Bikaneri Bhujia

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Bikaneri Bhujia
Snack, starter

Shop selling Bikaneri bhujia
Alternative name(s):
Bhujia
Place of origin:
India
Region or state:
Rajasthan
Main ingredient(s):
Gram flour (Besan)groundnut oil
Variations:
Sev
Recipes at Wikibooks:
 Bikaneri Bhujia
Media at Wikimedia Commons:
  Bikaneri Bhujia
Bikaneri Bhujia often simply called Bhujia is a popular crispy snack and is prepared by using besan (gram flour) and spices, originating from, Bikaner, a town in the western state of Rajasthan in India. Its other ingredients include moth dal, salt, red chilli, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, groundnut oil, etc. The dough is formed into a snack by pressing through a sieve and deep frying in vegetable oil. It is light yellow in colour. It is famously known to be born in Bikaner, and over the years has not just become a characteristic product of Bikaner, but also a generic name.[1] Not only in the city, but in the whole country, especially, in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar and in West Bengal it is a must served item with the regular food.

Bikaneri bhujia has been a cottage industry in Bikaner, Rajasthan, and provides employment to around 2.5 million people in villages of the region, especially women, and recently it has faced competition with multinational companies like Pepsi as well as Indian snack companies, which have used the name bhujia.[2][3] After struggling with numerous copycats over the years, in September 2010, Indian Patent Office confirmed the Geographical Indications rights and patent was issued for the brand name Bikaneri bhujia to local manufacturers of Bikaner.[4][5][6]

History

Patent and Geographical Indication Protection

In September 2010 Bikaneri Bhujia was granted Geographical Indication protection.[7] Getting the GI tag will ensure that none other than those registered as authorized users (or at most those residing inside the geographic territory) are allowed to use the popular product name, an assurance of distinctiveness in a land of thousand cultures.

See also

References

  1. "Camel country: Known for its sand dunes and bhujia, Bikaner..". The Tribune. January 18, 2009. 
  2. "The whole world's bhujia". indiatogether.org. 26 July 2005. 
  3. "India: TNCs muscling into cottage industry sectors". TWN (Third World Network). Jan 11, 1996. 
  4. "A copyright for Bikaneri bhujia, Hyderbadi haleem". Indian Express. Sep 14, 2010. 
  5. "Registered Geographical Indications (GI)". Geographical Indication Registry (India). 
  6. "Patent shield soon from copycat GI Joes". Economic Times. 24 Feb 2007. 
  7. A copyright for Bikaneri bhujia, The list has grown from 120 to 132, adding Bikaneri bhujia from Rajasthan.

External links

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