Indian food, renowned for its rich flavours, aromatic spices, and diverse culinary traditions, holds a cherished place in global cuisine. It is celebrated for its vibrant tastes and regional variety, captivating the hearts (and stomachs) of food lovers worldwide. But a recent comment by an Australian woman and YouTuber has sparked a fierce debate and ignited a storm of backlash on social media.
Viral tweet sparks controversy
The controversy began when an X user named Jeff shared a post that went viral, praising Indian cuisine. He shared a picture that had several Indian curries, a rice, and captioned it, “Indian food is the best on earth. Fight me.” The post quickly gained traction, amassing nearly 10 million views, with food enthusiasts from across the globe chiming in to celebrate the greatness of Indian dishes.
However, the viral post took an unexpected turn when X user, Dr Sydney Watson, entered the conversation. She replied to Jeff’s post, stating, “It really, really isn’t.” This simple yet provocative comment triggered an avalanche of responses.
Not content with her initial statement, Watson followed up with another tweet: “If your food requires you to put dirt spices all over it in order for it to be palatable, your food is not good.” The remark, seemingly dismissing the significance of spices in Indian cuisine, drew sharp reactions, with Watson’s tweet gathering over 5.3 million views and becoming a hotbed of backlash.
Social media erupts in defence of Indian cuisine
Many social media users leapt to the defence of Indian food, taking issue with Watson’s remarks. One user, Derek, commented, “European countries used to go to war for control over the spice trade in India,” highlighting the historical value of spices.
Another user sarcastically added, “Funny how ‘dirt spices’ have given birth to some of the most coveted cuisines in the world. I’ll take flavour over bland any day.” Nita Shah said, “Indian food is a celebration of culture, tradition, and love. If you don’t like it, that’s your loss!”
Others pointed out the irony, with one user saying, “The global obsession with Indian curries speaks for itself.”
Despite this, the overwhelming majority defended Indian food, with one passionate user wrote, “No spices, no soul.”
