At Lunch Hosted By PM Modi In Papua New Guinea, The Star Ingredient Was...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted lunch for the leaders attending the third India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) Summit in Papua New Guinea today. The lip-smacking delicacies on the menu prominently featured Indian cuisine and millets.

The memorable lunch included Khandvi, a popular delicacy from PM Modi's home state of Gujarat, Malai Kofta (cottage cheese and vegetable balls simmered in aromatic Indian rich kofta curry), Vegetable Kolhapuri (highland mix vegetable cooked with traditional Indian onion-tomato gravy), Dal Panchmel (special lentils mix cooked in Mewar style).

With the year 2023 declared as the international year of millets, the Indian delegation ensured that the oldest foods known to the mankind were also served to the leaders attending the summit. Rajasthani delicacy Ragi Gatta curry (finger millet and gram flour dumplings cooked in sour gravy) and Millet biryani (vegetable biryani made in a traditional way with nutrient-rich barnyard millet) were among the lip-smacking delicacies on the menu.

The inclusion of millet in the menu reflects the importance India gives to these small-seeded foods.

The UN General Assembly in March 2021 declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets at the behest of the Government of India.

The guests were also served Masala chaas (summer drink made with creamy yoghurt and Indian spices).

Paan Kulfi (betel leaves flavoured milk based India frozen dessert) and Malpua with Rabdi (Indian sweet pancake served with sweetened reduced milk) were served as desserts at the lunch hosted by PM Modi at APEC house in Port Morseby.

Drinks included Masala Tea, Green Tea, Mint Tea and freshly brewed PNG coffee.

PM Modi, who is the first Indian prime minister to arrive in Papua New Guinea, hosted the third summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) jointly with his counterpart James Marape today.

He arrived here from Japan where he attended the summit of the G7 advanced economies and held bilateral meetings with several world leaders.

"I am grateful that all 14 Pacific Island Countries (PIC) have accepted the invitation to attend this important summit (FIPIC)," PM Modi had said earlier.

FIPIC was launched during his visit to Fiji in 2014.

FPIC includes Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.