Rosematta Rice Dosa (Ukhdo Tandla Bhakri)

After contemplating for several months, I finally bought a 20 lbs. bag of Rosematta rice last year. Rosematta Rice also known as Kerala Red Rice/ Matta Rice/ Palakkadan Rice is easily available in few Indian groceries and is very nutritious as compared to its counterpart, Basmati or Sona Masoori Rice which is a part of our regular diet. Eating it frequently needs a certain acquired taste which comes with time. Since the bag is huge in quantity I wanted to be completely sure before I buy it. For so long, my Red Rice stash from India came to my rescue and it dwindled very fast. I like Soupy Red Rice (Ukhde Paej) and Cooked Red Rice (Ukhde Sheet).

Ma also made this tasty, crispy Bhakri out of Red Rice for breakfast. Do not mix this with its familiar counterpart - Akki Roti or Tandla chi Bhakri, both are different from this Bhakri. At one point as a kid, I went through a phase of only-Bhakri-for-breakfast, so much to my Ma's chagrin that she had to pull all the stops to make me eat something else. In my home, both of us like the taste of this Dosa - its soft, has the nutty taste of Rosematta rice and is very filling for breakfast. Best part the whole process is fermentation free. My Dad loves eating the Bhakri with fresh home churned butter, Loni which Ma makes everyday without fail. On few days, he also prefers honey and he promptly tells me his sugar level is low. Dad still loves the Bhakri with a dollop of butter dunked on top. Come to think of it, my late Grandma often told me that her MIL never made Chutney and the entire family had Dosa paired with Honey or Butter. A very odd combination for me but I certainly see why they like it. The diffident me stays away from butter and enjoys plain Bhakri paired with spicy Pitti Chutney powder.

~ Ukhdo Tandla Bhakri ~

Preparation time: 8-10 hours

Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Yield: 12-15

Ingredients:

Rosematta Red Rice - 1 cup

Grated Coconut (fresh or frozen) - little less than 1/2 cup

Salt

Oil/ Ghee for frying

Contraption: Cast Iron Pan if possible

Method:

1. Wash and rinse the rice in multiple changes of water to get rid of grime and dirt. Once the water is clear enough, soak the rice in 3 times the quantity of water overnight.

2. Next day, blend the rice along with grated coconut to a stiff paste with little water which is thick and non-runny but easily spreadable. Adjust salt as required.

3. Heat a cast iron pan. Ladle a tablespoon of the batter (just to the size of a pancake) and drizzle oil/ghee on the sides. Flip them after 5 minutes and fry on the other side. Once crisp and light brown on surface, serve hot with a dollop of butter or with Pitti Chutney powder.

Note - The balance of grated coconut and rice is crucial for Dosa. If coconut is more, the dosa would be crumbly and fall apart, if coconut is less, the dosa sticks and is difficult to flip over. The shelf life of batter is only 2 days since coconut is added. Use cast iron pan for best results.

Set Dosa (Mushti Polo) - 2.0

I had earlier blogged about Set Dosa, also known as Mushti Polo in Konkani. In GSB Konkani, the traditional serving is although not done in sets of three. Set Dosa is served in Bangalore road side stand-up eateries in set of three with Potato Palya and chutney of choice. The logic for Mushti Dosa was for the prefixed quantity of Rice, a mushti of Urad Dal should be added; mushti in Konkani implies a closed fist hence the name Mushti Polo.

Recently, Mom made an easier version and was pleased as the previous Dosa recipe was modified a bit with less ingredients. I was curious to try, luckily with warm weather prevailing, fermentation problem was solved with plenty of wild yeast in the air owing to summer slowly ushering in. I loved this version and is less painstaking compared to the previous one I had posted. Do attempt only if the weather is warm enough, else you will have to try induced fermentation (with Eno salt or Soda). I am not a big fan of the induced fermentation (unless no choice), so prefer to take advantage of warm sunny days to making piping hot Dosa.

