ASEAN food festival: A wonderland of Asian delights

Indonesian embassy brings regional delicacies to the capital.

ISLAMABAD:

It was a delightful evening for the members of the ASEAN missions and their families who came together in the lawns of the Indonesian Embassy for the ASEAN food festival here Saturday evening.

A large number of expats from ASEAN countries and other states came to join in the celebration of food. The lawn was bordered with food stalls from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, which allowed guests to come and try scrumptious delights from ASEAN countries.

The Thai stall offered jasmine rice with chicken massaman curry and pad thai — stir fried noodles in traditional Thai sauces which had many waiting in line for the traditional Thai dish. The Malaysian stall probably had the most diverse menu on offer, with savory treats starting from noodles with red sauce, Chicken Rendang — chicken in a thick sauce with coconut rice wrapped in banana leaves. A unique item for Pakistanis was the bubble tea at the Philippines stall.

Myanmar served fried fish and chips among other items, while Vietnam offered a range of sweets in packs alongside barbeque items. “I think it’s a wonderful idea and the missions should hold bigger functions like these for the masses in Pakistan, who do not get the opportunity and chance to witness the diversity of culture through food,” said Sara Ahmed Kamal, a visitor.

A large number of expats from ASEAN countries and other states came to join in the celebration of traditional foods from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. PHOTO: MYRA IQBAL/EXPRESS

The festival was also attended by government dignitaries and foreign diplomats, while Foreign Affairs Additional Secretary Naghma Hashmi was the chief guest of the occasion who joined the ASEAN missions’ heads at the opening ceremony and cut a rice cone to formally launch the food festival.

In his welcome remarks, Indonesian Ambassador Burhan Muhammad said the food festival was organised to familiarise our friends with the diversity and colours of the rich ASEAN culture not only by presenting the food delicacies but also through music and artistic performance. “The culinary delights of ASEAN member states are as diverse as their cultures,” he said. “The specific style and the way of presentation of food reflect the norms and values of the people,” he added.

The food festival was followed by cultural performances, starting with sulintang dance, and musical performances band performances, with many in the audiences swinging to the unique tunes of the performers. This was followed by Penacak Silat — a traditional martial art. A Javanese contemporary dance with controlled, deliberate and refined movement was also a hit with the audience.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 14^th, 2013.