British High Commissioner Alex Ellis eats dosa with hands as suggested by Tweeple, win hearts

“92% of Twitter is correct! It tastes better with the hand,” Ellis wrote meaning the result of a poll he had put out a day earlier. Asking people to vote how should he enjoy his morning breakfast with hands or knife-fork, majority voted for the prior.

He also used a colloquial phrase ‘Bombat Guru’ in his tweet to suggest the masala dosa was amazing.

92% of Twitter is correct! It tastes better with the hand. ✋

ಮಸಾಲೆ ದೋಸೆ | ಬೊಂಬಾಟ್ ಗುರು👌 | एकदम मस्त 🙌 https://t.co/fQJZ3bKfgW pic.twitter.com/xoBM2VEqxD

— Alex Ellis (@AlexWEllis) August 5, 2021

It all started when he initially posted a picture of himself relishing on Mysuru Masala Dosa but was seen using a fork and a knife. As people appreciated his efforts to try the Indian cuisine and using Hindi and Kannada words in his tweets, they also informed him that the best way to enjoy Indian food was hands. Hence Twitter poll was launched.

Sharing the image, he has mentioned ‘Sākkkat āgide’ in Kannada, which translates to “This (tastes) awesome”.

Delicious #MysuruMasalaDosa!!
A great way to begin my first visit to #Bengaluru.

ಸಾಕ್ಕ್ಕತ್ ಆಗಿದೆ | बहुत स्वादिष्ट हैं pic.twitter.com/LDa2ZZ0Fua

— Alex Ellis (@AlexWEllis) August 4, 2021

People on social media were glad he took the suggestion from the people and decided to eat with his hands. Other came up with other suggestions as well for the British diplomat such as donning ethnic Indian clothes.

Every Ancient Indian ways of life is gonna surprise you in a complete awwww ! @AlexWEllis we love your candidly honest tweet 😊 Namaste 🙏 https://t.co/dkdzH4CkbF

— Yogini🇮🇳 (@starkked) August 6, 2021

Have you tried Kadhi & Rice, yet?
It tastes great with spoon and with hand, both 🙂

— chetan vashistth (@chetanhere) August 6, 2021

The dosa should be on a banana leaf and not on a chinaware plate. It would smell and taste better.

— Manoj Misra (@tonymisra) August 6, 2021

Try Kori rotti and chicken saru next time 😋😋

— HudukBuddi (@HudukBuddi) August 5, 2021

Next time ask for the “gatti chutney”, dosey tastes better with gatti chutney than this neer chutney.

Thank sannidhanam later.

— Sri Sri Sri Srimad Jagatmindri MahaswamigaLu 🛕 (@jagatmindri) August 5, 2021

pic.twitter.com/sawghRFrvt

— The ಬೀಸ್ಟ್ Poorna🚩 (@IAnnapurnna) August 5, 2021

Sir, try bisibele bath, Onion dose, Kesari bath, uppittu, idly, uddina vade sambar.

— Chaitra K G (@kg_chaitra) August 5, 2021

Sometime, try Rajma-Chawal or Dal-Chawal with hand, heavenly experiance 😌

— LandOfRisingEarth (@Gaurav_Gupta_11) August 5, 2021

Excellency,

Missing Sambar Vada, Pongal, Idli with Dosa….It’s like Full English break fast.😜

And South Indian breakfast is incomplete without Filter – Coffee / Kapi :-)

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— X!-Sh!T-P!mp. Chairman & Subreme comander One-G!na (@OhPotty) August 5, 2021

Take a bow Mr.Ellis. You are so humble to learn it. Appreciated your spirit to learn. 🙏🙌

— Vijayalaxmi🇮🇳 (@Vijayalaxmi__) August 5, 2021

Alex, looking forward to seeing you in this too! pic.twitter.com/PpYx9QqshS

— Dr. Ajayita (@DoctorAjayita) August 5, 2021

Ellis was invited by new Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai a couple of days earlier as part of his office’s initial meetings with diplomats representing various countries with consulates located in Bengaluru.

ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ ಅವರೆ 🙏

Delighted to be 1st diplomat received by @BSBommai – much done, much more to do with the @CMofKarnataka on education, research, investment, sustainability, infrastructure and mobility, to harness talent of 🇬🇧 and 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/kdvjRDtw32

— Alex Ellis (@AlexWEllis) August 5, 2021

After the meeting, the first he hosted for a diplomat since he took reigns from B S Yediyurappa, Bommai said that the meeting touched upon various issues of close cooperation between the state and the United Kingdom related to education, research, infrastructure, investment, mobility, and sustainability.