Ep 1. Fancy Pants

Aarti Party is a cooking show that features host and chef, Aarti Sequeira, as she shares her love for Indian-inspired dishes with her audience. In season 2, episode 1 titled "Fancy Pants," Aarti prepares a menu that takes classic Indian flavors and elevates them with a touch of elegance.

The episode begins with Aarti introducing the theme of the episode - creating fancy, upscale versions of traditional Indian dishes. She explains that she loves to entertain and enjoys inspiring others to do the same, but sometimes hosting can feel overwhelming. Aarti's solution is to take familiar dishes and add a bit of pizzazz to make them feel more special and elevated.

The first dish Aarti prepares is a Spiced Cashew and Date Salad. This dish takes a simple green salad and adds flavor and texture with cashews and dates tossed in a fragrant mixture of spices. Aarti notes that the key to making a salad feel fancy is to use high-quality ingredients and pay attention to the presentation. She arranges the cashews and dates on top of the greens in an eye-catching pattern, and the finished dish looks both beautiful and delicious.

Next up is Aarti's take on a classic Indian street food, Samosa Cups. Instead of deep-frying the samosas, Aarti uses phyllo cups to create an elegant and easy-to-eat appetizer. The filling, a mixture of spiced potatoes and peas, is the beloved flavor profile of samosas, but the phyllo cups and a dollop of tangy cilantro chutney make them upscale enough for a fancy dinner party.

For the main course, Aarti prepares Masala Spiced Shrimp with Tomato, Onion and Cream Sauce. This dish takes the classic Indian dish of shrimp curry and deconstructs it into a more refined plate. Aarti grills the shrimp to give them a smoky flavor and then serves them on a bed of creamy tomato sauce. The dish is topped with crispy fried onions and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. Aarti notes that the dish can be made ahead of time and reheated, making it perfect for stress-free entertaining.

To round out the meal, Aarti prepares a decadent dessert of Cardamom Scented Berry Trifle. This dessert takes the classic idea of a trifle and adds a touch of Indian flavor with a cardamom-infused custard and a drizzle of rosewater syrup. Aarti layers the custard with fresh berries and buttery shortbread cookies and tops the trifle with whipped cream. The result is a dessert that is both beautiful and delicious.

Throughout the episode, Aarti shares tips for entertaining and makes suggestions for how to pair these fancy dishes with elegant drinks and decor. She stresses the importance of using high-quality ingredients and taking the time to make each dish look special and inviting.

Overall, "Fancy Pants" is a delightful episode of Aarti Party that shows viewers how to take classic Indian dishes and make them feel elegant and upscale. With Aarti's guidance, anyone can create a fancy dinner party menu that is sure to impress their guests.