Soaking time: 10 hours (overnight soak)
Fermentation time: 8-10 hours
Cooking time: 3-5 minutes

Ingredients:
Rice (Parboiled rice + Sona Masoori) - 1:1 ratio - 2 cups
Urad Dal - 1/4 cup
Methi seeds - 1 teaspoon
Grated coconut (fresh or frozen but thawed) - 3-4 tablespoon
Salt
Oil/ Ghee

Method:
Soak Rice, Urad Dal and Methi seeds after multiple wash in filtered water. Soak for overnight time which is good 10 hours. Next day morning, when its warm and sunny, grind the batter to a smooth paste of Dosa consistency along with grated coconut. Adjust salt as per taste. Pre-heat oven to around 250 F. Once relatively cool, place the batter container for fermentation with the oven light on. After every five hours, give the batter a good beat with hands, the logic being warmth from hands transfers the heat to the dosa and is the onset for fermentation process. By evening or night, the batter should get fermented. Once done, immediately transfer to fridge and cover with a lid.
Use the batter for next day's breakfast/ lunch or dinner. Take a ladle full of batter, spread on a hot griddle. For Set Dosa, the size is that of a Surnoli, which is larger than a pancake but smaller than a regular Dosa. Drizzle oil/ ghee on all sides if desired, else if using non-stick griddle, oil can be skipped. Do not flip over the Dosa. Slowly, honey comb like structure would form on the exposed side of Dosa. Once edges are brown, serve the Dosa with chutney or Pitti chutney.

Tomato Vegetarian Omelette

Tomato Vegetarian Omelette - An easy breakfast Dosa recipe which works wonders on the taste buds with the crispness, mild mish-mash of vegetables - Tomatoes and Onions with the occasional bits of Coriander leaves.

My mom made this Dosa for breakfast when we were kids and I was whole heartedly led to believe that I am eating an Omelette. Later, as I grew up I came to the understanding that this Dosa is indeed Eggless and is a Vegetarian Omelette. Hence the name, Tomato Vegetarian Omelette. The crunch with the subtle flavours of Tomatoes is what I like about this recipe. Kids in my family love this Dosa and its a nice way to pick on the fun element of the 'Vegetarian' concept of Omelette. Especially with the tiny tots, it is fun to create a surprise dish and ask them to spot the ingredients. This also enables to enhance the kids to improve their cognitive and thinking abilities. My nephew calls this Dosa 'Amoeba Dosa'. :) This recipe was a sure shot formula for my Mother to have the kids wake up early and be decked with the Plate, Fork and Spoon begging for their favorite Dosa. This recipe has fed mighty number of kids, cousins, nephews and nieces in my family and left many a tiny ones with loads of smiles and laughter.

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful Mom's in the world!!

I also liked Nupur's version of Tomato Omelette which you can check here.

Cooking time ~ 5 minutes

Preparation time ~ 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Maida or All Purpose Flour - 1 cup

Besan or Gram Flour 1/4 cup

Onions (very finely chopped) - 1/4 cup

Tomatoes (very finely chopped) - 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

Green Chillies (chopped) - 1

Red Chilli powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Salt

Water

Oil-Ghee

Method:

Mix in the Tomatoes, Onions, Coriander leaves, Green Chillies and crush them lightly. Add the Gram Flour and All Purpose Flour. Mix in to remove any lumps and to get a collective smooth consistency. Adjust the water as per consistency required. The batter should not be too thick nor thin. Add salt as per taste.

Heat a frying pan, add a ladle full of batter and spread like a Dosa. Slather Ghee on sides. Flip them once cooked on the other side. Cook completely and serve hot with dollop of Butter.

Suggestion: This Dosa can be a difficult one especially to achieve the exact circular shape owing to the vegetables. So, do not bother much, just slather the batter and enjoy the Dosa.

Set Dosa (Mushti Polo)

Its strange how two different breakfast items eaten at different places coincide, only to be realised years later as almost similar tasting breakfast items. When I was a child, I loved eating Mushti Polo and Mom ensured she made this often because I loved it a lot. Years later I discover the same Dosa at various Sukh Sagar joints in Bangalore. In Bangalore, these Dosa's are termed as Set Dosa. Confused I recall asking my mother about this strange confusion and she informed that its the same recipe used for both, albeit the nomenclature is different and the recipe remains the same.

