William and Kate try Indian cooking as they meet entrepreneurs in Mumbai

11 April, 2016

Prince William and Kate attempted Indian cookery with a 21st century twist as they met

entrepreneurs in Mumbai today.

William made a dosa – similar to a crepe – using an automatic machine invented by a company from

Bangalore, and said it was “delicious.”

Kate was less adventurous, declining her husband’s offer to taste his efforts.

On the second day of their tour of India, they visited The Social, a cafe and business centre used as a

meeting place by Mumbai’s young innovators.

Kate, wearing a cream dress by Emilia Wickstead, joined her husband on a stand for Mukunda Foods,

established three years ago by its chief executive Eshwar Vikas, 24.

He showed the couple the dosamatic machine, his own invention, which makes pancakes, crepes

and dosas automatically once it has been pre-loaded with batter.

It even has a smartphone app so users can start it off without getting out of bed.

William poured out batter onto the hotplate and waited while it cooked before rolling up the dosa

and pushing it onto a plate.

The prince took a small bite from one end, and told Mr Vikas it was good, before offering it to his

wife to nibble.

But the Duchess waved the food away with her hand.

Mr Vikas said: “The Duke told me he and the Duchess love dosas and he said it was a wonderful

machine.

“He said they would love to have one in their palace and the Duchess said that because you can also

use it to make pancakes the whole of London will want one.”

The couple were also introduced to the team behind Mahindra Racing, an Indian-backed motor

racing team that competes in the Formula E championship for F1-style electric cars.

William sat in a racing car simulator and grinned as he drove around the Buddh International circuit

in Delhi, managing a lap time of 2 mins 6 secs.

Before they left, William made a short speech to launch an awards programme called the Tech

Rocketship Awards.

He told invited guests: “Catherine and I are very impressed by the energy and ideas we have just

seen. Being here today, it is clear that India is leading the way in so many areas of innovation and

technology.”

He then pressed a button which set off a series of exploding pinatas filled with metallic foil confetti.

Later today the couple were arriving in New Delhi where they will pay their respects to India’s

founding father, Mahatma Gandhi, at the spot where he was assassinated 68 years ago.

Gandhi, who led the fight for India’s independence, was shot dead by a militant Hindu nationalist on

30th January 1948, on the steps where a prayer meeting was going to take place.

Tomorrow they will have a meeting with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House,

showing Prince William’s growing status.

They will then fly to Kaziranga National Park before continuing their tour in the mountainous

Kingdom of Bhutan.

Their final stop – after being hosted by the King and Queen of Bhutan at the Lingkana Palace – will be

a stopover at the Taj Mahal in Agra on the way back to Britain.