Dosai
When I meet non-Indian people and the subject of food (inevitably) comes up, I often get asked what kinds of food I make at home. I’ve noticed, though, that most Sydney-siders that I’ve met think that Indian food = not South Indian food. And so when I speak of our heavily rice-based diet, when I speak of rasam and sambhar and many of the other things we eat, they have no idea what I am talking about. Before you know it, eyes have glazed over. Polite nodding has commenced.
The one exception to this is dosai. People have heard of this; many more than I’d have expected. Pretty much everyone who has tried it loves it. This last fact isn’t hugely surprising – honestly, to know dosai is to love it. When my daughter is at her absolute fussiest, it is one of the two things she will actually eat (the other being mac & cheese – surprise, surprise).
If you aren’t one of those in the know though, allow me to elucidate. A dosai is not unlike a crepe. It is made from a lentil and rice batter, which is allowed to ferment overnight, and is very firmly in the savoury (not sweet) camp. Side note, many Indian stores sell the batter pre-made. My mother insists it is nowhere near as good as the homemade version, but I won’t judge you for going that route (I do, all the time). She’s not wrong, though – the homemade version is better. So here it is.
Ingredients (to make ~25 dosai):
Parboiled rice – 4 cups
Fenugreek – 1/2 tsp
Urad cup – 1 cup
Salt – 1 tbsp
You will also need:
A large container, such as a Dutch oven – ensure large enough to allow dough to ferment and expand to twice the volume
A flat frying pan
Cooking oil, amount based on personal preference
Method (dosai batter):
Soak rice and fenugreek overnight in water (ensure there is enough water to comfortably cover the rice). In a separate vessel, soak urad dal overnight.
Once soaked (i.e. the next morning), drain the water and wash the urad dal. Grind the urad dal (preferably in a dosa grinder; if not available use a regular blender). Add water as you grind, aiming for a smooth, creamy consistency. Urad dal usually becomes almost fluffy when ground well. Set ground dal aside.
Then wash the pre-soaked rice and fenugreek. Grind rice and fenugreek, adding water as you go until finely ground. Note: this may need to be done in 2-3 batches; in addition, ground rice will be of a thinner consistency than the dal.
Once complete, place ground dal and ground rice + fenugreek in a large container with a lid (such as a Dutch oven). Add salt and mix through thoroughly with hand (this helps with the fermentation process). Cover and keep in a warm, dry place. If it is very cool where you live, heat the oven to 50 degrees and place vessel inside.
Leave until dough rises (6 – 10 hours, depending on weather conditions).
Mix dough well.
Method (dosai):
Place flat frying pan on heat. Once hot, use a ladle to pour one scoop of batter on the stove. Spread batter quickly (similar to a crepe) to make a thin, flat pancake. Dribble 1/2 tsp of oil over the pancake to crisp it. Use a spatula to flip the pancake once crisp and allow to cook on the second side. Remove from heat and fold in two.
Serve with sambhar and coconut chutney.