India, March 21 -- It's both puzzling and a little gratifying. Whenever you mention dosas to knowledgeable foodies, they look at you a little superiorly and ask, "But do you like benne dosa?"

A new restaurant serving benne dosa in Mumbai is jam packed, people look for the dosa in Delhi at Carnatic Cafe, and hotels are rushing to put it on their menus. I realised how far the benne dosa's fame had spread when Daniel Humm, chef-patron at the three-Michelin-star Eleven Madison Park in New York, came to India last year. One of the first things he asked me was, "Where can I get a benne dosa?"

Just as bragging about benne dosa has become a way for foodies to demonstrate that they are connoisseurs who will not be satisfied with a simple Udupi m...