Delicious dosa

India is a diverse and ancient land encompassing more than two dozen states. With a population over one billion, made up of hundreds of tribes that have mixed over centuries, you might expect a highly varied cuisine. That is seen even in such categories as snacks.

The variety of dosa, hailing from Southern India, is a good case in point. Dosa is a pancake-like food prepared from a batter made with rice and lentils. All varieties of dosa begin like that, but each adds a distinctive twist to this delightful dish.

Here are a few examples...

Plain dosa recipe

This is the recipe for plain dosa, the most simple.

Ingredients

Procedure

1. Rinse the rice, then drain. Mix the rice and fenugreek together in a bowl then cover with water. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and allow to stand overnight. The softened rice should be easy to mash now. Add the soda water and a pinch of salt. Mash in the bean curds.
2. To cook, simply spread a small amount of oil on a tava -an iron griddle- and heat for a few minutes. Pour the batter in a circular pattern, either starting from the center and working out, or working from the outside in until the central hole is filled. Flip when the edges are browned.

Rava dosa

Rava is a delightful variation.

Instead of the fenugreek, substitute a teaspoon of coriander, chopped very finely. Soak the rice as before, but during the mashing, add 2 cups (500 ml) of buttermilk. Cook as before.

Paneer dosa

Now we're getting really exotic. This variation uses cottage cheese to add bulk and tang. A truly delicious style.

In addition to the ingredients listed first, include a cup of grated paneer after the soaking phase. For a zesty variation, add 2 finely chopped green chiles.

Masala dosa

For an even spicier style from Southern India, try dosa with a fine masala. Prepare the dosa batter as before. Add the masala and cook as before.

Masala can be difficult to make well. It requires a good deal of preparation. Fortunately, it can be purchased pre-made for cooks in a hurry. For those who love to make everything from scratch themselves, here's how.

Ingredients for the masala

Procedure

Roast the cumin and mustard seeds, then chop finely. Slice the onions and peel and boil the potatoes for 10-20 minutes depending on size. Dice the cashews. Add all the ingredients together then add to the batter.

Jaggery dosa

This sweet variation is delicious for breakfast.

To save yourself some trouble on the batter, you can use a cup of wheat flour mixed with 1/4 cup of rice flour, rather than preparing your own. Now, you will take the rava recipe -apart from the rice- and add a cup of jaggery, a sweet brown sugar.

Cook as before.

Tips

Preparing the Jaggery to add to the mix is easy. Pour the powder into two cups of boiling water and reduce the heat to avoid scorching. Simmer until it is a thick, gooey mixture. It will smell wonderful.

Recipe type

All seasons, batters, breakfast, light meal, main meal, snack.