DOSA

                                                                                DOSA

 

Dosa is a very popular south Indian staple food. I remember when we were young, my mom didn’t know how to make Dosa (because it was not our staple food), we ate it once and a while, when we ate out. First my elder sister learn how to make Dosa and sometimes came out nice or sometimes we had to eat crumbs, but in time I learnt to make good Dosa . . . every time I played with measurement: when to spread batter on skillet, which point of time to control heat, what color and texture I like, what taste I like “I like little bit of sour taste” So here is my Dosa recipe . . .

I always like to read discussion on rice, which rice should take but I usually take whatever available in my pantry (I normally end up with Basmati rice). Those pictures I have given below all are made from Basmati rice, I once used Dawat and once used Priya Basmati Rice.

1.       Rice - 3 cups  (Basmati Rice)

2.       Washed (skinless) Udad Daal – 1 cup

3.       Methi (Fenugreek) seeds – 1 tsp

4.       Poha – 1 fistful

5.       Salt as per your taste

6.       Oil - 1 tsp (when you need to clean griddle)

Procedure:

1.       Clean and wash rice and Daal, soak in separate bowls.

2.       Add fenugreek seeds in Udad Daal and add in Poha in Rice, let them soak for 7-8 hours.

3.       Now drain the water from rice and Daal but don’t throw away, keep in a bowl.

4.       Take Daal and rice together and grind into very fine paste, grind in small batches, it took me three turns at grinding to make my batter, now add that reserved water as needed. (I don’t see any necessity to grind rice and Daal separately, as we need really fine and smooth batter. In Idli we would grind separately but not in a Dosa recipe)

5.       Now mix well and keep in warm place to fermentation for 7-8 hours. I normally soak rice and Daal at night time, grind it the next morning to make dosa by the evening.

6.       Once the batter has fermented and is ready to cook, mix batter with ladle, and take some in small bowl add salt and water to get your desirable thickness, I don’t like too thick or too runny.

7.       Meantime heat the skillet (if you are using cast iron make sure you have used before at least 3-4 times to make it non sticky)

8.       Now take a kitchen towel or small piece of cloth, wet it with water and 1 tsp oil.

9.       Apply that oiled cloth on griddle and keep your heat at low flame. Take a big spoon of batter and spread the batter in circular manner on griddle, quickly. Put heat on high and wait for couple of minutes you will see its getting brown and edges ready to peel.

10.   Here if you want play with shape, as I like to make different shapes.

11.   If you want you can sprinkles garlic and red chilli chutney or just put your Potato masala and fold from one side and roll other side on to your serving dish. Enjoy with sambhar and coconut chutney.