Buffalo meat was the most sought-after dish at Delhi's Kerala House after it found its way back on the menu on Wednesday, a day after it was pulled off.
The buffalo meat curry was sold within an hour at the Kerala state guest house.
"Beef curry and beef fry usually gets sold out by 2 p.m. but today (Wednesday), it was sold out by 1.30 p.m. itself. It was sold out within an hour as lunch timing starts at 12.30 p.m. here," A.J. Santhosh, member of the staff canteen managing committee, told IANS.
"As many as 15 kg beef is served twice a day in the canteen. Beef curry and beef fry was sold out due to heavy demand here today (Wednesday). There was heavy demand as both regular visitors and 'non-regular' visitors visited the canteen," he said.
He said that most the diners were asking for the dish. - largely because the preparation was in the news after a posse of Delhi Police "raided" the canteen kitchen on a complaint that "beef", meaning cow meat, was being served there.
Cow slaughter and beef are banned by law in Delhi.
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Santhosh said: "One of the customers here said that he has been asked by his doctor not to eat buffalo meat but he still came here to take it as a challenge."
"It is due to the entire protest and the ongoing issue that the buff meat consumption was so high today (Wednesday)," he added.
The Delhi Police "raid" on the state guest house on the complaint of a leader of a fringe right-wing outfit, Hindu Sena, that beef was being served there triggered much political outcry.
The Kerala government, in a strong reaction, threatened to take action against Delhi Police personnel unless the organisation apologised.
Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi said that he has already sent a report on the incident to union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
Later, it turned out that carabeef (buffalo meat) was being served in the Kerala House canteen.
On Wednesday, the menu board at the canteen had the dish listed as 'Meat Fry and Meat Curry (Buffalo)'.