The only time a standardisation was ever attempted was in the laste seventies when Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sriramulu issued orders categorising restaurants into categories from A to D and mandated the idli, vada and dosa must all conform to certain weight standards. Tariffs were also fixed by the government. (What a far cry from prevaling free market economy, at least its approximation). Restaurateurs, having a few ounces of business-blood extra in them, proved one up. The classic example of their retaliation was substituting beetroot for potato in the stuffing inside masala dosa. This was the only time the idlis, the vadas, or the dosas were not true to themselves. Sriramulu was quick to withdraw his nose from the sambhar.