New Delhi: An Odisha-inspired tamarind and jaggery chutney made its way to a fusion luncheon menu served to Swiss President Guy Parmelin in New Delhi on Monday.
Parmelin was treated to two very different culinary experiences during his visit. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s lunch at Hyderabad House leaned into India-Switzerland fusion, bringing raclette cheese, pearl barley and nusstorte together with chaat masala, tamarind, Mughlai spices and masala chai, President Droupadi Murmu’s banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan turned the spotlight firmly towards the Himalayan regions, with a menu inspired by Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
It ended up being less a standard formal menu and more a showcase of ingredients and dishes that moved across India’s culinary map.
The lunch opened with a particularly telling combination: Ambila Gerstensuppe, a Swiss pearl barley soup given an Indian accent with an Odisha-inspired tamarind and jaggery infusion. Then came Farrukhabadi Alukam Raclette, where fire-roasted, skin-on potatoes were paired with Swiss raclette cheese, coriander chutney and chaat masala. Dharti Ke Phool completed the appetiser course, with julienned mushrooms cooked in a slow-simmered onion gravy and regional aromatics, as reported by News18.
The main course was distinctly Indian, with dishes drawing from different regional traditions. There was Gobhi Mussalam, a whole roasted cauliflower served in a cashew-and-tomato gravy scented with Mughlai spices. Besani Lauki Lachha transformed bottle-gourd peel into a crisp preparation tossed with toasted chickpea flour and aromatic spices. Tikhat Dal brought Maharashtrian flavours to the table, with yellow lentils tempered with smoked cumin, mustard seeds and indigenous chillies.
The Paneer Sawchiar was another standout. This dish paired Mizo-spiced basmati rice with whole aromatics, fresh spinach and pan-roasted paneer. Assorted Indian breads accompanied the meal. The cross-cultural theme also returned at the end of the meal. Lapsi Nusstorte Pie took the Swiss nusstorte and gave it an Indian filling: roasted cracked-wheat halwa flavoured with cardamom, finished with walnuts and ghee.
Masala Chai Ice Cream was the most intriguing dessert on the menu. It combined black tea, warming spices and caramelised ice cream. The meal ended with carved fresh fruits and a beverage selection that included Mysore Nuggets Coffee, Nagori Chai and Sea Buckthorn Tea.
At Rashtrapati Bhavan, the menu drew from Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, with ingredients including sea buckthorn, apricot, wild nettle, yak cheese and barley from Ladakh, alongside saffron, morels, lotus stem and Kashmiri spices. The menu itself drew a parallel between the Himalayan ranges and the Swiss Alps, describing Himalayan cuisine as shaped by resourcefulness, refinement and respect for seasonal produce.
The first course was Za Thuk, a Ladakhi wild nettle soup with winter peas and roasted millet pearls, served with assorted breads. It was followed by Labo-Na Tsonma, a salad that put the region’s cheese traditions front and centre. Labo and chhurpi from Ladakh were paired with Jammu’s kalari cheese, along with dried apple, walnuts and wild capers. A sea buckthorn and honey dressing brought the ingredients together.
Kimb Chaat was another appetiser, a Jammu preparation, combined boiled taro root and sweet potatoes with rice-flour crispies, sweetened yoghurt, tamarind sauce and starfruit. There was also Nadur Kebab with Dooyn Chetin, lotus-stem patties seasoned with Kashmiri spices and served with walnut chutney. From Ladakh came Phorok Nangka, a charcoal-roasted whole-wheat dumpling filled with turnip greens and caper leaves and served with a tomato-onion relish.
The main course was packed with dishes that are closely associated with Kashmiri home cooking. Chaman Qaliya featured cottage cheese cooked in milk and turmeric. Haakh brought seasonal greens cooked with mustard oil and asafoetida, while Dum Olav paired potatoes with yoghurt, dry ginger and fennel. There was also Tsok Wangun, baby eggplant in a tangy sauce flavoured with cloves, ginger and fennel. For rice, the menu offered Kana Gucch Pulao, made with Kashmiri morels and whole spices. It was served with Mujj Chatni, a white-radish and yoghurt preparation, along with Sheermal and Katlam breads.
The banquet’s dessert course continued to explore lesser-known regional preparations. Shufta combined stewed dates, cashews, raisins and coconut, while Phirin was a semolina-and-milk pudding flavoured with saffron, cardamom and dry fruits. The most distinctly Ladakhi of the desserts was Phaymer, made with roasted barley, jaggery and butter and served with Chura soft cheese. The beverage selection stayed with the Himalayan theme: guests could choose between Kahwa, Gur Gur Chai and wild rose tea.
