Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently in the UAE for bilateral talks with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The Indian premiere was given a ceremonial welcome at Qasr-Al-Watan, the presidential palace. A special banquet was also hosted in his honour comprising a fully vegetarian meal.
The banquet began with a course of harees (wheat) and dates salad served with local, organic vegetables and was followed by grilled vegetables with masala sauce for the second course. A vegetarian main was next, comprising black lentil and local harees paired with tandoori cauliflower and carrot. The repast concluded with a dessert of assorted seasonal fruits celebrating the local food culture of the UAE.
The Indian Prime Minister is visiting the UAE to focus on energy, food security and defence. This visit marks the progress of bilaterial relations between the two countries following a landmark trade agreement signed in 2022.
A banquet with such sumptuous delicacies featuring local vegetables and spices along with a taste of the tandoor appears to be specially designed to honour the Indian premiere's preference for vegetarian food. Tell us in the comments below whether you enjoy a harees salad and what your favourite vegetarian tandoori dish is.