Butter chicken, garlic naan, mango lassi ranked ‘best Indian dishes’, malpua in ‘worst’ list sparks debate

As a child, achappam (rose cookies) were one of my ultimate comfort snacks - crispy, deep-fried in coconut oil and perfect with a hot cup of ginger tea. They were a staple snack in my grandma's kitchen, and I loved watching them being made.

These signature Kerala treats are made with rice flour, plain flour, sugar, and coconut milk.

It came as a shock to me when I read that this beloved snack had been listed among the worst Indian dishes, in an online list recently.

TasteAtlas, an online food guide based in Zagreb, Croatia, posted an image on Instagram showcasing the ranking of Indian dishes with the caption, “From best to the worst rated Indian foods. #india #tasteatlas”

The list ranking 10 best and worst Indian dishes has gone viral on social media, stirring a debate among other Indians like me, who found their favourite dishes in the ‘worst’ list.

It’s not surprising that popular dishes such as mango lassi (a smooth, creamy, and refreshing Indian drink, combines mango, milk, yoghurt, and ice) and butter chicken, garlic butter naan, and shahi paneer (a Mughlai dish where paneer or cottage cheese is cooked in a creamy gravy made of onions, yoghurt, and nuts) were featured in the' best' category.

Masala chai also made it to the best food category.

However, many online users were taken aback to discover that some common favourites like malpua or fried flatbread made with milk solids and soaked in sugar syrup, mirchi ka salan, achappam, jaljeera, upma, and aloo baigan, were listed in the 'worst' category by Taste Atlas.

Many expressed surprise and even disbelief at some of these selections.

Ahsaas Channa, an Indian actress with 3.7 million Instagram followers, wrote, "And who is rating this?"

"Guys, you need to actually ask Indians to rate the dishes," commented @bhoir_shyamali, which received the most likes in the comment section.

Another upset reader, Aayush Sharma commented, "Maturity is realising that all the comfort food has been rated the worst."

"Times like this, I feel Instagram should seriously have a dislike button for a post," commented another Instagram user, Dr AV Ranganadham.

Another Instagram user,@talesfromaaroo, commented, "Such a half-baked list put together by someone who either hasn't experienced Indian food or has a small palate… anyway, like I say, food too is very subjective!"

The food and travel platform TasteAtlas was founded in 2015 by Croatian journalist and entrepreneur Matija Babić, and officially launched in 2018.

The platform releases numerous food rankings throughout the year, which are reportedly based on various criteria such as article mentions, reviews, Google Search popularity, and relevant certifications, including Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage, European Geographical Indication (GI), and more.