Dosa (Indian crepe)

Dosa is a crispy savoury South Indian delicacy. It can be understood as a lentil and fermented rice wrap filled with spicy potatoes. In the modern day, the filling has also become meat or cottage cheese. Some people like to call Dosa a pancake but I disagree because pancakes are typically sweet whereas Dosas are not. I would not call it a wrap either because Dosa is much more crispy and thin. So, in my understanding, crepe would be the best English name for Dosa :) These days dosa mixes are available in the market that can be used instantly. In this post, we follow the traditional procedure.

For my intrigued local readers, try House of Dosa on Kingsway on Mondays for a cheap and tasty dosa.
You wil not regret the food!

I made Dosa after about 5 years and so glad I did.

Needs preparation. Serves 3-4.

Ingredients for the filling:
1. potatoes, peeled, boiled, and mashed
2. Salt to taste
3. 1 onion chopped
4. 1/2 inch ginger, chopped
5. 2 tomatoes, chopped
6. 2 tablespoons olive oil
7. 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
8. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
9. 1 teaspoon garam masala
10. 1 teaspoon amchoor powder
11. 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
12. 1 fist chana dahl, soaked for about 30 mins in hot water
13. 2 dried red chili
14. 6-7 fresh green curry leaves
15. 1/2 teaspoon heeng
16. 2 teaspoon coriander powder

Instructions for the filling:
1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Ad mustard seeds and let splutter.
3. Add cumin seeds, red chili, and curry leaves, and chana dahl.
4. Add ginger and onion.
5. Sautee until they turn golden brown.
6. Add tomato, red chili powder, garam masala, heeng, coriander powder, amchoor powder.
7. Cover and cook until tomato almost starts leaving the flavoured oil.
8. Add potato and salt.
9. Mix well and cook uncovered for about 5-10 minutes.
10. Set aside and let cool.

Ingredients for the crepe
1. 1 heaping cup rice, ground
2. 1/3 cup urad dahl, ground

Instructions for the crepe.
1. Mix 1 and 2 with water such that they are just immersed.
2. Soak 1 and 2 overnight. Then grind it in a food processor until a batter of medium consistency is formed. Leave this batter overnight to ferment and add some salt to it.
Note: You can consider pre heating an oven and then turning it off. Leave the batter in the oven overnight to ferment in the warmth.
3. On a non stick pan, spread the batter in a circular motion evenly to form a thin layer.
4. When the top layer dries, oil the sides of the sides of the crepe.
5. Using a wooden stick, detach the crepe from the pan and check the bottom layer. When brown, place potato at the center of the crepe.

Fold and serve hot with chutney and sambhar.