EMIRATES TO SERVE INDIAN DISHES

Those travelling to and from India on an Emirates flight can now enjoy regional Indian culinary offerings like 'sarson maach' and 'dhabe da ghost'. The Dubai-based airline has introduced enhanced menus across 10 destinations in India that reflect regional tastes and customer preferences from across the country. For example, customers on the Kolkata route can enjoy a sarson maach (mustard fish curry). Similarly, regional dishes such as turiya vatana muthia (ridge gourd and green peas dumpling) on flights to and from Ahmedabad, 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 poppy seeds) on flights to Delhi, are some of the highlights. "Emirates connects 10 destinations in India to its global network with 185 weekly flights, and we also bring thousands of travellers each week to India — whether they are returning home, doing business or discovering the destination for the first time. Our new tailor-made menus were created to suit the palates of our Indian customers," said Robin Padgett, SVP, aircraft catering, Emirates. "India has a rich cultural diversity that is reflected in its culinary profile, with flavors and ingredients that vary dramatically as you move across regions," he said. Padgett added that extensive research, customer feedback, new culinary techniques, and the expert knowledge of the catering team were some of the factors that contributed to creating a menu based on the regional ingredients, cooking styles, and cultural nuances. Customers travelling to and from India can also look forward to a host of new additions, including condiments such as regional chutneys and pickles, enhanced vegetarian meal options, and individually-packed flat breads to compliment Indian curries.