Rasam to Lamb Biryani: South Indian Spread at Modi-Xi Dinner

The menu for the dinner hosted by Modi for Chinese President Xi Jinping was a variety of South Indian dishes.

The menu for the dinner hosted by Modi for Chinese President Xi Jinping was a variety of South Indian cuisines. 

(Photo: ANI)

Chinese President Xi Jinping was treated to a dinner filled with specialty dishes from Tamil Nadu on Friday, his first day in Mamallapuram. Jinping is visiting Chennai as part of a two-day informal meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mamallapuram.

According to a tweet by ANI, the non-vegetarian menu served for Xi Jinping included Tamil Nadu signature dishes like Thanjavur Kozhi Curry — a chicken gravy which is a specialty from Thanjavur and Yerachi Ghetti Kozhambu — a gravy of mutton cubes cooked with dry coriander and spices.

Arachavitta Sambar, a lentil curry made with a paste of spices and coconut and Mamsam Biryani, a dish made with long-grained rice and tender lamb cooked in Andhra style also found a place in the menu along with Mutton ularthiyadhu, a Kerala style dish made with mutton cubes and coconut.

The menu for the dinner party was a variety of south indian cuisines. 

Vegetarian dishes included Thakkali rasam — a spiced extract of tomatoes; Keerai vadai — fritters made out of spinach and Kadalai Kuruma — a gravy made of black grams cooked in cashew and tomato gravy; Poosnikkai More curry — ash gourd cooked in spiced and tempered curd; and Beetroot-gongura chop — an Andhra styled dish made of Beetroot and Kenal leaves in spices.

Both the leaders were also served three desserts — Ada Pradhaman, a Kerala delicacy made of rice palettes cooked in jaggery and coconut milk; Kavanarisi Halwa, a pudding made of black rice; and mukkani ice cream which is based on the three traditional fruits of Tamil Nadu, the Mango, Jack fruit and Banana.

Before the dinner, the leaders and their delegation enjoyed an evening of cultural programmes by students of Kalakshetra foundation at the Shore Temple.

Both the leaders arrived in Chennai on Friday. While Narendra Modi stayed at the Taj FIsherman’s Cove, Jinping stayed at ITC Grand Chola and met Narendra Modi at Mamallapuram on Friday evening.

(The story was originally published in The News Minute and has been reposted with permission.)