Foodies rejoice! One of Brussels' most iconic sites Parc du Cinquantenaire will host the seventh edition of the Indian Food Festival this weekend. Tuck into the country's most delicious dishes and marvel at the many performances on the agenda.
Let your nose guide you to the park in the east of Brussels where more than 25 stalls will set up shop during the Indian Food Festival on Saturday and Sunday, serving up more than 100 dishes and desserts from North, South, East and West India. While more than half of the dishes are vegetarian, there are also meatier culinary specialities on the menu, meaning there will be something for everyone.
The festival can be described as a culinary journey through the South Asian country. Starting in the south with a Chennai dosa: a thin savoury pancake made from a fermented batter of ground black lentils and rice, which is served hot, often with chutney and sambar.
Then make your way to Mumbai to taste its vada pav, a vegetarian fast food dish consisting of a deep-fried potato dumpling placed inside a bread bun generally accompanied by one or more chutneys and a green chilli pepper.
Anyone still hungry can try a Hyderabadi biryani, made with basmati rice and marinated meat.
More than just a food fest
Aside from bringing together a plethora of Indian treats, the festival is also loved for its many concerts, performances and workshops. Why not take part in one of the many flashmobs, a live Bollywood choreography workshop or follow a yoga class to build up your appetite?
Aside from delicious food, the festival also serves up traditional entertainment. Credit: Embassy of India in BENELUX
Artists from in and around Belgium will showcase Indian dances such as Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Indian folk and Bollywood.
Meanwhile, the Brussels Bollywood Choir will take to the stage to bring audiences live music on Saturday, followed by Shivam Shankar on Sunday. Project MishraM, a Carnatic fusion outfit from Bangalore will also perform a special fusion set featuring Konnakol, an art of performing percussion syllables vocally, beatboxing and melodies with Western arrangements driven by guitar and bass.
Find more information about the event here.
