Fans of Desi Chinese food have long loved Gobi Manchurian, a fusion dish that typically coats cauliflower florets in a spicy red sauce. However, Goa's Mapusa has called a war against the popular dish.
In January, the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) in Goa banned several Gobi Manchurian stalls in the city's Shree Bodgeshwar Zatra, raising concerns over hygiene and the usage of synthetic colours in food.
According to a report by The Times of India, the ban was implemented after reports of questionable sauces and washing powder being used to make the dish came to light. MMC chairperson Priya Mishal told the publication, "The councillors opined that such vendors operate in unhygienic conditions and use synthetic colours for making gobi manchurian, and that is what has prompted us to ban the sale of this dish.”
A senior Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officer told TOI that many vendors use good quality sauces for display but end up using the ones that are unsafe for consumption. "They keep the quality sauce on display but use substandard ones for the preparation of gobi manchurian. They use some kind of powder in the flour and cornstarch in the batter so that after deep frying, the cauliflower florets remain crispy for a long time,” he added.
The officer further added that these stall owners also use reetha, a powder used for washing clothes. "Have you wondered why you pay ₹70-100 for one plate in restaurants and ₹30-40 in ‘zatras’," he added.
The news saddened several Desi Chinese lovers on social media. While some lauded MMC's decision to inspect the unhygienic conditions in street food stalls, others criticised the move. One user wrote on X, "Gobi Manchurian banned in Mapusa stalls. What will they ban next, wada pav?
"Its because of hygiene concerns, which is valid, I wish street/restaurant foods across the country are also inspected for food safety and hygiene," wrote another.
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