Portugal's Indian-origin PM treats Modi to special Gujarati veg lunch

Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa, who has his origin in Goa, on Saturday sprang a surprise for Narendra Modi when he hosted a special Gujarati vegetarian lunch for him that included dishes like 'Aakhu Saak' and 'Mango Shrikhand'.

Aakhu literally means 'whole' and saak simply means 'curry'. It is a dish in which vegetable stuffing is heavily spiced and is ideal for big get-togethers. The other items on the menu included 'Saag Kofta', 'Rajma aur Makai', 'Tarkha Daal', 'Kesar Rice', 'Parantha', 'Rotli', 'Papad', and Gulab Jamun and other sweets.

Modi is the first Indian prime minister in Portugal for a bilateral visit. He has said his one-day visit to the country will further strengthen relations between India and Portugal. Earlier in the day, Modi and Costa took a stroll around the Palacio das Necessidades, a historic building in the Largo do Rilvas, a public square in Lisbon.

Costa, who is partially of Indian origin, had visited India in January, when he went to see his family members at his ancestral house in Goa.

On Sunday Modi will fly to the USA where he will meet US President Donald Trump.