Oh to be an invited guest…or merely fly in the Red Lentil soup, to witness all of the glitz, glamour and saris at last night’s White House State Dinner in honor of India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The fusion Indian/American South/Regional/Sustainable cuisine was prepared by Chef Marcus Samuelsson, who himself is a fusion of sorts – born in Ethiopia, raised in Sweden and a new American citizen.

The menu featured interesting items like Potato and Eggplant Salad, and Green Curry Prawns with Smoked Collard Greens, with a wine pairing for each course. Many of the ingredients even came from the White House garden!