Dosa is a crispy, savory pancake made from the fermented rice batter and accomplished with sambhar and coconut chutney. It is a staple food of South India but gained popularity all over the world. It is relished for its flavors, seasoning, taste, visual appeal, and fragrance. Usually spelled as Dosai or Dosay, it is eaten for dinner, breakfast, or simply as a snack.
It is made from soaked and drained rice, fenugreek seeds, and urad dal, also known as black lentils. Processed in a food processor and combined with water, the mixture makes a thin batter that ferments until flavorful. The batter is spread out on a hot pan and cooked similar to a crepe until crisp and delicious. It is stuffed with a spicy filling made from potato, onion, and peas with some basic spices. It is accomplished with sambhar and coconut chutney.
Read More : PART 2- SOUTH INDIAN CUISINE
It has many variations like masala dosa, with a filling of the potato masala. Mysore masala is the spicier version of it. New fusions of dosa like Chinese, chees, paneer, and many others. One of the variations is very popular among the kids it is paper dosa. It is made from the non-fermented batter which is cooked in a tava with some ghee. Rava Dosa is one of the variety. It is very easy and the best part is that no grinding or fermentation is required. It is crispier than rice batter dosa.
History Of Dosa
It is originated in South India; their exact birthplace in that region is a matter of conjecture. It is believed that the crepe was found initially in the Temple streets of Udipi, Karnataka. This dish was associated with Udipi restaurants. Also, the original Tamil dosa was softer and thicker. The thinner and crispier version of dosa was first made in present-day Karnataka.
Udipi restaurants introduced dosa to the other state and make that popular. Since the dish is prepared by using rice it is high in carbohydrates and low in calories. Since they are very delicious yet light, they are popular among diet conscious people and those with digestion problems. It is accomplished with sambhar which is made from lentils and vegetables which is full of nutrients. It is also a good source of protein.
As the rice batter is very popular because it makes a few more different dishes with that batter like idli or uttapam. Idli is a savory steamed rice cake that is dunked in sambhar and topped with coconut chutney. Uttapam is a thick pancake with toppings. It is also a type of dosa that is crunchier and crispier than a regular dosa.
Do not get confused between uttapam and a dosa. It is more like a pancake in which different types of ingredients are used as toppings. Some of the popular toppings are onions, capsicum, bell pepper, carrots, coriander, ginger, tomatoes, and additional vegetables with masala and spices of your choice.
Instant Rava Dosa Recipe
Ingredients
- Rava 1 cup
- Rice flour 3/4 cup
- All-purpose flour 1/4 cup
- Fresh coconut 1 tbsp
- Jeera 1 tsp
- Green chili 2
- Coriander 1/4 cup
- Onion 1
- Salt as taste
- Water 2 cups
- Oil 1 tbsp
- Ghee 1 tbsp
Method
- Dice / Slice up the vegetables keep aside in a bowl.
- In a big mixing bowl add rava, rice flour, all-purpose flour, and water. Mix well. Keep aside for half an hour.
- After half an hour add the onions, green chilies, cilantro, cumin seeds, coconut pieces, and salt. Mix well.
- Take a large non-stick pan on a medium flame and apply some clarified butter on the surface, and wait for it to get hot.
- Once hot using a ladle start pouring the batter from a little height.
- Now fill the large holes with the batter. Pour a little oil on the edges.
- Once you start seeing the edges getting brown use a sharp-edged spatula and make sure that it is not sticking to the pan.
- Now flip and cook the other side for ½ -1 minute.
- Once cooked using a spatula remove the dosa from the griddle or pan and place it on a plate.
- Repeat the same process with the rest of the batter.
- Serve hot with some Coconut Chutney, Red Chutney, and Sambar.
