Blame it on marketing or oblivious North Indians, for the longest time, I also thought that South Indian food consisted of just the trinity – Dosa, Idli, and Vada. I discovered other delicacies like the rich Malabar Parotta and Chettinad Curry, the fluffy Appe and Appam much later in life. Sigh!
Dosa – the super healthy rice and lentil crepe can be made plain or with some kind of filling (potatoes, paneer, chutney, etc.), and it’s usually eaten with coconut chutney and sambhar. Here’s the recipe for the most famous South Indian Dosa in North India! Start your batter today and have a Happy Dosa Weekend!
Maravillosa Masala Dosa
Enjoy the steps!
Ingredients
- 1/ 1-2 cup idli rice (also called sona masoori rice), washed, soaked for 5 hours and drained
- 1 cup urad dal (skinned black gram), washed, soaked for 5 hours & drained
- 3/4-1 cup water (to blend dal); 1/2 cup water (to blend rice)
- 1/2 teaspoon methi seeds (fenugreek seeds), soaked with dal
- 2 tablespoon poha (flattened rice), soaked for 30 mins & drained
- 1/2 teaspoon rock salt (or any non-iodised salt)
- Some oil to make dosas
Directions
- In a blender, add rice, poha, and water. Grind into a smooth but thick paste. Don’t make a runny batter. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Now blend dal, methi, and water. Grind into a smooth and lightly frothy paste. This shouldn’t be runny either. Transfer into the large bowl which already has the rice batter.
- Add salt and mix both the batters well with your hand (apparently, human warmth aids fermentation). Cover the bowl and leave it in a dark, warm place for 8-16 hours. Depending on colder or hotter regions, the fermentation time varies.
- Heat a non-stick or cast iron flat pan for 2 mins. Pour a ladle full of batter, using the back of the ladle spread the batter in a clockwise motion to make a thin crepe.
- Cook on medium-high heat for 1-2 mins and put oil on the edges. When the edges come off, flip and cook the other side for 1-2 mins. Take off of the pan, fold with the golden side up and serve hot!
Tips:
- Fermentation check: The batter will rise and increase in volume. Drop a teaspoon of batter in some water, if it floats it’s ready. If not, leave it untouched for 2-4 hours.
- The batter can be stored in the fridge for 5-7 days.
- Please note that the recipe only indicates cooking time, not the prep time.
