I was introduced to it within days of joining the institute, and it soon became a favourite place. Spongy, light, and flavourful idlis that literally melt in the mouth, along with unique chutney and crispy vadas, were addictive.

On Sunday evenings, many like me skipped the mess food and had our fill of idlis at Veena Stores. There were no hotels near IISc then, and Veena Stores offered tasty food. Hence, on the days when the mess was closed, it was the most popular place for snacks as a substitute for dinner. After I acquired a two-wheeler, I routinely visited the Ganesha temple in Malleswaram and had breakfast at Veena Stores on the way back.

After leaving IISc, I joined the Pune-based National Centre for Cell Science as a scientist. I made a point of visiting Veena Stores whenever I visited Bengaluru. The visits became more frequent when I was a member of the DBT Research Associate selection committee. Pradeep, the son of the owner of the Veena Stores, who was a child during my student days, was an adult by then.

Scientists like me were looking for microbes everywhere using DNA-based methods and trying to grow them in the laboratory. For those not familiar with microbiology and who think microbes only cause illness, I must clarify that microbes carry out many more useful activities than spreading diseases. Increasing the digestibility, shelf life and nutritive value of foods is one of them.

We were exposed to the amazing diversity of microbes and their roles in diverse environments such as soil, water, agricultural fields and the human body. Foods, especially fermented foods, were also being studied.

Around 2005, a doctoral student was interested in looking at microbes involved in the fermentation of idli and had collected idli batter from some eateries and households in Pune. During one of his visits to Bengaluru, he asked if I could get a sample from a restaurant in Bengaluru. I could think of no better place than Veena Stores. I requested Pradeep for some batter, which he readily gave me.

The results were amazing. It is something like science validating what I had known all along. The sample batter sourced from the Pune eateries and homes had fewer diverse microbes; Veena Stores' batter was rich in good microbes that brought out the flavour and contributed to the texture and softness of its idlis. Veena Stores' idli is indeed unique.

The results of the study were published in 2019 in one of the highly acclaimed journals in the field. So, the science behind Veena Stores' idlis has international approval.

When I narrated this to Prof P Balram, the former director of IISc, he too was delighted and joked that this may well make headlines as 'Microbes behind the crowd and traffic jam at 15th cross at Margosa road'.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.)