Varanasi has always been a food heaven. Be it tempting tamatar chaat, delectable kachori sabzi, sinful lassi or meetha paan, Varanasi’s gastronomic trail unravels several treasured treats. We came across one such decadent dish that is considered a “favourite winter dessert” for people in India’s oldest city. We are talking about malaiyo. Prepared with simple milk froth, the dish is only available during winter mornings. While people in Delhi call it Daulat ki Chaat, in Lucknow it is known as nimish. This is a creamy pudding-like concoction that is made using boiled milk. Recently, a food vlogger (@foodparadise.in) shared a malaiyo video on Instagram. In the clip, a street vendor can be seen serving this sweet dish loaded with dry fruits to customers. Sharing the clip, the food vlogger wrote, “Varanasi ka favourite winter dessert, Malaiyo at Shreeji sweets, Varanasi. Ye har gali nukkad mai mil jayega aapko and it is available only in winter and during morning time. [Malaiyo by Shreeji sweets is Varanasi’s favourite winter dessert. You will find this in every corner of the city. But it is only available during winter morning].” So far the video has been played more than 9 million times.
Despite the food vlogger lauding the dish, it failed to impress Instagram users. People claimed that it is an overhyped dish. Many users didn’t shy away from giving a replacement for this dish. A comment read, “Very overrated. Maine Shreeji ka hi khaaya tha. Aisa kuch special taste nahi hai. Isse better baadaam sharbat peelo. [I have tried from Shreeji, and there is nothing special in its taste. It would be better if you try baadaam sharbat].”
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A user said, “Bakwas hai… waste of money…sirf jhag hai aur kuch nahi…dubara nahi khaunga. [Useless…waste of money. It is only froth and nothing else. I will never try it again].”
A few users from Varanasi also acknowledged the post. Surprisingly, they didn’t shy away from confessing that they weren’t aware of this speciality, as a comment read, “Lived for 20 years in Varanasi, never knew this was “iconic”. Kuch samay se log bta rhe h Instagram pe ki ye Banaras ka iconic hai, Banaras walo ko pta hi nhi h. [For some time people on Instagram have been saying that this is iconic. Residents of Varanasi are also unaware of that].”
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Another commented, “Posting from Varanasi, it is totally overhyped and overrated! Otherwise, Varanasi is heaven but some things are just overhyped here!”
“Very overrated, it’s better to go for lassi,” said a user.
“I am a Banarsi and I disapprove of this. Mostly a marketing gimmick and nothing more. I will agree more with launglatta, pan, local chaat, kachori sabzi,” wrote another.
Do you like malaiyo or find it overrated? Tell us in the comments.
