Masala Dosa

Makes about 20 Masala Dosa.

Dosa is the indian Pancake and is made mainly of rice and split black gram,the Masala Dosa is essentially a stuffed pancake or more like a wrap  with the filling mostly made of Potato and Onion and in some version also may carry Chutney along with the filling served with a side of Garlic chutney and Sambar(curry).Here is a simpler form of the masala dosa with just the potato filling.Like most indian pancakes,the batter of the dosa has to be fermented overnight and is the main reason why this needs to be preplanned .

Ingredients(20 masala dosa).

For the Dosa:

1. 3/4 cup Urad dal(husked and split black gram).
2. 2 cups sona masoori rice
3. a fist ful of Toor dal(split yellow dal)
4. Salt
5. Water-2cups

For the filling:

1. 2 potatoes.
2. 1/2 large onion
3. 1 green chilly
4. 4-5 curry leaves
5. 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
6. 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
7. oil
8. salt.
9. 1/4 cup water.

For the Chutney:

1. 3/4 cup coconut grating
2. 1 green chilly
3. tamarind
4. 1 garlic pod
5. salt
6. water

Method:

For the dosa:

1. Wash rice,urad dal and toor dal and soak for atleast 4hrs.
2. Then grind it to smooth batter with a cup of water(add the water when you feel that ur grinder needs water to turn the batter).I usually run this in 2 batches as the capacity of the grinder does not handle the whole load to make into smooth batter.
3. Take out the batter add about 1/2cup water and keep it to ferment over night.
4. In the morning add salt to taste and rest of the water,add water in portions so that the consistency of the batter is not too flowy but just thick enough to not flow on the pan but let you give the consistency to smear it around.
5. Prepare the Potato filling and the coconut chutney before making the dosa(see below for steps).
6. On a stove,place flat pan preferably non stick.Let is heat up on medium flame(7 on a knob of 1-10).
7. Place a ladle full of batter on the centre of the pan and with the back of the ladle,smear batter in concentric round circles to spread it out to the entire circumference of the pan.
8. Dribble oil over the edge of the dosa,and place a 2″  line of potato filling as a diameter of the circle.
9. When you see that certain areas of the dosa are starting to turn golden brown,fold one half of the dosa over the other,or fold 1/3 of the dosa on each side of filling over to the filling to form a wrap like shown above.
10. Serve hot with chutney.

To make Potato Filling:

1. Skin & boil the potatoes , and make small cubes of the same.
2. Chop the onions into small cubes.
3. In a hot pan,add some oil and temper mustard,chopped green chilly and curry leaves.
4. In this add the chopped onion and fry till translucent.To this add turmeric and salt and fry for 2-3mts .
5. Add Potato cubes and adjust the salt,if it is too dry and is not mixing add about 2-3tbsp of water.
6. Mix properly bring to a boil and set it aside.

Making chutney:

1. Grind together coco nut grating,salt,tamarind,green chilly and garlic pod into smooth paste with as little water as possible.
2. Take out and add about a 1/2-3/4 cup of water to make it little bit gravy.
3. Serve with Dosa.

 

Urad Wheat Flour Dosa-Healthier Thuppa Dosa

The regular Thuppa dosa or Ghee dosa is made of a mixture of urad batter and all purpose flour.Though I do not know why,but most ppl tell me that eating too much all purpose flour is not good for health,I decided to try the Regular Faithful wheat flour instead of the all purpose/Maida for making the Thuppa Dosa.Leaving aside the fact that the dosa was “wheatish” complexion,the taste and texture was same as the original Dosa.Taste bhi Health bhi.Pet khush tho dil bhi khush!

This is the normal recipe for regular Thuppa/urad maida dosa https://iamcookingtoday.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/urad-maida-dosathuppa-dosa/ replace Maida/all purpose flour in this with wheat flour for the healthier version.

 

Urad maida Dosa/Thuppa Dosa.

Most common of the Dosa at my parental home,very simple can be made with least prep at  2hrs advance notice.My mom used to smear Ghee while making it and serve it to us as Thuppa Dosa(Thuppa-Ghee ).Ingredients to make atleast 20dosas(one person can eat atleast 4-5 of these in a sitting)

1. 1  Cup Urad(skinned split black lentils)
2. 5-6 tbsp All purpose flour/Maida
3. Salt
4. Water.

