There was yet another food fight on the microblogging site Twitter, after the litti-chokha and dal baati battle, if one were to go by online chronicles. This time, it was a tussle over the comparative merits of Maharashtrian and Gujarati cuisine. Two cuisines, like all other Indian fare, which should have set mouths watering but instead, had tongues wagging.
Shorn down to the bare basics, when you are hungry, does it really matter if it is aamti/varan-bhaat, chappati/bhakri-bhaaji-loncha or rotli/bhakri-daal-shaak-athaanu on your plate? Be it puran-poli or vedmi, solkadhi or yellow kadhi, but please, make lots of it and remember, sharing is caring. Yes, Gujju daal is sweet but those with Maharashtrian friends will have heard how at the latter's homes, jaggery is used to offset the sour taste of kokum at times. Kokum is a common souring agent used by both groups.
Naturally, the rest of India had a good time partaking of this fare and some triumphantly declared their respective foods were the best. Misal was both maligned and hotly defended while the fat was in the fire for votaries of dhokla-fafda. Here's a sampling of the tweets that were tossed about:
@The_Sleigher: Gandhi ji had to walk for 24 days to find salt in Gujarat & properly season his food. Tells you everything about Gujarati cuisine.
@PahariPiyali: #Modi and #BJP wants Indians to live a Gujarati baniya life. We refuse. It's that simple.
Twitter user @Ranjan_zeh smelt a conspiracy: This #Foodfight over Maharashtrian and Gujarati food is Modi ji's conspiracy to divert attention from #FarmersProtest
@HarshSolanki98 decided he was going to eat pooranpoli with his Maharashtrian friend who loved dhoklas while Tweeple slugged it out.
"Thanks to bollywood movies Fafda, Jalebi, Dhokla is only Gujarati food.
But its not! Gujaratis have snacks like Thepala, Khaman, Locho, Alupuri, Khandvi, Samosa, Dal Pakwan, Batakavada, Batakapuri..." wrote @AkshayKatariyaa
@Adhiyajna bemoaned that while "Gujaratis, Rajasthanis, South Indians, Maharashtrians fighting over food. Meanwhile Punjabi farmers on strike".
"Ma k haath ka khaana anytime," declared @TheMumbaiGirl.
@ImPran25 sagely declared it was time Indian food was trending and amen to that.