In Bangalore, if you frequent any Sukhsagar or Darshini joints, an order of Set Dosa would fetch you a set of 3 Dosa's nicely fried and done in Ghee, served with dollops of Chutney and Vegetable Kurma on the side. These joints are very popular with the working population and open up for public at the crack of dawn.


Mushti is a Konkani word signifying 'a closed fist'. This recipe calls for one Mushti of Urad Dal for a cup of Rice hence the name Mushti Polo. The taste is very delicious and the Dosa tastes even better with Red Chillies Coconut Chutney ~ Byadgi Mirsaangi Chutney. I prefer making the dosa in summer since the batter very rarely ferments to the perfect and optimum level required during cold winters. This time around, since it was a hot summer day, the batter fermented well and the outcome was good. The Dosa's are soft, spongy and taste best when cooked on 'one side only' and served with spicy Chutney.

Preparation time ~ 24 hours (including soaking time)
Cooking time ~ 5 minutes

Ingredients:
Urad Dal - 1/2 cup
Rice (Dosa Rice or Sona Masoori variety) - 2 cups
Fenugreek seeds - 1 teaspoon
Flattened Rice or Thick Poha - 3/4 cup
Salt - as per taste
Oil/ Ghee - For frying
Water - For batter consistency

Method:
Wash Urad Dal and Rice in ample of water till water is clear. Soak Urad Dal, Rice and Fenugreek seeds in water for 4-6 hours. Grind to a fine paste along with Flattened Rice after washing the Flattened Rice thoroughly with water. Blend to a smooth paste which is neither too thick nor thin. Do not add salt at this stage. Allow to ferment in a warm oven or a cool dry place. Upon fermentation, there would be bubbles formed on the surface area of the batter and the batter quantity would double.
Once fermented, add enough salt and adjust consistency. Heat a Dosa frying pan. Take a ladle full of batter, spread the batter evenly and slather Ghee on sides. Fry the Dosa only on one side which means one need flip the Dosa to fry on the other side. I fried on both sides since my husband prefers them crispy. Serve hot with Chutney of choice.

Fenugreek Leaves Mini Dosa (Methey Sanna Pole/ Methe Sanna Polo)

In my house, Mini Dosa's or Sanna Pole's are quite a common sight to see. So what is this Mini Dosa or Sanna Pole all about? These are mini tiny Dosa's made of Rice and Red Chillies with little coconut. This is a quintessential Konkani dish. I relish all my afternoon lunches with these tiny spicy and crisply fried rice pancakes. I recall long elaborate conversations with mom, aunts, granny and host of other relatives on the daily tit-bits and trivia's of life shared over these tiny cute things. These should not be confused wih the Goan Sanna's as they are a different entity all together. The batter (Peet) of this Dosa is very tasty and little bit on the spicier side. The only chore for this dish is the rice has to be soaked for good hours before the plumpy grains can comfortably break down in the blender. Some add lentils (Toor Daal) along with rice, I prefer the dosa with rice alone.

During the olden days when produce was scarce and commute was a big problem, this recipe was a big relief. Some smear the batter with the palm to make Mini dosa's on a hot frying pan giving it a perfect round shape. I use my trusted long wooden spreading spoon. Grind rice with red chillies, throw in a some spice, mix in chopped vegetables and voila! You are done with the dish! During my great grandmother's era, everyone had a cowdung smeared stove top for cooking. The ladies had a hollow rod which was used to ignite the spark and enable the wood to catch the flame to provide heat. Times have changes so much with lot of ease and convenience introduced into our kitchens.

Batter remains the same, change the vegetables to make Cabbage Dosa, Fenugreek Leaves Dosa, Drumstick leaves Dosa, Onion Dosa or mix all of these vegetables together as per your choice. These dosa's go well as side dish and make a crispy tasty fare with less oil. I personally prefer this tiny dosa's with Soupy Brown Rice or Paej as its called in Konkani. The batter should be used in 2 days max and once done stored in the refrigerator.

