A lot of us are fussy about getting ‘our own kind of food’ even when travelling overseas. Especially on flights, familiar food is a comfort after all the stress of dealing with queues, airport security et al. Keeping in mind the Indian traveller’s preference for Indian food, Emirates airline has introduced a new range of regional menus. The airline now connects 10 destinations in India to the rest of the world with 185 flights a week. To make the passengers feel at home, the new menus reflect the regional tastes and customer preferences of these destinations. “For example, customers on the Kolkata route can enjoy a sarson maach (mustard fish curry) which is a much-loved dish from the eastern part of Indian,” said an airline representative. “Similarly, regional dishes such as turiya vatana muthia (ridge gourd and green peas dumpling) on flights to and from Ahmedabad in the west, meen mulaku curry (fish in red gravy) on flights to Kerala, or dhabe da gosht (lamb meat cooked in pure ghee and flavoured with cardamoms and other spices) when travelling to Delhi, are some highlights.”
These are also designed to give visitors to India an authentic taste of the country’s popular regional dishes. Menus on the Indian routes have been translated into the local language of the destination. The catering team has experimented with the presentation of meals in First Class and Business Class, for instance, traditional Indian cuisine has been given a contemporary look in terms of plating.