Curry night

Curry nights were popular with many residents when they used to live at home.  They were a real highlight when shared with friends and family where everyone would bring a different curry and the host would cook up a big pot of rice for everyone to enjoy together, while sharing stories and laughter with the evening becoming an occasion to remember.

Curry night is an easy and wonderful event to recreate in your aged care home to evoke positive nostalgia and delight your residents with some exciting new food options to try . We have collected some simple ideas to help you put on a fun one for your residents.

There are two vital ingredients for a memorable curry night. The first is food. The second is colour. And at a true Indian feast, you cannot have too much of either.

There is literally no way for your decorations to be ‘too much’! Bunting, bright fabric draped across windows, the only limit is your imagination and your resources.

Cover your tables with warm-coloured tablecloths made of fabric or paper. Place a table talker in the centre to set the mood for the curry evening.

Place large bunches of flowers around the dining room and wrap plain vases in strips of rich patterned fabric or paper. Avoid the big expense by using flowers from your own grounds or by making them from paper. These can be made ahead of time by your more crafty residents using tissue paper.  They can then be reused for other event ideas such as Mother's Day or Easter.

Indian music can be found on Spotify, Youtube and iTunes, from Talvin Singh to Anoushka Shankar, the options are limitless to create a playlist of background music to add to the atmosphere.

While donning a sari might be a challenge for anyone not accustomed to this style of dress, it is inexpensive and easy to give each resident a bindi and even a little extra make up if you have someone on staff who has experience. Some decorative headscarves and shawls can be used as part of a photo-booth, so you can capture the fun of the evening.

One of the advantages of holding a curry night is being able to give your residents a range of dishes to try, from tried-and-true favourites to some more adventurous variations of flavour.

Indian food has been influenced and has influenced the flavours and style of food of their neighbouring countries, so don’t feel bound to only traditional Indian curries. Include dishes such as Laksas and stir-fries to add to the feast.

Other delicious tips for your curry menu

Serve up the right side

You can explore different rice varieties: from basic white, to fragrant basmati, turmeric-infused brown rice, or the rice cooked in coconut milk.  Add some baskets of warm naan and ramekins of chutneys, desiccated coconut and sliced banana so people can customise their meals as they please.

Some like it hot, and some...not.

India and the surrounding countries are well known for the high levels of spiciness in their food. This, however, might not be to everyone’s taste. Vary the spices according to the needs and tastes of your residents.

Make it into a curry feast

Serve curries buffet style so residents can choose which one they would like to try or to perhaps even refill their plates. This will encourage them to talk about their favourite and maybe try something new.

Include residents on textured-modified diets

For residents who require a texture-modified diet, curries can be a perfect meal to adapt easily across multiple texture levels. Get inspired by our delicious Creamy Vegetable Korma recipe with instructions on how to adapt it from IDDSI Level 7 all the way down to 4.

Download free Indian feast menu template and table talker

Disclaimer: The content of this article is created for inspiration purposes only. It is not intended as clinical, medical or nutritional advice.