Yield: 6 Mini Dosa's

Preparation time: 240 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Fenugreek or Methi leaves (washed and chopped finely) - 2 - 2 1/2 cups

Dosa Rice (Sona Masoori variety) - 1/2 cup

Red Chillies (Byadgi variety preferred) - 5-6

Tamarind Juice - 1 teaspoon

Salt - As per taste

Grated coconut (fresh or frozen) - 2-3 tablespoons

Asafoetida - Just a pinch

Turmeric powder - Just a pinch

Oil - For frying

Method:

Wash rice till clear and pre-soak rice in water for 4-5 hours. Roast red chillies in a teaspoon of oil and mildly sweat them in oil till they are partially roasted for 2-3 minutes. Allow to cool. Grind along with Rice, Red Chillies, Tamarind, Turmeric powder, Salt and grated coconut to a coarse paste with very little water.

Mix the batter with chopped vegetable. Adjust salt and spice levels. Heat a shallow frying pan, take a spoonful of the batter mix and spread on the pan. Spread mini dosa batter as per capacity. Drizzle oil on the sides. Once cooked on sides, flip them over to other side and fry evenly on both the sides. The dosa's taste better if crunchy and little bit charred. Serve hot as a side dish along with rice and curry.

Chinese Cucumber Dosa or Crepes (Magge Polo/ Southekai Dosa)

Magge Polo or Southekai Dosa - A Dosa variety which is my childhood favorite, enjoyed by many owing to the occasional vegetable taste and the simplicity of the recipe. Polo in Konkani is Dosa. Chinese Cucumber or Magge as its known in Konkani is a regular vegetable in our house. I like mixing this vegetable wtih curries, dosa's et al. This recipe is followed by many a folks in my house. The batter does not require fermentation, can be made the previous day if you want to enjoy hot dosa's for morning breakfast. This Dosa can be enjoyed with a single flip, you need not fry it on both the sides. For best taste, fry it with ghee, better if its home made one and not oil. Serve with Chutney Pood or dry chutney powder liked Puddi Chutney.

Cooking time: 2-3 minutes
Preparation time: 120 minutes
Yield: Around 15-20 Dosa's

Ingredients:

Chinese Cucumber (skin peeled, de-seeded and chopped) - 3/4th cup

Rice (Sona Masoori or Dosa rice) - 3/4th cup

Grated coconut - 2 tablespoons

Salt - as per taste

Water - For consistency

Ghee - For frying

Method:

Wash and soak the rice in water for 2-3 hours. Grind the rice, grated coconut and Chinese Cucumber pieces. While adding in the blender, add the cucumber first, then the coconut and then the rice. This causes minimum damage to your blender as cucumber has high water content. Grind to a batter with salt which is of buttermilk consistency and not as thin as Neer Dosa batter. It should be in-between. Store over night in refrigerator, use the next day around or immediately as per choice. Pour a ladle full of batter on a heated dosa frying pan, slather ghee on sides. Fry only on one side till the dosa is completely cooked. Serve hot with Chutney of choice.

Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa. The name spells everything about Udupi, hot steaming coffee and the famous Udupi Krishna Temple. I have grown on abundant doses of Masala Dosa and even to date love this Dosa. It can be quoted that Masala Dosa is the King of Dosa's. What better way of admonishing this crispy crepe full of spicy potatoes sauted in Onion, than crowning it with the prestigious title of "National Dish of India". Yes, Outlook India had recently surveyed across India and Masala Dosa has emerged as the National Dish of India, close to heels is Rosogulla which is crowned as the National Dessert of India (Thanks ISG of Daily Musings for this news).



Keeping up with the celebration spirit and the double bonanza of Masala Dosa being the chosen one I thought it would be apt to try this Dosa myself. My Ammamma (my maternal Grandmom) makes the most delicious Dosa on the earth. She is very choosy about the ghee used to fry, the foodgrains chosen for the Dosa and the Potatoes, Chillies, Onions and finally Garlic have to be fresh and crisp. No wonder no one in my family can dish out the crispy Dosa as good as her. Mom follows the same recipe so I blindly copied the one which Mom had. I wanted it to be end-to-end Masala Dosa, especially the way they serve it at Bangalore Sagar's and Darshini's. So spruced up my pantry planning and made the Garlic Red Chutney spread alongwith Potato Bhaaji. The final outcome was deliciously well! We both enjoyed our morning breakfast with a hearty Dosa which is our favorite.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Serves: 10-12 Dosa

