M&S has introduced a ‘vegetarian biryani wrap’ and WTF?!

KARACHI: International brand Marks and Spencer recently launched a “vegetarian Biryani wrap”, and desis across the globe are losing their minds. The $2.73 biryani wrap is part of M&S supermarket’s Plant Kitchen range, and is made out of sweet potato, spicy basmati rice, buckwheat and roasted red pepper. Biryani originally includes rice, meat with a whole lot of spices and sometimes potato. The traditional food dish has a lot of variations of its own, however, the main ingredient in all of them is rice.

Author of the cookbook Indian Kitchen was among the first ones to call out the in authenticity of the dish. She wrote, “Thanks but I like my biryani with rice in a bowl not a wrap. Seriously M&S!?”

Thanks but I like my Biryani with rice in a bowl not a wrap. Seriously M&S!? pic.twitter.com/XAqNfoUsN9

— Maunika Gowardhan (@cookinacurry) January 24, 2019

Other desis followed, accusing M&S of cultural appropriation.

Dear @marksandspencer Biryani doesn't come in wraps. You are either lack of knowledge or lack of respect towards a dish and a culture. pic.twitter.com/Esk20PYYG3

— Chada Srujan Reddy (@SrujanTRS) January 30, 2019

Argh!!! Sell what you like, dudes. But a Biryani simply does *not* come as sandwich wrap. Ask any desi. You’ll not get one South-Asian telling you that a Biryani comes wrapped as a sandwich, with lettuce. There is no bread in biryani. This is illiterate 🤦🏽‍♂️ https://t.co/8Z6pVtiKrX

— Maajid أبو عمّار (@MaajidNawaz) January 29, 2019

Well @marksandspencer you’ve really started a biryani battle. The cultural appropriation debate can go a bit far BUT you can’t call a wrap a biryani! Where’s the rice? You can’t just take an Indian dish title & smack it on a wrap. It’s a bit like calling tea & scones barfi & chai

— Raveeta (@raveetabanger) January 30, 2019

An Indian biryani is traditionally a meat-based rice dish served in a bowl @marksandspencer What is all this about ? A wrap ? Give me a break! #profit first #Culture secound #Curry #Joke

— CurryChef (@CurryChef4) January 31, 2019

Just read an article about M&S making a sweet potato biryani wrap. Shocked and disgusted.

— Smyra (@smyrahussain) January 31, 2019

😡[Expostulates]
A “Biriyani wrap?” A wrap?
What the hell sort of Biryani is that M&S?

I therefore give you Biryani.
The good Begum’s AUTHENTIC Biryani, which originated in the kitchens of the great Mughals. Although they may have introduced it from Persia.
[Stomps off]🍛🥄🕌 pic.twitter.com/9TLytpoZhG

— 🛕 Zafar the Djinn 🕌 (@Zafar_Bahadur1) January 31, 2019