Sanjeev Kapoor Trolled by Twitter Malayalis for ‘Malabar Paneer’: 6 Indian Foods That Were a Result of Fusion

India’s Twitter population is never short of material to rage about. The most recent victim of its acerbic attacks is celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor, whose only fault was sharing a recipe which he called ‘Malabar Paneer.’ And in typical Twitter fashion, Netizens couldn’t stop ranting because of the proximity of the words ‘Malabar’ and ‘Paneer.' For those who are understandably scratching their heads should know that paneer is a North Indian ingredient whereas Malabar alludes to a region in Kerala, which comprises Kasarkod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram and Palakkad. There couldn’t ever have been such an entity as Malabar Paneer because Malabar area is known mostly for its nonvegetarian fares, according to many offended netizens.

Kapoor’s tweet on his Twitter account read: “Malabar Paneer - A wonderful Malabar dish that has the flavors spicies and offers several gastronomic opportunities. The food is generally fresh, aromatic and flavored. For more such interesting recipes click on.”

This harmless Tweet somehow set off a dog whistle, offending many on Twitter who were appalled by the odd combination. Here are some tweets.

Many may argue saying that paneer in a Malabari-style coconut gravy may taste atrocious. But from most of the comments, it was evident that taste was least of their concerns and most of them were outraged by the idea of desecrating something South Indian like Malabari cuisine with a North Indian ingredient. Perhaps the rabbling public didn’t get the memo that something called fusion foods have existed for ages. And if it weren’t for an audacious chef’s attempts at mixing unorthodox ingredients, the world wouldn’t have seen many amazing foods. Here’s a short list.

1 Samosa

Samosa is undoubtedly one of India’s favourite snack comprising a crisp flour casing stuffed with potatoes and other veggies. If the thought of paneer in Malabari gravy upsets you, imagine how outrageous samosa should be. Samosa belongs to Central Asia, where it was stuffed with minced meat instead of vegetables. Had it not been for one free-thinking chef who decided to experiment with vegetarian ingredients, we wouldn’t have had samosa as we knew it.

2 Malabar/Chettinad/Kozhikode Biriyani

Biryani was never an Indian dish, to begin with. The rice and meat dish which was thought to have originated first in Persia from where it travelled to other countries like India. Mumtaz Mahal, for whom the Taj Mahal was built, is also credited with inventing the biryani as per some accounts. South Indian biryanis, an amalgam of Mughal and South Indian ingredients, although lip-smackingly delicious, are very different from their North Indian counterparts. They differ in ingredients and method of preparation. Those acting territorial about the Malabar tag should shun these biryanis as well.

3 Falooda

Another Persian invention, falooda came to India with the merchants between 16th and 18th century. The falooda as we know it was developed further by the Mughals. From North to South of India, variations of the dish can be found, with a considerable difference in the choice of ingredients. In Kerala, falooda deviates from the North Indian variety in its use of chopped fruits and nuts and is just as delicious as its north counterpart. The famous gadbad ice cream from Karnataka also borrowed its format from the Persian favourite.

4 Sandwich

Sandwich is not a recipe but a format that originated somewhere in England in the 18th Century, when some country bumpkin decided to wedge a piece of meat between two breads and decided to run with it. Today, there as many varieties of sandwich in the world as there are people. India’s very own chutney sandwich is a deviation from the British summer favourite, cucumber sandwich.

5 Indian Chinese Cuisine

Where would our Gobi Manchurians and Chinese Bhels be if we stopped trying out fusion cuisine? Indianised Chinese cuisine is the biggest example of fusion foods in the country. Hakka noodles and triple Schezwan rice is as close to our hearts as Kadi Pakoda or Idli Sambar.

6 “Pink sauce” Pasta

Every time someone orders pasta with “pink sauce” at a restaurant, an Italian angel loses his wings. Italians who take their food very seriously won’t take too kindly to such requests. Yet, the average spice-loving Indian detests the bland Alfredo and loves the pink sauce since it has both the fiery tanginess of tomato and the richness of cheese.

The debate about Malabar paneer highlights one important fact – nobody gets to decide what is original or pure. Every revolutionary work of art/food/ music/ is the consequence of brave men and women venturing out of their imaginary boundary lines. So all the guardians of originality, foaming at the mouth at the thought of a fusion dish should really calm down. A Malabar paneer won’t make a Malabar chicken less popular. It’s high time we open our minds a little bit be exercise tolerance in every walk of life – paneer included. As a wise soul once said: “Change is the only constant.”

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 20, 2018 05:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).