India, Oct. 17 -- Hell hath no fury like an idli scorned. A British academic found this out the hard way. Asked to respond to a questionnaire about food preferences, Ed Anderson replied candidly that he thought the idli was one of the most boring foods in the world.

Well, fair enough. I am an idli lover myself, so I don't agree. But I am not surprised he feels that way. Each time I post a picture of the idlis I enjoy for breakfast, I get bemused responses from many north Indians who cannot figure out why anyone would like idlis so much.

In Anderson's case, his preference may have got unnoticed, but the organisation that sent out the questionnaire pulled out his dissing of the idli and posted it on X. After which, it was open season on t...