Classic Indian food was in its full glory at G20 Summit

A group of 20 leaders, including US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau among others, arrived in New Delhi on September 8 to attend the G20 Summit.

So the food obviously had to represent Indian cuisine at its best. Did it do that? Read below to find out.

One of the meals started with a bunch of salads that ranged from the classic South Indian sundal, and another with tossed Indian greens. The addition of a pasta salad seemed like a safe space for the foreign delegates with their foreign palates. They capped the small plates with a roasted almond soup and a vegetable broth. How we wished there was an Indian shorba instead.

Like at a five-star buffet where you're unable to decide if you should be seen putting a hot roti next to a pink sauce pasta, there appeared to be confusion as far as the main course was concerned. For instance, for Lyonnaise potatoes (a French potato and onion dish, perhaps to impress Mr Trudeau), there was also penne arabiatta and the humble Indian paneer lababdar and subz korma.

The chefs had clearly done ample research on the trending Indian ingredients and ensured makhana was there. Kaju matar makhana ended this long list of mains which were paired with jeera pulao, rotis and dal tadka.

The menu was predominantly North Indian with some South Indian dishes thrown in.

There was kesar pista rasmalai (tagged under Odisha) and not much representation from states such Rajasthan, Kerala, Gujarat and West Bengal.

On the menu for the dinner, the G20 India special secretary said that efforts have been made to present the "diversity of the culinary heritage of India" to the world leaders at the ceremonial G20 dinner.

Hopefully, in the upcoming meals, the delegates will get a taste of the country's diverse cuisine.