Shashi Tharoor's witty defence of idlis on X turned a casual food complaint into a viral cultural debate. Responding to a user who called idlis "steamed regret," he likened them to Beethoven symphonies and Tagore songs, sparking laughs, cravings, and renewed pride in South Indian breakfasts. He wrote, "It is the culinary equivalent of a Beethoven symphony, a Tagore sangeet."