On social media platforms such as X, one can find debates on almost every topic on earth. But not every participant brings finesse, especially when defending something as simple and humble as the idli. Who did it? It was Shashi Tharoor, Member of the Lok Sabha and known for his extensive, sophisticated vocabulary.
The whole episode began when an X user criticised rasgulla, writing, "Rasgulla is nothing but an idli dipped in sugar syrup. Most overrated dessert oat."
The post quickly went viral, prompting another user to remark, "If Dr Shashi Tharoor finds out about this statement, get ready for an eloquent linguistic assassination!"
That is exactly what followed. Taking to X, Tharoor penned a detailed note defending not just rasgulla but also idli, dismissing the comparison in his signature eloquent style.
"To conflate a rasgulla with an idli is not just a culinary error; it is a profound cosmological misunderstanding," Tharoor began.
He went on to compare the composition of idlis and rasgullas, highlighting their distinctiveness. "To begin with, the comparison is practically a biological impossibility. She is comparing chhena (the delicate, squeaky, pristine curd of milk) with a meticulously fermented batter of parboiled rice and black gram (urad dal). Their compositions are from entirely different kingdoms. One is an airy, spongy lattice designed to trap light sugar syrup; the other is a dense, wholesome, steamed matrix of complex carbohydrates and proteins. Their taste, consistency, structural integrity, and existential purpose share absolutely nothing in common."
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He went on to call idlis "the greatest engineering marvels of the culinary world." Tharoor wrote, "More importantly, her attempt to dismiss the idli as merely a blank canvas for sugar syrup does a grave disservice to what is arguably one of the greatest engineering marvels of the culinary world."
Making a detailed argument for his statement, he continued, "The idli is not a mere 'bland cake'. It is a masterclass in biotechnology. To achieve the perfect idli is to balance the delicate microflora of wild fermentation over a cold night, resulting in a steamed cloud that is a triumph of gut health, lightness, and nutritional balance. It is a savoury monolith of South Indian culinary genius, perfectly engineered to absorb the sharp tang of a well-spiced sambar or the fiery depth of a molaga podi (gunpowder) paste infused with cold-pressed sesame oil or melted ghee."
Upholding the dignity of idlis, he said, "To suggest an idli would even consent to being drowned in sugar syrup is to fundamentally misunderstand its dignity."
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He rested his argument with a final note on the futility of the comparison, saying, "If this lady finds rasgullas overrated, argue that on the merits of their sponginess or sweetness. But please leave the noble, perfectly fermented, steamed majesty of the idli out of your dessert-table polemics, ma'am!"
Undoubtedly, Shashi Tharoor has left his followers and food lovers, especially idli enthusiasts, amused and impressed with his articulate defence of two iconic Indian dishes.