Bon Appetit! Shanghai treats served to Modi at lunch

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Saturday treated to Shanghai vegetarian specials from stewed porcini to vegetable in curry sauce with rice at a lunch hosted by Communist Party chief of Shanghai Han Zheng.

“Shanghai vegetarian specials in honour of PM@narendramodi. Menu at Banquet hosted by Mr. Han Zheng,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted along with a snapshot of the menu at the lunch.

The menu included selection of traditional appetizers, double boiled bean curd soup, stewed porcini, pancake with vegetable, sauteed asparagus and lotus seed, vegetable in curry sauce with rice, chilled mango saga cream and fresh fruits.

Earlier, Modi also had a bilateral meeting with Han.

Modi, who began his visit from Xi’an on Thursday, was hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who also held a banquet in the honour of the Indian leader.

Xi had also offered traditional Chinese delicacies like beancurd with mushroom and water chestnut in bean sauce during the fully-vegetarian banquet.

The dinner was followed by a colourful cultural event in the ancient city of Xi'an, which is also the hometown of President Xi.

This was a departure from protocol and was seen as a reciprocal gesture by the Chinese leader who was hosted by Modi in Ahmedabad when he visited India.

Image: Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets Communist Party chief of Shanghai Han Zheng. Photograph: MEAIndia/Facebook