India-China clash: Twitterati defends 'Indian-Chinese food' as Athawale calls for ban on cuisine

Be it takeaway, ordering-in or dining-out, there is a special place for Chinese cuisine -- aka Indian-Chinese -- in the hearts of Indian foodies. So on Thursday when Union Minister Ramdas Athawale called for a ban on Chinese food, Twitterati did not spend much time before defending it. "Restaurants selling Chinese food should be banned. I appeal to people to boycott Chinese food," said Athawale on Thursday.

However, Twitterati defended the cuisine and pointed out that this does not help much as the Chinese food that is widely consumed in India is hardly Chinese. The Chinese food available across India is a far cry from the bland avatar that is consumed in the neighbouring country. Twitterati and fans of the cuisine pointed out that with a mix of spices, cottage cheese and vegetables like cauliflower, Chinese food in India is actually more Indian than Chinese.

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Some took to the microblogging site to say that even if the cuisine is called Chinese, Indian ingredients are used, it is Indians who make it, and does not benefit China in any manner. Some Twitter users said that a culture war, moreover, is not what the countries should be aiming for now.

Some added that the Chinese food that Indians consume cannot be found in China, since they are all desi variations. A few users also suggested introducing the world to what is Indian-Chinese food. Meanwhile, some just defended the cuisine so as not to part ways with their favourite gobi manchurian or hakka noodles or paneer spring rolls. All-in-all, they all agree that Indian-Chinese is a much delicious version.

Umm.. most of what is called "Chinese" food in India is actually "Indian Chinese" (and is, IMHO, tastier than the original). In nearly all cases it is made in India, by Indians and from Indian grain/vegetables/chicken. This particular boycott doesn't make much sense! https://t.co/Vs6EXcO3dJ

— Vikram Chandra (@vikramchandra) June 18, 2020

Absolutely not. Indian-Chinese is the authentic Chinese. Garam masala chow-mein, Gobhi Manchurian, Chilly Chicken dosa, Sweet and Sour Idli chaat. Mind it. https://t.co/QIItOLuGBb

— Smita Prakash (@smitaprakash) June 18, 2020

Indian Chinese cuisine is uniquely Indian. Banning it is like banning Dosa-samosa-sambar-chole. Eating out wouldn’t be the same without “Gopi manjoori”, “tarkari-noodal” & “paneer-ispringroll”😃

— Bha_mini (@bha_mini) June 18, 2020

Indian Chinese has got nothing to do with China.
Indian Chinese dishes originate from Tangara, Kolkata.
Tong Atchew and his tribe (Hakka Tribe) settled in a village in India which is now called Achipur.
Most of the Chinese dishes we eat can't be found in China!

— ABCinIndia (@indie_electric) June 18, 2020

Absolutely not! Indian Chinese is made by Indians for Indians with Indian food grains and vegetables. Our customised Indian recipes have made it is much tastier then the original. https://t.co/WHCoqlnLHF

— Navita नारायणी 🇮🇳 (@Navita_S22) June 18, 2020

On the the contrary we should promote the “Indian Chinese” cuisine to the world and make money!! It is light years tastier than those wet market products you get from Wuhan!! 🤣

— S Sarkar (@Ray_SarkarUK) June 18, 2020

Do you know that the "Chinese" food that we get here is actually INDIAN CHINESE and it is far from being authentic chinese food. Also, all of those chinese food is actually cooked by Indian, using Indian ingredients?

— Aarav Agarwal (@AaravAg81996317) June 18, 2020

Chinese food should be banned....Why? What is Chinese about the Chinese food in India

— Anup Kumar Sahoo (@anupkumarsahoo) June 18, 2020

Momos too are now heavily domesticated; in fact momo economy was a thriving micro enterprise success story in pre Covid times; hope there is no assault on that strand as more & more enterprises open up

— Rakesh Khar (@rakeshkhar) June 18, 2020

Athawale's call to ban Chinese cuisine came after calls to ban Chinese products in India. Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has asked Bollywood celebs who endorse Chinese products to stop endorsing them. CAIT has appealed to Aamir Khan, Sara Ali Khan, Virat Kohli, Deepika Padukone, Sidharth Malhotra, Baadshah, Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh for Xiaomi, Salman Khan, Shraddha Kapoor and Ayushmann Khurrana among other stars to stop endorsing Chinese products. Moreover, the government has also discouraged joint ventures with Chinese companies after the border clash. The government also asked state-owned BSNL, MTNL and other private telcos to not use Chinese-made equipment. The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL) terminated the contract with Beijing National Railway Research and Design Institute of Signal and Communication Group Co Ltd for designing and installing signal and telecommunication network in the 417-km DEFRC segment between Kanpur and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Station (Mughal Serai junction) in UP.

Also read: 'Dont promote Chinese goods': Traders body tells Kohli, Deepika, Ranbir, other celebs

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