Ingredients:
Masala Dosa Batter -
Rice (Sona Masoori Rice or Dosa Rice) - 2 cups
Urad Dal - 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds - 1/3 teaspoon
Chana Daal - 2 teaspoon
Salt - As per taste
Oil - For frying

Potato Bhaaji -
Potatoes (Large - Boiled and Chopped/ Mashed) - 2
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Green Chillies - 1-2
Onions (sliced) - 1
Chana Daal - 1/3 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - as per taste
Oil - For frying
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Asafoetida - Just a pinch

Garlic Red Chutney -
Garlic pods - 5-6
Red Chillies - 6-8
Salt - as per taste
Water - for Grinding consistency

Method:
Wash all ingredients throughly and soak for 4-6 hours. Grind to a fine batter which is of a thick consistency and allow to ferment for 4-8 hours. After, 8 hours, add Turmeric powder ( A pinch) and Salt, stir well and get the batter ready.

Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a saucepan and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chillies. Add onions and saute till they turn translucent. Add mashed potatoes and adjust salt, turmeric powder, etc. Bring to a boil with little water and cook till completely done. Turn off the flame.

On a hot dosa pan, pour a large spoonfull of batter and pour ghee on the sides. Allow to cook. Flip the dosa and once done, smear the red chutney on a side, add Bhaaji and serve by flipping the side of Dosa covered. Serve with Grated Coconut chutney. Some also love it with Mulagapodey Pitti.

Sweet Konkani Pancake ~ Surnoli

One type of Konkani Dosa which I grew eating wondering how on the earth the Dosa gets such beautiful holes on it? This is one cute little Konkani Sweet Dosa or Sweet Indian Pancake which is very very soft and gets plenty of tiny perforation/ holes on it once cooked. I had no idea how it happens. Only when I grew up, I understood the fermentation process; Than I became a little sure about the nuts and bolts of this dish. Surnoli is a sweet Konkani pancake, mostly prepared in South Canara Konkani homes. It gets the peculiar name owing to the noli which means holes or perforations in Konkani language. The dosa is not as big as the conventional dosa but is spread to around 8 inches in diameter, atleast thats the way my Mom does it.

I personally love the combination of Surnoli with Mooga Ghashi. This is one combination which is always followed in my house, don't ask me why. I love the salty taste of Mooga Ghashi with Surnoli. Dad loves the Dosa with homemade butter or Loni. The final outcome of this breakfast dish is simply out of the world!

Recipe Source ~ Mom

Preparation time ~ 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup

Fenugreek seeds - 1/3 teaspoon

Poha or Flattened Rice - 1/2 cup

Buttermilk - 3/4th cup

Grated coconut - 2-3 tablespoon

Turmeric powder - 1/3 teaspoon

Jaggery (grated) - 2 tablespoon or as per taste ~ preferably molten jaggery

Water - For grinding consistency

Method:

Wash rice and poha. Soak rice along with rest of the ingredients for 6-8 hours. This dosa needs ample time for fermentation for the pretty perforation to be evident on the dosa. Hence, it needs to be fermented pretty well. Grind to a batter like consistency and allow to ferment for 6-8 hours.

Heat a griddle pan or dosa pan and pour a ladle full of Dosa batter and spread to the size of Chapathi. Once you are done with spreading, you will notice tiny perforations on the dosa. Once cooked on the sunny side, do not flip over. You will notice the other side wee bit charred and readily cooked. Serve immediately with Mooga Ghashi or Butter. Best when consumed hot from the pan.

Onion Mini Dosa (Piyava Sanna Polo/ Piyava Sanna Pole)

Quite a typical Konkani dish and loved by many of them. Sanna Polo or Mini Dosa is prepared in many a South Canara Konkani houses and is one of the most tastiest things I have munched. A little spicy with lots of vegetables, its crunchy and the mini size of Dosa's are simply cute.The combination of both kinds of chillies (Byadgi + Harekala) spikes up the flavor.

In Konkani homes, the Sanna Polo is made of any seasonal vegetables available. Some use Drumstick leaves, Fenugreek leaves, Onions which are chopped, Cabbage which are chopped finely or simply a combination of any of these. The Dosa's are little spicy in taste but go well as a side dish. My personal favorite is Fenugreek leaves or Methi Sanna Polo. Mom's Sanna Polo taste is simply incomparable and one of its kind. Even my Granny's version is nice but less spicy as she adds more of Tamarind. She makes two versions - one without Toor Dal and another with Toor Dal, both taste yummy. I prepare without Toor Dal, it still taste good.

Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Preparation time: 4 hours (includes soak time)

Ingredients:

Rice (Sona Masoori variety) - 1 cup

Grated Coconut (fresh or frozen) - 4 tbsp.

Onion (finely chopped) - 2 cups approx.

Red Chillies (Byadgi - 4 nos. + Harekala - 2 nos.) - 8
Tamarind (pulp) - 1 tsp.

Salt

Oil

Water

Method:

Soak Rice rinsed in water till clear, for at least 3-4 hours. Wash, drain and set aside. Save the drained water. Roast red chillies in few spoons of oil for couple of minutes. Turn off flame and allow to cool. Grind together coconut, red chillies and tamarind pulp. Once the mixture is ground, add rice, salt with less or no water. Add the chopped vegetables. Mix well.

On a griddle pan, pour a small ladle of this mixture and spread to form a round shape. On one Griddle, you can manage making at least 4 nos. of Dosa's. Drizzle ghee on sides. After few minutes when its cooked, flip them over and allow to cook till get a slightly charred finish. If you allow them to get charred, they become more crispy, if non-charred they taste softer.

Suggestion: Coconut makes a big difference to the Dosa. More coconut it becomes softer and less coconut makes the Dosa harder. Use your discretion and make Dosa accordingly.

Urad-Maida Dosa (Urad Maida Polo)

Something which was on my pending list for long but not fulfilled. P is a big fan of this Dosa and for some reasons never got myself to prepare it. Finally one of those days when you are inspired to do your best and ready to move any stone to achieve what you made your mind for; I made this Dosa. P liked it a lot. Quite easy to make and hassle free Dosa.

I never get to believe that I could make Dosa. On a serious note I felt Dosa's are made exclusively for kitchen queen's who have dextrous hands that can dish out yummy dishes with meal preparation experience of more than 10 years. I am not exaggerating. Finally when I tried my hand with online support from Mom (yes, she always comes to my rescue), I realised difficulties are "all in the mind". You choose your thoughts so it implies that you choose your actions as well. This also reminds me of a famous phrase which I saw in a movie recently where a father tells a child - "Never let anyone tell you that you cannot do something". I do not recall the movie name but this phrase inspired me to think and I gained a different perspective on things which seem difficult from hindsight but seem to be easy when you actually conquer your fears and take the mighty plunge.


Recipe Source ~ Mom
Serves ~ 20 to 25 Dosa's

Ingredients:
Urad Dal - 1 cup
Maida - 1 cup (approximately)
Salt - as per taste
Oil - For frying
Ginger-Green Chili paste (optional) - 2 tablespoons

Method:
Pre-soak Urad Dal in water for 8-12 hours prior to grinding. Grind to a fine paste and mix in Maida just before making Dosa's. Add salt and the spice paste. I did not add as P prefers the plain taste of Dosa.

Driizle some oil on a shallow wide spread sauce pan (Dosa Pan). Pour a ladle full of Dosa and spread gently. Pour oil around the surface area of the Dosa. Once crisply done, flip it over. Allow to cook well on both the sides and serve hot with Byadgi Red Chili Red Chutney.

Urad Rice Dosa (Urad Rice Polo)

Mom always says - "Breakfast like a king, lunch like a knight, dinner like a pauper". I know what she means and now that I cook on a daily basis I can actually understand the importance of this. Mom knows around 20 to 30 varities of Dosa and she is one passionate lady when it comes to Cooking. Kitchen is her favorite place (no wonder, our Kitchen and Hall is of the same size). She loves to stuff the kitchen with knick-knacks and keep it clean at ALL times. Even if she is dead tired for the day, she spared 15 minutes just to clean the stove top, the sink, the chopping board. She tells me that a lady of the house should never leave the kitchen unclean.

Our breakfasts during childhood days and teenager days were always Idli & Dosa. I simply love the different Dosa's Mom dishes out. She is a pro in the Dosa arena. Whether its with Chutney Pitti, Byadgi Chili Chutney or with dollops of butter. She made sure we always had a healthy filling breakfast.

