IndiGo just called poha salad and the Internet is not having it
Is IndiGo passing off poha as salad? Photo: DailyO, Indigo/Twitter
The humble poha is a staple for breakfast in several parts of India. If you are reading this from Indore or Maharashtra, you must be nodding your head off (careful it might just come off!). For ages, the flattened rice dish has always been known as poha, avalakki, aval, chira in different Indian languages. But did you know that there are some people in India who call poha salad?
Turns out the people who call poha salad are none other than those at IndiGo Airlines. Take a look at their advert for the in-flight menu.
Salads that are prepared and served on the same day, do try them. You’ll toss everything else away. #AiromaticFresh #goIndiGo https://t.co/9BuLhqnq2f pic.twitter.com/9QANRafwWl
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) January 28, 2023
A picture of poha topped with what looks like chickpeas (kala chana) with text that reads salad!
You can take your time double-checking the image and the caption, we did too.
The first thing to pop up in our mind was confusion. Wait, is IndiGo referring to poha as salad, or did I miss a picture of salad somewhere?
Well, there is no picture of a 'salad' anywhere in the advert.
So, how did poha become salad? Is poha salad? Is poha indeed salad? Does poha become salad when we get thousands of feet above land?
Twitter was quick to try and solve this mystery.
Some pitched an addition to the menu - Salad with Jalebi (or is there a fancy name for jalebi we don't know yet?)
— Amit (@busyamit) January 29, 2023
Others were downright offended that IndiGo was trying to feed them poha by calling it salad, or just insulting poha by calling it a salad. Even the IPCC (International Poha Connoisseurs Committee) is requesting an UNGA meeting on this.
Poha is an emotion not a salad https://t.co/tbvoGelZLK
— shrinking👩⚕️ (@npmv_0542) January 30, 2023
I can tolerate veg haleem but Poha Salad is just going too far https://t.co/GK5HqT9Wke
— Akhil Tandulwadikar (@drunkcaveman) January 29, 2023
The International Poha Connoisseurs Committee (IPCC) has taken cognisance of this audacious attack on Poha's core values. Appropriate response in a separate note shall be released soon. IPCC meanwhile, has also requsted for a special UNGA session to register their protest. https://t.co/Rag1sjzKEu
— Aniket (@aniket0608) January 29, 2023
While there were some who tried to rationalise how poha was indeed salad if we look at how it was cooked.
It is a peanut and onion salad on top of the poha which Indigo is referring to ... 😂😂😂
— Arijeet Chatterjee (@arijeetac7) January 29, 2023
It is, 100% flattened rice flakes (white/brown) with cumin seed, fennel seeds in vegetable oil - mixed with sauteed onions, potato, green peas, ground nut, a dash of lime, sprinkle of coriander and sweet basil leaves
— Manish Pandey (मनीष पाण्डेय) join2manish.eth (@join2manish) January 29, 2023
It is Salad
Then, chicken in chicken biryani must also be called toppings, like this user suggests.
Yes, Chicken in chicken biriyani is topping!
— rakesh (@rakeshraih) January 29, 2023
A few basked in joy with the thought that they have been eating healthy every day for breakfast since poha is now a salad.
Never realised we in Bombay used to eat so much salad every morning
— Ravi Kalle (@rt_Kalle) January 29, 2023
But what is IndiGo's poha actually like? IndiGo offers at least two different types of poha - one is simply called poha, while the other is called poha salad. The second one comes with salad on the side. Maybe the IndiGo advert in question forgot to call the dish 'poha salad' and also missed the salad from the picture.
Also, IndiGo's special poha or 'salad' like it prefers costs anywhere from Rs 350 to Rs 450. If you have ever had poha for this price tag, it is best to take this piece of information to the grave. People will judge if you tell them.
What do you think? Is poha salad?