Breakfast dosas
If you’ve been to India then you are probably already a fan of these light and crisp southern Indian crêpes made from a fermented batter of rice and dal. Traditionally served for breakfast with a tangy sambhar and a chutney, these are also delicious with any manner of toppings you might have in the fridge. Be warned – some of these toppings may be considered sacrilegious by purists!
The batter is simple but requires prepping two nights in advance if you want them for breakfast, or start it in the evening if you want them for dinner the next day. Like all the best things in life, it needs a little time to do its thing.
You’ll need a fairly strong blender or grinder for this, as well as a seasoned cast-iron or ceramic-lined pan. Once the batter is prepped it will last for 2 days in the fridge, and is the same batter used to make the uttapams here. Make sure it is at room temperature before using and proceed as if making thin pancakes or crêpes – with good humour until you get it right!
Serves 4
160g (l cup) basmati rice
80g (⅓ cup) urad dal
¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
250ml (1 cup) filtered water (see tip), plus extra if necessary
½ tsp salt
melted ghee, for cooking
1 At least 24 hours before you wish to serve, rinse the basmati rice and urad dal and place in a bowl with the fenugreek. Pour over enough water to reach 5cm (2in) above the surface of the ingredients. Cover with a lid and leave to soak for 5–6 hours.
2 Drain and blend in a strong blender with the water and the salt until you get a fine but grainy consistency.
3 Transfer to a bowl (or leave in the blender) and cover loosely. Leave in a warm place like an airing cupboard or in an oven with the light on for 8 hours or more until the batter is lightly fermented, doubled in volume and has bubbles and a slightly sour aroma.
4 Stir the batter lightly, adding a little water if necessary to reach a pouring consistency.
5 Heat a seasoned cast-iron or ceramic-lined pan over a medium-high heat. Smear lightly with ghee as if making a pancake. Do not use too much, otherwise you won’t be able to spread the dosa batter properly.
6 Take a small ladleful of the batter and spoon into the centre. Gently spread using the back of the ladle in a circular movement from the centre outwards.
7 Drizzle a little ghee over the top and sides of the dosa and allow to cook until the base is nicely golden and crisp and lifts off the pan easily. If the dosa is thin, fold and serve hot with the South Indian Moong Sambhar (see here) and Green Chutney (from the Dhokla recipe, see here). Otherwise flip and cook for a minute or so, then continue with the rest of the batter.
TIP
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Blend the batter with filtered water at the fermenting stage, as the chlorine in tap water will kill the friendly bacteria.
