New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS): Heads of state and government and other dignitaries from 54 African countries would be treated to an array of authentic pan-Indian cuisine at a gala dinner to be hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Wednesday evening.
The banquet, which will begin at 8 p.m., will be held at the Crafts Museum, Pragati Maidan. The Ashok Hotel has been chosen for catering on this occasion.
The menu, exclusively available with IANS, is an elaborate affair of authentic Indian cuisine ranging from mouth-watering dishes ranging from Awadh to the west, south and east India.
It includes authentic Kashmiri delicacies, coastal flavors of south India and palate-pleasing combination of sweet and sour of Gujarati cuisine.
The cuisine from Awadh, as also the North West Frontier Province that was once a part of India, is a testament to the rich culinary diversity of the country.
"For today's dinner, our emphasis was on a combination of variety of authentic cuisine, representing a wide variety of unique dishes from across the country," chef Rajan Loomba, senior executive chef, The Ashok, said.
The non-vegetarian menu comprises The Ashok's signature kebab-e-bannu, tandoori prawns and pathar kebab for starters. The main course includes Malabar meen curry, murg rihana and dum ki gosht biryani with a combination of aromatic rice and lamb curry with special spices.
The vegetarian platter includes chutney paneer tikka, subz til kebab and moti-e-zamin for starters. The main course includes Kashmiri dum aloo, paneer rihana, adraki gobhi, dal Dera Ismail Khan and the host's favorite vatana muthia nu shaak, served with choicest assorted Indian breads.
"For tonight, our top chefs have especially curated a menu that reflects the diverse culture of the country, through the flavors of a wide variety of authentic cuisine," Sudha Chandra, general manager, The Ashok, said.
The Ashok is a flagship hotel of India Tourism Development Corporation.
The beverage menu included mint sorbet and qehwa or south Indian coffee while the sweet dishes include stuffed kala jamun served along with rabri, saffron-flavored sandesh, shrikhand and fresh fruit.