Please come for a house party and some elderflower vino if you're in London ❤️
With reference to tweet mentioned in the newsletter, in India at least, hosting a guest/s was considered a privilege now it is not.. There is a subtle cultural shift taking place.. I wonder if social media has left us bereft of the wonder of meeting people physically and talking to them.