Don’t Like Indian Food? You’re A Racist!

[Anonymous No.13273924]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50550735
25 November 2019

'Indian food is terrible' tweet sparks hot debate about racism

A tweet from a US academic calling Indian food "terrible" has sparked a hot debate about cultural intolerance and racism in international cuisine.

"Indian food is terrible and we pretend it isn't," said international affairs professor Tom Nichols.
Critics called his comment a tasteless generalisation.

The remark led to a wider discussion of the immigrant experience and how many in the US have experienced racism in relation to food.

Mr Nichols - who teaches at the US Naval War College in Rhode Island - posted his opinion after another Twitter user had asked for "controversial food opinions".

“I think people often pretend to like non-American cuisines as a way of showing sophistication. I'm honest enough to say that my mostly Irish taste buds can't handle whatever it is that is called "Indian" in the US and UK.
You may all continue with your outrage now.”

cont.

[Anonymous No.13273926]

>>13273924

Critics were quick to respond. "Do you not have taste buds?" asked celebrity chef Padma Lakshmi.
"Imagine going through life this flavourless," wrote another commenter.

Preet Bharara, a former prosecutor from New York, tweeted: "Tom, I'll take you to a place. We need to bring the country together. #ButterChickenSummit."

Others said Mr Nichols had probably tried "less than 1%" of all Indian dishes, which come from a hugely diverse country. Mr Nichols later admitted that he had only ever eaten at Indian restaurants in the US and UK.

Mr Nichols' initial tweet led to a wider discussion about the way food plays into the immigrant experience.

Some noted that in the US, international food - sometimes called "ethnic food" - is often marketed as "cheap eats". Therefore many people are more familiar with pared-down, "Americanised" street dishes that lack authentic ingredients.

"There is no 'Indian' food'," wrote one commenter.

"Also there is no curry flavour. There is no chai tea," she added, referring to the fact that chai is simply a word meaning "tea" in Hindi, and "curry" is a style of dish, rather than a flavouring.

cont.

[Anonymous No.13273928]

>>13273926

Others pointed out how smell and flavour have long been prevalent in racist comments towards minorities, and accused Mr Nichols of intolerance.

First-generation American Saira Rao wrote: "Having white people trash Indian food is extremely triggering as an Indian who has been told that I smell weird, that my food smells weird and that Indians [expletive] on the street which is why everything we are smells bad."

As the story drew attention in Indian media, the hashtag #MyFavoriteIndianFood started trending.

US presidential candidate Kamala Harris, whose mother's family hails from south India, shared a teaser for a cooking video with comedian Mindy Kaling using the hashtag.

But some foodies dismissed the row outright saying simply: "I see someone on twitter has racist views on Indian food. Well, more for me then."

Others took similar issue with a "controversial food" tweet from ABC senior reporter Terry Moran, who said: "Chinese food is tired. It's boring, gloppy, over-salted and utterly forgettable."

One person replied to his tweet: "Oh Lord here we go again with bubble-inhabiting white guy, announcing his pathetic ignorance of an entire cuisine and its myriad regional varieties".

Asian food lovers rounded on Moran, accusing him of having only eaten at takeout restaurants and never tasted authentic cuisine from the most populated country on Earth.

END

[Anonymous No.13273950]

>>13273924
>>13273926
>>13273928
You aren't here to talk about Indian food or anything directly food related. You are here to discuss the political nature of the inane issue you're referencing.
Kindly take this to the appropriate board. I suggest /pol/ if you want people to engage in outrage about outrage culture.

[Anonymous No.13273966]

Grr this all makes me angry for some reason. Also is ethnic food cheaper in some areas? It's more expensive where I live. It's the midwest though.

[Anonymous No.13274046]

>>13273926
>Preet Bharara, a former prosecutor from New York, tweeted: "Tom, I'll take you to a place. We need to bring the country together. #ButterChickenSummit."

Butter chicken is just chicken curry without curry powder and with yogurt instead of coconut milk.

[Anonymous No.13274052]

>>13273950
okay pajeet. sorry for upsetting you and your rich culture

[Anonymous No.13274059]

You have to like Indian food, or you're racist, because Indian food is obviously better than all the disgusting europerson food.

[Anonymous No.13274060]

>>13274059
that does seem to be the gist of the "clap back" he's getting

[Anonymous No.13274065]

>>13274060
And nobody is calling them out on it.

[Anonymous No.13274067]

>>13273924
Typical shitskin fragility

[Anonymous No.13274083]

>>13274046
So then butter chicken isn't like curry chicken.

[Anonymous No.13274089]

>Tom Nichols
Literally who?

[Anonymous No.13274096]

>>13274083
>>13274046
redbull me on chicken curry, is it some kind of a dish where all variants of it have a few mandatory components like risotto has
>rice
>onions
>white wine
>parmiggiano(?)

does curry have
>coconut milk
>curry powder
>something else(?)

[Anonymous No.13274106]

I don't want pajeets touching my food. I don't want to eat their feces and fingernail gunk. Simples