President Droupadi Murmu treated the Seychelles President with an exotic coastal Indian menu from 5 states: Look what was served

The state banquets hosted by the President of India have always been a melting pot of flavours and innovations. Recently, President Droupadi Murmu hosted a ceremonial banquet to welcome Dr Patrick Herminie, President of the Republic of Seychelles, who is in India on his first State visit. To honour the relation between both countries and the visiting dignitaries, the curated dinner celebrated India's coastal culinary traditions. The menu brought together flavours and ingredients from the Malabar coast, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, presented in a refined, contemporary format. As per the menu card, the evening's menu was crafted as a culinary bridge between India and Seychelles, both nations linked by the Indian Ocean and centuries of maritime cultural exchange. Featuring coconut, kokum, bananas, millet, jackfruit, lentils, and rice as part of the rhythm of everyday life. These shared ingredients and flavour echo the lived traditions of coastal communities across the Indian Ocean world.

For the soup, as the opening course of the dinner, fragrant bowl of White Pumpkin & Coconut Soup was served with mini idiyappam and a drizzle of curry-leaf oil inspired by the Malabar region.

This course included three dishes. First was kosambari with charred pineapple, yogurt foam. A modern take on the South Indian salad of split mung beans and cucumber, tempered with mustard seeds. Next was, jackfruit & banana blossom skewers, which was served with edible sugarcane skewers and kokum essence - a nod to Kerala. And third was mini dhokla with mustard topping, a fluffy, steamed chickpea flour cake from Gujarat.

The pre-mains includeed vegetables and coastal flavours. As per the menu, guests were served sorekai, majjige huli, yam and raw banana thoran, greens, which included stuffed bottle gourd, spiced yam, and raw banana in Karnataka-style yogurt sauce. These were served with malabari paratha and jolad (white millet) bhakri.

The main course included batata nu shaak, udupi brinjal sukka, paneer tellicherry, and mushroom and dal varan. These were served with ghee-tempered sona masuri rice, Gujrati-style potatoes, pan-roasted aubergine, Kerala-spiced paneer, mushrooms, and Maharashtrian lentils. These were accompanied with date and lime pickle, mango chunda, and gongura pickle.

For the desserts, the delegates were served shrikhand creme brulee (saffron & cardamom-infused Maharashtrian shrikhand custard with a caramelized crust), khubani and akhrot halwa (slow-cooked sweetened apricots with candied walnuts) and freshly cut strawberries.

Along with all these guests were served cardamom tea, filter coffee, nilgiri tea, elaichi chocolates, nippattu, dahi vada, pani puri, kokum sharbat, orange juice, beetroot pachadi, hiravi chutney, and sundried tomato thokku.

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