Modi's Shanghai treat satiates Indian foodie spirit

A delectable and authentic Chinese platter was laid before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Shanghai on Saturday. The combination of exotic food elements with a whiff of Indian flavours has earned much praise from Indian chefs, who termed it a perfect and balanced vegetarian meal.

Modi, who was in Shanghai on the last leg of a three-day visit to China, was served the vegetarian dishes during a banquet hosted by the city's Communist Party Secretary, Han Zheng. The fare included stewed porcini, sauteed asparagus and lotus seed, chilled mango sago cream and fresh fruits.

Pointing to the popular notion that "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach", Vikrant Batra, owner of Cafe Terminus1 and Cafe Delhi Heights, noted that food brings people closer, adding that the menu's ingredients highlighted power.

"Food plays a very integral role in maintaining relationships, be it personal or professional. The gesture is of immense care and liking towards Mr. Modi. The ingredients included in the menu were all symbolic of good energy and being power driven," Batra told IANS.

The menu comprised of double boiled bean curd soup, stewed porcini - a much sought after mushroom - pancake with vegetable, sauteed asparagus and lotus seed, vegetables in curry sauce with rice and chilled mango sago cream and fresh fruits, accorded to a ministry of external affairs tweet.

Batra also lauded China's effort for coming out with a vegetarian menu running high on flavours keeping Modi's needs in mind.

"The menu comprised dishes made of ingredients that are high on vitamins and fiber. The inclusion of the mango - the king of Indian fruits - shows a lot of respect towards our country and the man representing it. Considering Mr. Modi is a vegetarian, vegetable curry was been included in the menu to suit the typical Indian palate," he added.

Chef Sabyasachi Gorai, aka Chef Saby, who runs a Boutique Consultancy Company called Fabrica by Chef Saby, also pointed out that the menu can become a hit if introduced in India.

"The menu would suit a vegetarian palette. If you serve this in India, I think people will enjoy it because it sounds very exotic, fresh and new," Chef Saby told IANS.

According to celebrity chef Kunal Kapur, Modi must have felt at home after enjoying the food as the ingredients are available in India as well.

"In India, typical Chinese restaurants serving authentic Chinese food use all such techniques," Kapur told IANS.