Gobi Manchurian, a vegetarian alternative to chicken manchurian, has sparked culinary battles in Goa. The fusion dish has been the source of a cultural conflict between local gastronomic tastes and its widespread popularity.
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- Why did the Municipal Council ban Gobi Manchurian in Goa?
- What does the council have to say?
- How Gobi Manchurian is prepared in Goa, which led to its ban?
Why did the Municipal Council ban Gobi Manchurian in Goa?
The Mapusa Municipal Council in Goa banned food at stalls and banquets due to concerns over synthetic colors and hygiene. Image: Pexels
The Mapusa Municipal Council in Goa banned food at stalls and banquets due to concerns over synthetic colors and hygiene. The situation arose after Mapusa councilor Tarak Arolkar proposed banning the food in late January, to which the city council quickly agreed and relegated the popular dish to the culinary bin.
While Gobi Manchurian is a popular dish in India, Goi people despise it. Their disdain for food is due to a variety of factors, including poor cleaning, synthetic dyes, questionable sauces, and even the use of washing powder.
What does the council have to say?
Gobi manchurian now banned in Goa | Image: Pexels
Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) president Priya Mishra claimed that the food was banned due to unsanitary circumstances and use of synthetic colours. “The councilors were of the view that these vendors operate in unhygienic conditions and use synthetic colors to make Gobi Manchurian and that is what has led us to ban the sale of this dish,” Times of India quoted Mishra as saying.
He added that traders were warned not to offer Gobi Manchurian.
How Gobi Manchurian is prepared in Goa, which led to its ban?
While the MMC president claimed that the food was in culinary purgatory due to unsanitary methods and the use of synthetic dyes, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food safety official claimed that vendors used substandard sauces that were considered harmful for food consumption.
Vendors keep high quality sauce on display but use low quality sauce to prepare dishes | Image: Flickr
He said vendors keep high-quality sauce on display but use low-quality sauce to prepare the dishes, and they also use a powder in the batter in addition to flour and cornstarch to keep the cauliflower florets crispy for longer periods of time.
The officer explained that this powder is a type of reetha used to wash clothes. “Have you ever wondered why you pay 70 to 100 rupees per plate in restaurants and 30 to 40 rupees in zatras? That’s why,” the officer explained.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn