When Obamas gorged on fish tikka andshami kebabs

Image: President Obama raises a toast as Indian President Pratibha Patil looks on
Photographs: Jason Reed/Reuters

From fish tikka achari to chicken shami kebab and shahi zeera pulao, the menu at the Presidential banquet hosted in honour of United States President Barack Obama on Monday night was a gastronomical delight.

Text: PTI

The spread was a mixture of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes

Image: US President Barack Obama speaks with India's Prime Minister SIngh at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi
Photographs: Jason Reed/Reuters

The spread for Obama and his wife Michelle was a mix of Indian vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare, as the US First Couple relished the food against the background of tunes of some popular English and Hindi songs played by the naval band.

Guests from Diverse fields attended the dinner

Image: US President Barack Obama (R) toasts alongside India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Photographs: Jason Reed/Reuters

Around 180 American and Indian guests from diverse fields were present at the state dinner laid out at the sprawling lawns of Mughal Gardens at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Some of the guests were part of Obama's entourage.

Palak Chaat and Kyoti dal kept the vegetarians happy

Image: US first lady Obama toasts with India's President President Patil during a state dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi
Photographs: Jason Reed/Reuters

Pista murg and sunehri kalia lamb were among the non-vegetarian items served while palak papri chat, bharwan parwal, mahrani hara pyaz and kyoti dal kept the vegetarian guests happy.

The Obamas were treated to traditional Indian culinary delights

Image: Presdient Obama speaks at the state dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan
Photographs: Jason Reed/Reuters

The meal was not obviously complete without an assortment of Indian breads like rotis and naan.

The Obamas and the other guests were free to choose between paper naan, paranthas and tawa rotis as they were treated to traditional Indian culinary delights.

Halwa and Indian tea for dessert

Image: Former President APJ Abdul Kalam, Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the dinner
Photographs: Jason Reed/Reuters

Also, on the table were pineapple halwa, churipayas, besides herbal tea and Indian coffee to supplement the main course.
News anchor Barkha Dutt tweeted that there was an endless supply of pomergranate juice at the banquet.

India Inc was also invited to the banquet

Image: AK Antony, Pranab Mukherjee, Sonia Gandhi and HD Deve Gowda wait to greet Barack Obama
Photographs: Jason Reed/Reuters

Former President, A P J Abdul Kalam, Chairman of the Tata Group, Ratan Tata, ICICI Bank's Chanda Kochar, Reliance Industries' Mukesh Ambani, Bajaj Auto's Rahul Bajaj and Sunil Bharti Mittal were among the guests at the dinner.

Obama met Rahul Gandhi

Image: Rahul Gandhi (R)speaks with US President Barack Obama
Photographs: B Mathur/Reuters

President Obama also met and spoke to Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who was seated on the same table as the Obamas.

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