Rajma chawal, lassi, paneer - Indian delicacies sweeping student hostels abroad!

Rajma chawal, lassi, paneer - Indian delicacies sweeping student hostels abroad!

A recent report by Fiction Agency, a renowned research firm that specialises in researching students‘ hostels and student dormitory food globally, disclosed the above in an exclusive chat with The Free Press Journal.

Staff ReporterUpdated: Friday, March 31, 2023, 08:43 PM IST
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Believe it or not but students across the world are opting to feast on Indian foods rather than their own .

A recent report by Fiction Agency, a renowned research firm that specialises in researching students‘ hostels and student dormitory food globally, disclosed the above in an exclusive chat with The Free Press Journal on Friday. The report is not official published but we managed to get a glimpse.

Mr Fib Lyer, the Research Officer on this study added that it is the presence of lakhs of indian students studying in universities abroad that has pushed for the shift in food tastes.

“In comparison, the food one eats in Europe is bland and less exciting hence the new cry by students to keep Indian dishes ,” Mr Lyer explained. According to the agency, the change is dramatically noticed in the universities in the US and the UK and to some extent in Australia and New Zealand. In counties like Singapore, curd rice is a growing option which is a staple diet for many Indians in the south of India. “Dosas are also doing well in student hostels in Singapore,” adds Mr Lyer.

In Europe apparently, in some universities, students are asking for paneer instead of cheese. A student in Germany who didn’t want to be named fearing her Univeristy could backlist her for showing a penchant for Indian food, said that paneer is less sticky and strong in taste as compared to cheese, which is heavy. This student added that in her first year at the university she shared a room with an Indian student and hence cultivated the taste.

An Indian student studying in the UK, B Jhuti told the FPJ that Indian food has always been a hit in the country but these days there is an emphasis in adding masala to foods in general, to make them taste special. Chaat Masala is apparently a bit draw.

The research agency also found out that Indian parents generally tend to send their students to hostels abroad packed with pickles and masalas and that is why the taste has simply spread.

Indian masala shaking up countries

Exports of Indian masala are also on the rise, revealing the study and universities abroad are specially ordering the same. One university in Australia is holding a food fiesta titled Rajma for Baked Beans emphasising the change in palates. The same university concluded a food festival in which a food stall ( that drew the most footfalls) was titled Hello Soya Chap - Goodbye Steak. The emphasis being healthy food.

In some universities in Canada milkshakes are being replaced with Buttermilk and Lassi. Says N Singh, a student studying Fine Arts there,” Chaas is anyway far more healthy than milkshakes and Lassi is anytime more tastier. There is a change happening and no one is complaining.”

Nutritionists caution

The FPJ spoke to a nutritionist Bindi Chawla who said that the love for Indian food is all fine but given how obesity is taking over youngsters, student kitchens should be a little cautious. “ Too much paneer and lassi is not good for health unless you are burning it out completely. A cup of plain boiled vegetables should accompany every meal.”

Healthy or not seems an insignificant issue to the new food wave hitting students abroad. Given that it is April 1, this news is possibly not true either. But Jai Ho to Indian food anyway and April Fool’s Day dear readers.

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