Its simply yummy and the variety along with the nutrition value makes one wonder how intelligent our ancestors were. One cup Dosa paved the way to many-many dosa's much to my amusement. I got around 20 dosa's. Best part is batter can be made any time and stored in the fridge and taken out whenever the desire to bite down some lentil crispies like these.

This is my first attempt to make Urad dal dosa. I must say - I am impressed with myself. It turned out pretty nice and I liked the taste as well. I wish I could get my Mom and Amma to sample these beauties.

Recipe source: Mom

Serves: 15-20 Dosas.

Ingredients:

Urad Dal - 1 Cup

Rice - 3 Cups

Salt - 1 and 1/2 teaspoon

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Method:

Soak Urad Dal along with Rice in water after washing for 6-8 hours. Grind to a smooth paste and add salt and leave for fermenting. Stir well once before you put it aside for fermenting.

Pour a ladle of this pearl white goodness and dish out crisp white Dosas. Serve hot with Chutney.

Neer Dosa (Paan Polo/ Paan Pole)

Neer Dosa or Paan Pole is a staple dish and one of my personal favorites. Neer in Kannada stands for water. The dosa batter has a watery consistency owing to which the name - Neer Dosa. In Konkanis, we flip the final shape of the dosa which takes the form of a leaf, hence the name - Paan Pole. Good quality rice forms the basis of a good batter, that along with the amount of coconut (grated) added.

I liked this Dosa for the simple reason that it does not require fermentation. So weatherman goes right or wrong with predictions the breakfast is safe and intact.

Yield : 20-25 dosa's

Ingredients:
Rice (uncooked) - 2 Cups
Grated coconut - 1/2 to 3/4 Cup
Water for consistency
Salt as per taste
Oil/ Ghee for frying

Method:
Soak rice after multiple wash for 4-5 hours. Once ready, grind coconut to a fine paste along with rice. Add enough water and salt to make a smooth paste which is like milk but thinner than regular dosa batter. If the batter is right the dosa comes out well. If the batter is not okaye or if coconut gets added wee bit more, the dosa tends to get sticky. So if you desire Dosa's for breakfast, soak rice the previous day and grind the batter at night and keep it in warm oven or microwave. Take a ladle full of batter and pour on a heated frying pan; unlike other dosa batter Neer Dosa batter tends to spurt on the pan after it comes into contact with heat since it has a watery consistency. Do not bother about shape as the Dosa batter spreads on its own and takes its shape. Slather ghee on the edges of Dosa, once the Dosa is entirely fried, fold it once and fold again till it forms the shape of a leaf (as shown in picture). Hence the name Paan Polo, serve hot with chutney of choice.

Suggestion: Unlike conventional Dosa batter this batter does not require fermentation. So the rice quality and time for which the rice is soaked determines the quality of your dosa.

Maida Dosa (Maida Phanna Polo)

A simple Dosa made of All Purpose Flour (Maida) with seasoning and one of my personal favorite. The seasoning and crushed green chillies with few spoons of grated coconut adds the extra flavor. This is a favorite Dosa among my cousins and extended family. I would not be surprised if there are many fans of this humble Dosa.

~ Maida Phanna Polo ~

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 8-10 Dosas

Ingredients:
All purpose refined flour - 2 cups
Green Chillies - 2
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

For Seasoning -
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil/ Ghee
Hot water for consistency

Contraption needed - Cast Iron Pan

Method:

Crush the green chillies, salt and grated coconut in a pestle and mortar along with salt. Once completely crushed to a paste, add the flour and mix well. Take care to avoid any lumps. Use a whisker to get a smooth consistency. Heat little oil in a small frying pan, season with mustard seeds and once they splutter add curry leaves. Pour this seasoning on the whisked batter. Mix well to get a thick paste (almost like buttermilk consistency).

Slather some oil/ghee  on a hot cast iron pan. Pour a laddle of dosa mix and spread as much as you can. Fry till cripsy and light brown on both sides. Serve with Pitti Chutney or Pickle.

Note: Use hot water for good results while mixing the batter. For a crispy Dosa, use Cast Iron Pan for frying.