Dosa is a South Indian staple that’s travelled worldwide. Neither pancake nor flatbread, the dosa could be best described as a golden brown crepe, crisp and very melt-in-the-mouth! Its ingredients are simple: a 1:4 ratio of split lentils and parboiled rice, soaked, ground into a batter and left to ferment.
Dosas are prepared by thinning the batter with water and spreading spoonfuls onto a greased, heated griddle. When both sides are cooked, the dosa is folded into a half-moon and served with small bowls of freshly ground coconut chutney and sambar, a sour-and-spicy lentil curry. A heavier version, the Masala Dosa, has a small portion of spicy, cooked potato placed inside the half-moon.
Dosas are traditionally eaten for breakfast or ‘tiffin’ in the early evening, but restaurants serve them as all day food. Variations on restaurant menu are Paper Dosa, (extra crisp, cone-shaped), Rava Dosa (made of semolina) and Uthappam (made thicker, pancake-style, with chopped onion, green chilies and tomatoes). Some restaurants publicize their expertise by making extra long, rolled dosas which can be shared by several people sitting in a row!
Comments