A menu that will really display the best in American cuisine, seasoned with Indian elements and flavors
Our Bureau
Washington
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and more than 400 guests will be hosted for a state dinner at the White House with special vegetarian cuisines like marinated millet, corn kernel salad, and stuffed mushrooms. First Lady Jill Biden made a special mention of PM Modi being a strict vegetarian and advised Chef Nina Curtis, who specializes in plant-based cuisine, to work with the White House staff and create a stunning vegetarian menu.
Modi came here from New York after leading a historic event at the UN Headquarters to celebrate and participate in the 9th International Day of Yoga, attended by prominent UN officials, diplomats, and personalities. He is on a state visit to the US from June 21-24 at the invitation of President Joe Biden and the First Lady.
State dinner’s first course will have a specially curated menu of marinated millet, grilled corn kernel salad, compressed watermelon, and a tangy avocado sauce, with stuffed portobello mushrooms and creamy saffron-infused risotto as the main course.
Sumac-roasted sea bass, lemon-dill yogurt sauce, Millet cakes, and rose and cardamom-infused strawberry shortcake, to be served upon request. Special wines served for the state dinner will include Stone Tower Chardonnay Kristi 2021, PATEL Red Blend 2019, and Domain Carneros Brut Rose.
California-based Chef Curtis said, “It is truly a pleasure to be able to work with the First Lady and help her to bring her culinary vision to life. We have curated a menu that really displays the best in American cuisine and also then seasoned with Indian elements and flavors,” she said.
“We are also very excited that India is leading efforts to celebrate the International Year of the Millets. We have incorporated marinated millets into our menu and the Indian cuisine elements throughout the menu,” the chef said.
White House social secretary Carlos Elizondo said the First Lady has been involved in planning this event with every element of the dinner and decor chosen to make each guest’s experience personal and warm, honoring the tradition and cultures of the US and India, including the Indian flag.
“The inspiration for our design really began with the peacock, India’s national bird. From the invitations to the program to the pavilion, we wanted to evoke that breathtaking feeling when it extends its tail, unveiling its colorful beauty, majesty, and strength in blue and green,” the social secretary said. “Blue and green are also two of Dr (Jill) Biden’s favorite colors,” Elizondo said.