Method

1. Soak Urad for atleast 2hrs at the best overnight.
2. Drain water and grind into smooth paste.
3. To this add about 5-6 tbsp(depending on how voluminous the urad batter is if it more voluminous u can go to max) and mix it well along with 1/2 cup water.You can choose to do this in the grinder itself before u remove the batter but make sure you do not run the grinder too long.
4. Add salt and water to make it into a proper dosa batter.
5. On a non-stick pan heated on medium stove.Spread the dosa batter and dribble oil( for the mediocre health conscious ones) or  Ghee(for ones who do not mind ) or no oil (for the all conscious of fat).Fry for 30secs,flip and fry for another 30.
6. Serve with Chutney of ur choice the best would be garlic chutney ,if you dont mind the garlicy smell  :).

 

 

Rava Dosa/Semolina Rice pancake

Ingredients:(makes About 6-7 Dosa)

1. 1 Cup Rice Flour
2. 1/2 cup Rava/Semolina
3. 1/4 cup Maida
4. 1tbsp yogurt
5. 1 tspmustard seeds
6. 1tsp cumin seeds
7. 2-3 Chopped Green chillies
8. Curry leaves
9. Salt to taste
10. oil for frying

Method:

1. Mix Rava,Riceflour,maida,salt and yogurt with nearly 3-4 cups of water and mix to form a watery batter
2. Add chopped green chillies  & curry leaves.
3. In a pan,heat 1/2 tsp oil splutter mustard and cumin seeds , and add this to batter.
4. Keep this for atleast 1 hr.
5. To make Dosa,heat a Tawa/girdle and smear it with oil
6. Pour the batter while slightly tilting the pan.Starting from the edges cover the whole area of the pan..put a few drops of oil over this here and there
7. Wait for nearly 3mts for that side to fry and then flip open to the other side .Fry for another 2mts.
8. Serve hot.

 

Takka Polo/Instant yogurt dosa

For those who are not averse to eating all purpose flour.

What you need:

1. 2 1/2 cup of All Puupose/Maida flour.
2. 2 cup of water.
3. 1/2 cup yogurt
4. 1 green Chilly
5. 5-6 curry leaves.
6. 2tbsp grated coconut
7. 1 1/2 tsp sugar
8. 1 tsp salt
9. 1 tsp mustard
10. 1 tsp oil for seasoning
11. Oil for frying dosa.

How to:

1. Whist together a purpose flour,yogurt,salt,sugar and water to make a light batter.
2. 
3. To this add chopped green chillies and coconut gratings.
4. In a pan ,heat oil splutter the mustard and curry leaves,and add this to the batter.
5. Keep for about 30mts.
6. In a round girdle,smear oil  and heat on medium.
7. When Pan seems hot ,pour 2-3 ladle full of batter while slanting the pan a little so the batter flows to cover the pan surface,do this till you cover the entire pan(there may be holes in on the surface of the batter due to watery batter on hot pan).
8. Sprinkle few drops of oil along the edges of the dosa.Fry on that side for about 2mts,Until the dosa is crips it wont come out and will be sticky,that should be an indication of the readiness of the dosa to flip.
9. Flip it over and fry for about 2mts /
10. Serve hot with butter.

 

Moong Dal Chilla

Its been ages that I had spoken to my good friend Nandini,I had not been able to do so ever since I had landed in US.Last morning,I got to doing it and the talk was very refreshing .She knows my food woes with  my daughter and during one of our intercepts she explained to me how I can introduce more whole grains and veggies into her diet,here is one such Bengali Pancake she told me about,which my daughter liked as well ,as it tastes very much like the Egg Omlette I used to make for her.

This is a vegetarian version of the French Omelete and is also made with Gramm flour.The Moong dal one is preferred as , Gram flour being little on the gassy side .

Preparation time:2hrs(saoking time),Cookingtime:2mts,Serves:3-4

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup Yellow Moong Dal
2. ¼ cup White Urad Dal
3. 2 cups Finely Chopped Spinach
4. 1 large onion sliced finely
5. 2 green chilies chopped finely (optional while giving children)
6. 2-3tbsp grated carrot
7. 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
8. 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
9. 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
10. Salt to taste
11. Vegetable/Sunflower Oil

Method:

1. Wash and Soak Moong dal and Urad dal for atleast 2hrs.
2. Grind to a smooth paste with the water used in soaking.The batter should be of the consistency of a dosa/ any regular pancake batter.
3. In a pan,heat oil.
4. Add the Cumin seeds and splutter,add the onions till it is translucent.
5. Add the chopped Spinach, grated carrots,fried Onions,Green Chillies to the batter along with salt,turmeric and mix well.
6. In a Dosa pan,after heating up ,add a ladle full of batter and spread it round.
7. Pour some oil on the edges ,and a ferw drops in the center and flip it over.
8. Fry both the sides for a crispy finish.
9. Serve hot with Tomato Ketchup.

