The menu has been set for Gendun Drubpa Buddhist Centre’s second annual vegetarian dinner featuring authentic Indian dishes.
Nina Bhogal and Charanjit Rathor have been cooking traditional vegetarian dishes in their homes and local Sikh temples for many years and have prepared a new menu for this year’s dinner that will take place at the Elk’s Hall on April 30.
The meal will open with mouthwatering pakora appetizers and chai masala tea. Pakoras are a deep fried fritter made with cauliflower, potato, onion, baby eggplant, spinach and spices in a chana (chickpea) flour batter.
The salad will be a traditional kachuber salad with tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, white and red radish tossed with lemon juice and Indian spices.
The main meal will include a special makhani dal (lentil, chickpea mix), dahi boondi (spices in homemade yogurt), tawa fry veggies (mix of ocra, taro root, cauliflower, baby eggplant and other spiced vegetables), fancy basmati rice, with naan and roti flatbreads to wrap it all up in.
Ever so popular last year, the cooks are bringing back gulab jamun (cake balls in a sweet sauce) for dessert, says event spokesperson Sylvia Doherty.
Given the popularity of last year’s dinner held at the Seniors’ Centre, Doherty says they decided to move to a larger venue this year at the Elk’s Hall, allowing people more room to move around and mingle.
Angie Holdal will provide the opening music and there will be a special guest performance by Marin Patenaude who recently released her first CD: Follow Through.
As well, Jesse Madden, a professional photographer, will roam the crowd and take pictures of everyone in their finery.
Optionally, Doherty says people are encouraged have some fun and dress up if they have a sari or other Indian attire.
The dinner will feature live and silent auction items including return air fare for two to Vancouver with Pacific Coastal Airlines; a Kamloops hotel and wine tour; Kamloops heritage home stay; themed baskets and more; as well as some amazing local art work that is now on display at New World Cafe, Doherty says.
By request she says the evening will also include a cash bar that will open at 5 p.m. followed by dinner at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $50 and available at the New World Café and Kit and Kaboodle or by calling 778-412-7780.