Punjabi Veg Catering in Bangalore: Menus, Paneer & Roti Counts

1. Build a Punjabi menu around dishes guests will actually eat

As the chef-owner of Upendar Caterers, a pure vegetarian catering business operating since 1995, I plan a Punjabi meal around the combination guests put on their plate: paneer with bread, dal with rice, and a vegetable that brings some contrast. Adding more rich dishes does not automatically make that plate better.

For a family lunch or dinner in Bengaluru, start with one paneer preparation, one dal, one dry or semi-dry vegetable, one rice and a focused bread selection. A starter is optional; if you include one, keep the main meal proportionate.

• Balanced family menu: kadai paneer, dal tadka, aloo gobi, jeera rice, phulka, boondi raita, salad and gulab jamun.
• Richer celebration menu: paneer butter masala, dal makhani, seasonal mixed vegetables, jeera rice, tandoori roti, limited butter naan, cucumber raita and phirni.
• Seasonal Punjabi menu: sarson ka saag, makki di roti, a modest paneer preparation, dal, a small rice option and gud. Confirm mustard-green availability and dedicated makki-roti production before choosing it.
• If chole is important to the family, use it in place of another substantial main rather than automatically adding it to an already heavy buffet.

2. Choose the paneer dish first, then calculate the quantity

My starting allowance for one paneer main course is 60–75 g of uncooked paneer per adult. With gravy, that becomes approximately 130–160 g of finished curry. These are planning quantities for a complete buffet, not a promise that every guest will take an identical portion.

For 100 adult-equivalent portions, this means 6–7.5 kg of paneer before any agreed reserve. Ask whether a quoted quantity refers to paneer itself or the finished curry: 10 kg of paneer curry does not mean 10 kg of paneer.

If paneer tikka is also served, allow roughly 35–45 g of paneer per guest for the starter and 50–60 g for the main course as an initial planning split. Review this against the other starters and the family's appetite rather than adding two full paneer allowances.

3. Roti counts: calculate bread size, not just pieces

“Three rotis per person” is incomplete unless the bread size is defined. A medium phulka, a tandoori roti and a restaurant-size naan are not equivalent. The starting counts below assume an adult lunch or dinner with approximately 120–150 g of cooked rice available per guest.

Choose one row as your main bread allowance; do not add all the rows together. For a mixed basket, an initial allowance of one medium tandoori roti plus half to three-quarters of a medium naan per adult is reasonable with rice. Increase the plan for a bread-first crowd or reduce it after a substantial starter service.

• Count whole naans, even when each naan is cut into two or four serving pieces.
• For children aged roughly 5–10, start at half to two-thirds of an adult bread allowance; teenagers may need a full adult portion.
• For a 100-adult phulka plan, 300 medium phulkas is the base allowance. Keep dough for another 15–30 only if that reserve is agreed; do not cook the reserve in advance.
• If choosing makki di roti, allow about two medium pieces per adult with rice available, and provide a wheat-bread alternative for guests who prefer it.

4. Keep dal, rice and accompaniments in proportion

Punjabi catering becomes unnecessarily heavy when paneer butter masala, dal makhani, creamy vegetables and butter naan all compete on the same plate. I prefer one rich centrepiece, supported by simpler dishes. If the paneer is creamy, dal tadka and a dry vegetable bring better balance.

Use the quantities below as a starting production plan for this particular menu structure. They are cooked or ready-to-serve weights per adult, before any separately agreed reserve. Use the lower end after starters or for a lighter lunch; the upper end suits a main-meal-led dinner.

5. Punjabi veg catering prices in Bangalore for 2026

For planning, use the following indicative 2026 per-plate bands for approximately 100–200 guests. These are budget estimates, not a fixed quotation. Smaller functions can have a higher per-person cost because bread cooks, equipment and transport are spread across fewer guests.

Fresh bread service is a major price difference between a simple Punjabi meal and a fuller celebration buffet. The quotation should separately confirm crockery, service staff, equipment, fuel, transport, drinking water, venue charges and applicable taxes rather than leaving you to assume they are included.

6. Plan bread production around the busiest 20 minutes

The difficult part of Punjabi buffet service is not the total roti count; it is how many guests ask for bread together. For 100 adults eating 300 phulkas across an hour, the average demand is five per minute. A workable production target is around eight to ten per minute during the rush, subject to the equipment and a timed kitchen trial.

For roughly 100 guests with a staggered 60–75-minute service, start with one bread cook and one rolling/helper position, plus three to four buffet attendants—about one attendant per 25–35 guests. Keep a separate person responsible for replenishment and clearing support. This excludes the main cooking team; simultaneous arrivals or seated service need a different staffing plan.

For tandoori breads, have the caterer demonstrate output for the actual tandoor and bread sizes. If 80 guests arrive together, one small bread station may be inadequate even when it can produce the total order over a longer period.

• 75–90 minutes before service: complete equipment placement and fuel-safety checks, then begin heating according to the equipment requirements.
• 30 minutes before service: check dough portions, cooked-gravy consistency and the route between the bread station and buffet.
• 5–10 minutes before service: make only a small opening batch rather than stacking the full bread count.
• During service: send breads in small batches, ideally reaching guests within 5–10 minutes of cooking; do not treat this quality target as a food-safety holding rule.
• Keep hot dishes at 65°C or above and chilled raita at 5°C or below, with temperature checks during service.
• Confirm ventilation, permitted fuel, electrical load where relevant and a safe working area before promising an on-site tandoor.

7. Put paneer portions and bread service into the booking brief

A useful tasting checks more than the first spoonful of gravy. Taste the selected paneer dish with the actual bread, check whether the dal feels too rich alongside it, and try a second bread batch after a short covered hold. This reveals more about the eventual meal than tasting several unrelated dishes.

For a Punjabi vegetarian menu discussion with Upendar Caterers, call 9661650666 with your date, guest count, venue facilities and preferred service window. I would rather finalise one dependable bread plan than promise several varieties that the venue cannot support.

• Record the paneer dish, uncooked paneer allowance per guest, chilli level and preferred sweetness.
• Specify bread size, whole-piece count, butter application, included reserve and any charge for additional production.
• Confirm whether breads are cooked on-site, transported or partly prepared elsewhere.
• Ask about milk, wheat, cashew and other nut ingredients. Pure vegetarian does not mean dairy-free, gluten-free or nut-free.
• Request eggless naan and check ingredients in desserts, premixes and garnishes.
• If some guests need no onion–no garlic food, identify the dishes and separate preparation requirements before the menu is priced.

Areas we serve in Bengaluru

We cook on site across Bengaluru. Pick your neighbourhood for local menus, pricing and venue notes:

• Yelahanka catering
• RT Nagar catering
• Kalyan Nagar catering
• Nagavara catering
• Hebbal & Kempapura catering
• Sahakarnagar catering
• Thanisandra catering
• Manyata Tech Park catering