New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the second leg of his maiden state visit, reached Washington DC and was given a warm welcome by the US President Joe Biden & US First Lady Jill Biden. The Biden couple hosted a private dinner for PM Modi at the White House and the meeting also saw exchange of range of gifts between them.
Now, all eyes are on PM Modi’s address to the joint sitting of US Congress on Thursday late night India time (around midnight), followed by state dinner at White House’s South lawns, hosted by the Bidens.
As Joe & Jill Biden host PM Modi in the maiden state dinner on Thursday, the food menu is being widely talked about. It is understood to have a strong Indian appeal, besides array of delectable food on the table.
As per reports, stuffed mushrooms and plant-based courses of millets would be the highlight of menu, which would be attended by more than 400 guests. Most of the attendees are said to be the stakeholders of growing ties between two nations, influential members of Indian diaspora and celebrities with global appeal.
US First lady Jill Biden has roped in California-based chef Nancy Curtis, plant-based cooking specialist, for preparing a ‘scrumptious dinner’.
Jill Biden also addressed a press conference before the state dinner and informed that the state dinner would have an Indian touch. However, guests, opting for non-vegetarian food would have an option to add fish in the main course.
Some millet-based dishes are also likely to be included in the food menu. Remember, PM Modi has been pitching for diversification & expansion of millets based products across the world.
First course: Marinated millet, grilled corn kernel salad, compressed watermelon, tangy avocado sauce
Main course: Stuffed portobello mushrooms, sumac roasted sea bass, lemon-dill yogurt sauce, creamy saffron-infused risotto, crisped millet cakes, summer squashes.
Accompaniments: Crisped Millet Cakes and Summer Squashes
After the dinner, there would be soulful performances by Grammy award winner Joshua Bell and Penn Masala.