US restaurant launches ‘Modi Ji Thali’; includes dhokla, idli, khichdi, dum aloo, papad 

A New Jersey-based restaurant on Monday launched a special ‘Modi Ji Thali’ ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming state visit to the US. The special ‘Modi Ji Thali’ has been curated by chef Shripad Kulkarni and comprises dishes such as khichdi, rasgulla, sarso da saag, idli, dhokla, chaach, papad, and dum aloo Kashmiri.

As per chef Kulkarni, the thali has been curated in keeping with the demands of the Indian diaspora living in the States. He added the thali also pays homage to the 2023 being declared as the International Year of Millets by the United Nations (UN). The International Day of Millets was declared after a recommendation from the Indian government, including dishes prepared using millets.

The owner of the restaurant further said that he plans to launch another Thali dedicated to External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. The restaurant owner told ANI: “We plan to launch this thali soon. I’m very positive that it’s going to gain popularity. Once this does well, I also plan to launch a Dr Jaishankar thali, because he too has that rockstar appeal amongst the Indian-American community”.

This, however, is not the first thali dedicated to Prime Minister Modi. A Delhi-based restaurant, ARDOR 2.1, presented a huge thali having 56 items named 56-inch Narendra Modi Thali on PM’s birthday last year. Customers also have the choice of opting for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.

ARDOR 2.1 restaurant owner Sumit Kalara said: “We want to gift him this thali and want him to come here and eat. But, due to security reasons, we can’t do that, so this is for all of his fans who love him a lot. Please come and enjoy this thali”.

This month, PM Modi will head to the US on his first state visit to the US at US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden’s invitation. A group of Indian-Americans are planning to the Andrews Air Base to greet PM Modi on June 21. More than 600 diaspora members are also planning to showcase India’s cultural diversity through events in front of the Freedom Plaza in DC, where PM Modi will be staying.

Several top Indian-Americans will also join PM Modi on the north lawns of the UN complex for the International Yoga Day event. The POTUS and the First Lady will host Modi at a state dinner in the White House on June 22. More than 7,000 Indian-Americans are likely to be on the South Lawns of the White House when the POTUS and the FLOTUS will welcome PM Modi amidst a 21-gun salute. PM Modi is also the first Indian Prime Minister to address the US Congress’ Joint Meeting for the second time.

He will also meet chairmen and CEOs of top American companies at the John F Kennedy Centre in Washington during his US visit. Following this, he will deliver an address to the Indian diaspora at the Ronald Reagan Centre in Washington.

(With ANI inputs)

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