Southern Oregon University’s International Student Association will host their 3rd annual International Dinner on Wednesday, Feb. 1, in the Rogue River Room of the Stevenson Union. The dinner, set to begin at 6:30 p.m., is a three-course meal that features dishes from the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
“The dinner is a place where you can try food from different countries and have the opportunity to talk to the students and learn about their culture,” said Aziz al Humoudi, the public relations head of the ISA.
The evening will begin with Middle Eastern and Japanese appetizers. Tabula, a salad traditionally made of bulgar, tomato, cucumber, and finely chopped parsley and mint, will be served alongside sushi, which consists of vinegar-soaked rice and various ingredients wrapped in nori, a type of seaweed.
After appetizers are finished, bulgogi, a Korean dish made of grilled prime cuts of beef that have been marinated with a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic and peppers, will be served as the main course. An Indian dish, paneer makhanwalla, made with paneer, an Indian curdled cheese, and spicy tomato sauce will also be served.
Crepes, a thin pancake of French origin topped with various sweets, and baklava, a Middle Eastern pastry made of layered filo dough filled with honey and chopped nuts, will be the evening’s desserts.
“The cooking, serving and cleaning are all done by members of the ISA,” said al Humoudi, a 21-year-old computer science major from Saudi Arabia.
Wednesday’s dinner will be the third dinner put on by the ISA, al Humoudi said. Last year’s dinner attracted 130 guests, 30 more than the year before. This year, al Humoudi said, there is room for 135 guests, and tickets are going fast.
In addition to the food, al Humoudi said, “We also have ambassadors, which are students, seated at each table talking about their culture, answering any questions the guests have and keeping them entertained.”
On top of that, al Humoudi added, “[The dinner] is great food for a cheap price.”
Tickets for the dinner are on sale in the Stevenson Union. For SOU students, faculty and staff, the tickets are $6 in advance and $7 at the door. For others, tickets are $9 in advance and $10 at the door.
