New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu hosted a state banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Wednesday in honour of European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the chief guests for India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations.
The dinner highlighted India’s culinary diplomacy through a specially curated Himalayan-inspired menu, showcasing ingredients and traditions from the country’s mountain reg
ions, according to India Today.
The menu featured dishes such as jakhiya aloo, jhangora ki kheer, sunderkala thichoni, baked yak cheese custard, bichhu buti patta, winter carrot kadhi, nimbu saan, Kashmiri guchhi with Solan mushrooms, Himalayan ragi and Kashmiri apple cake, coffee custard and Himalayan honey-dressed persimmon, India Today reported.
Curated by chefs Prateek Sadhu and Kamlesh Negi, the multi-course meal brought together flavours from Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and other Himalayan regions. The spread reflected a blend of traditional mountain recipes with contemporary fine-dining techniques.
The state banquet formed part of the ceremonial engagements during the visit of the European Union leaders, underlining cultural exchange alongside diplomatic and strategic discussions between India and the EU, according to India Today.