We catered an all-vegetarian baby shower for 55 guests — and 5 of those guests followed a Jain diet.
Jain food is a religiously and spiritually motivated vegetarian diet that excludes onion, garlic, and many root vegetables such as potatoes and other tubers. It’s grounded in the principle of non-violence, and preparing it properly requires real care in the kitchen — you can’t just leave ingredients out at the end; dishes have to be built Jain-compliant from the start.
The challenge for this particular event was designing one menu that satisfied everyone: 50 guests eating standard vegetarian, and 5 eating strictly Jain. We worked with our host, then with our kitchen staff, and built the following menu.
The menu for 55 guests
Three appetizers
- Vegetable Samosa
- Chili Pakora — Jain-compliant, enjoyed by everyone
- Vegetable Spring Rolls
Entrees
- Mutter Paneer — Jain-compliant
- Malai Kofta
- Fansi Bhaji — Jain, prepared for the 5 Jain guests
- Daal Makhani — urid daal, made Jain-compliant
Sides and dessert
- Naan for 45 guests, whole wheat paratha for 10 — Jain-compliant
- Jeera (fried cumin) rice
- Pistachio Kulfi (Indian ice cream)
Everything was prepared and delivered at 11:00 AM as promised. Our sincere gratitude to the host for trusting us with this event.
Planning an event with dietary restrictions?
Jain, vegan, gluten-free, or anything in between — we build menus around your guests, not the other way around. Our menu even has a dedicated Jain filter: browse Chicago or Niles, or read more about our catering.
Call us — Chicago South Loop: 312.877.5999 or Niles: 847.324.4150