A seemingly harmless attempt to serve idlis in a different style has sparked a social media storm, with Congress leader Shashi Tharoor delivering a humorous verdict that quickly went viral.
The controversy began when Bengaluru-based product manager Yash shared a photograph of idlis sliced into neat triangular wedges, resembling pizza slices. While he may have intended to make the dish easier to eat, many social media users saw it as an unusual makeover of one of South India’s most beloved foods.
Tharoor’s witty response steals the show
Among those who reacted was Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, whose playful comment soon became the highlight of the conversation.
“This is what happens when a software engineer gets into the kitchen and tries to partition the data!” Tharoor wrote on social media.
He added, “It’s called ‘idli’, not ‘id-slice’. No one eats idlis this way, unless they’re Italian and mistake it for pizza.”
The remark quickly gained traction online, with users praising Tharoor’s humour and creativity.
Internet joins the fun
Social media users flooded the comments section with jokes of their own. Some quipped that the idli had been broken down into “actionable units”, while others suggested it was a classic case of product-management thinking being applied to breakfast.
Many joked that the dish had undergone segmentation, optimisation and user-experience enhancements before reaching the dining table.
Tharoor’s defence of idli traditions
This is not the first time Tharoor has weighed in on unconventional idli combinations.
Recently, he reacted to another viral food trend involving idli served with chai, firmly rejecting the pairing and drawing support from many South Indian food lovers.
The latest episode has once again highlighted India’s passion for food traditions, proving that even a small change to a beloved dish can ignite spirited debate online.