Food experts have different views on the dish known as Gobi Manchurian, which boasts flaming red colours and sweet and spicy undertones. The Mapusa Municipal Council of Goa outlawed the fusion classic, which had previously drawn criticism for its artificial hue and lack of hygienic requirements, adding to the reaction against it at food stands and establishments.
According to a Times Now paper, Councillor Tarak Arolkar spearheaded the effort to outlaw this well-liked meal during the Bogdeshwar temple feast last month.
The meal was called a gastronomic insignificance, and the council publicly applauded its choice.
This coincides with the tendency of several government agencies being against Gobi Manchurian. Previously, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) directed the Mormugao Municipal Council to control the sale of this product at the 2022 Vasco Saptah Fair at Shree Damodar Temple.
This was a result of the FDA discovering, during its inspections at other Goan fairs, that the Gobi Manchurian stalls had filthy conditions.
Opposition to Gobi Manchurian can be attributed to a variety of factors, including dubious sauces, synthetic colouring, poor cleanliness, and the use of washing power.
According to MMC Chairperson Priya Mishal, “hygiene concerns” are the main cause, the article continued. According to Mishal, the Gobi Manchurian sellers labour in dirty conditions and add artificial colouring to the meal to give it a blazing red appearance, which is why the food was eventually outlawed.
When these food stalls were granted authorization, the merchants were expressly instructed not to offer Gobi Manchurian.
A senior Food Safety Officer (FSO) at the FDA refuted this assertion, stating that the vendors were also cited for using poor-quality sauces that are not fit for human consumption.
The officer asserted that although the merchants use better sauce for Gobi Manchurian, they utilise inferior sauce for presentation. The Times of India cited the officer as stating, “They use some kind of power in the flour and cornflour in the batter so that after deep frying, the cauliflower florets remain crispy for a long time.”
