SAMOSA AND JALEBI TO OUTLIVE HEALTH ADVISORY AGAINST IT

Kuch baat hai ki hasti, mit ti nahi hamari.

- SIDHARTH MISHRA Author and president, Centre for Reforms, Development & Justice

Sadiyon raha hain dushman daur-e-jamana haAmara' (There is something in us that we have survived despite many in the world being our enemy for ages.). These are the famous lines of Mohammed Iqbal, the much celebrated Urdu poet. These lines are in fact prologue to Iqbal's cult poem, "Saare Jahan Se Achcha Hindustan Hamara."

Well, these lines in the current context could be well suited to the survival story of Samosa and Jalebi. Both Samosa and Jalebi exemplify how gastronomic customs migrate, adapt, and flourish. Imported as royal dishes or festive treats, Samosa and Jalebi were transformed through local ingredients, tastes, and traditions into integral parts of Indian food culture, savoured across generations, regions, and celebrations, of which Delhi is the epicentre.

This snack couple is under a specific kind of attack, with the government deciding to issue some kind of health advisory against the consumption of this popular combination. To the connoisseurs of Indian food, this advisory is being seen as an overreach that threatens to dilute Indian street-food culture. The advisory’s focus on traditional snacks, commonly consumed by lower-income groups, may overlook the health risks associated with ultra-processed foods often marketed to and consumed by more affluent populations.