Byline: Vandana Soni Bakshi

Mutton's not the winner in the bird flu scare as health conscious junta settles for fish instead.

Be a vegetarian, achcha hai, specially in the times of bird flu. But not so for our Lucknowites, who might have since gone easy on tandoori murg but nonetheless

Surprisingly, mutton's still not a palatable alternative for most for whom the red meat fright equals that of the current H5N1 scare.

Sandeep Bhatia, marketing manager of a chicken supplying firm, who recently organised a chicken mela in the city asserts, "Despite the flu scare people have not exactly chickened out of eating chicken.

The sales have dropped but not as drastically as we expected. With mutton prices skyrocketing to Rs 160 per kg, it no longer seems a feasible substitute to most.

Besides, red meat is not what the health conscious junta would like to experiment with. As the H5N1 virus is destroyed at 70 degree centigrade, people, instead of forgoing chicken, are ensuring that the dish they are ordering is cooked properly."

However, Col VBF Mark, manager of a club, feels it's better to be safe than sorry. "We have stopped serving chicken dishes and instead have introduced mutton and fish preparations.

However, it is the latter which has found favour with our members who are sticklers for healthy food. In fact, the demand for fish has gone up by 30 per cent despite its price going up to Rs 80 to Rs 90 per kg."

Harmeet Singh, executive chef of a well-known hotel, too agrees with Col Mark on fish enjoying greater favour with people than mutton. "Chicken nahi to fish sahi, is the culinary mantra of clients these days.

Mutton is still off bounds for most cholesterol conscious gourmands. Even now people ask for chicken dishes, but are obsessive about them being well cooked. However, we on our own do not serve chicken in buffets or banquets."

Singh's word elicits a frown from Kunal Wadhwani as he orders for murg kalimirch at a newly opened restaurant in a mall. "What's the problem if the chicken is well cooked?

All those stars on TV can be seen digging into chicken with great relish, so what's there to be scared about? The fear is more psychological than actual. Besides I don't have a taste for fish and mutton is surely not a healthy option."

The fresh reports of detection of bird flu virus in chicken in Jalgaon (Maharashtra) hardly has restaurateurs disturbed. Says Sandeep Ahuja, owner of a restaurant in Hazratganj, "All the flu hype is finally dying down.

Ofcourse the sale of chicken has plummeted but then it has not translated into an increased demand for mutton. Most of our customers have switched over to paneer dishes, while the die hard non-vegetarians have settled for fish.

However, in the coming two months, we expect chicken to be back in business with a bang." That sure is a delectable assurance for some!

vandana.soni@timesgroup.com