 

Soornali/Konkani style:Jaggery and Rice Pancake

Preparation time:30mts,Cooking time:N/A,Serves:4-5

Another rice centric Breakfast dishes of the GSB’s ,though this is more on the sweeter side ,it is good combination to eat with some salty butter.The same batter can be used to make Sweet Appe,in the appe pan.

 

 

Ingredients:

1. 2 Cups Rice.
2. 1 Cup Coconut gratings.
3. 1 cup Beaten Rice/Poha
4. 1 tsp Turmeric.
5. 1 tsp Fenugreek seeds.
6. 2 tbsp Dahi/Yogurt.
7. 1 1/2 Cups Jaggery(you can change this to your liking more if you need it sweeter).
8. Salt to taste.
9. Oil for frying.

Method:

1. Wash & Soak rice with Fenugreek seeds in water for atleast 2hrs.
2. Grind with Coconut grating and Turmeric ,when its half done,add the washed and drained beaten Rice ,into a fine paste.
3. Just before taking out add the Curd and Jaggery and grind till it gets mixed.
4. Add Salt and adjust the taste.
5. Let the batter stay out over night,under cover.
6. Before making the Dosa,add water to adjust it to the consistency of a little thicker than the regular Dosa batter.
7. On a heated pan smear some oil ,add a ladle full of batter(do not spread it,the batter consistency will such that it will spread a little on its own).
8. Fry under cover on medium flame,till the Soornali looks cooked(there should be no visible batter),frying is done only on one side.
   
9. Also if fermented well,we will be able to see holes in the Soornali.
10. Serve with butter.

 

Vellayappam & Ishtu(Vegetable Stew)

Here is a dish I had resigned to ,as something I will never learn to make.And since I love this Kerala Breakfast ,the Double Horse Instant Pallappam Mix became my salvation.

Off late this nagging feeling of being a Keralite and unable to make a decent Vellayappam struck me hard and I decided it was time to spend  some effort again at making this from scratch.Traditionally the Appam is prepared in a specific pan called the “APPA CHETTY”,from my childhood I remember my mom using a slightly shallow,medium sized Iron pan to do this.Since then lot has changed,and there are wonderful Non stick Appa Chetty’s in the Market.

My trip to US this time,did not include a Appa Chetty ,therefore it was with some doubt that I used the Medium sized Non stick saute pan to do this ,with not so bad results as you can see above.

The accompaniment normally is an Ishtu(either Veggetable or Chicken or Egg-Made in coconut Milk) Or Egg Fry.

Note:This recipe has been picked up from Pachakam.com

Preparation time:15mts,Time to ferment:Over night

Ingredients:

For the Appam:

1. 2 Cups Rice.
2. 1 1/2 Cup Thick Coconut Milk.
3. 7 Tbsp Cooked Rice.
4. 4-5 tbsp Sugar
5. 1/2 tsp Yeast
6. Salt

For Ishtu:

1. 1 Potato Cubes.
2. 1 Onion sliced.
3. 1 Tomato Chopped.
4. 1 Slit Green Chilly
5. 4-5 Curry leaves.
6. 1 Cup Thick coconut Milk
7. 1 Cup water
8. Chopped Corriander leaves.
9. Salt

Method:

1. Soak Rice for 3-4hrs.
2. In luke warm mix Sugar and yeast.
3. Grind with Cooked rice ,add the coconut milk towards the end.
4. To this add the yeast Mix.
5. Keep over night for fermentation,it will become 3 times based on the quality of the yeast.
6. Add salt  & water if necessary and mix before making the Appam.
7. Heat the Skillet,so even the sides get heated up.
8. For the first Appam smear oil evenly throughout the pan,Wipe off any excess oil.Rub an onion if necessary.
9. Put a Ladle full batter in the center of the pan and swirl the batter around so it evenly covers the sides and leaves a little batter at the center.(add some more batter if required)
10. Cover the pan so it fry’s evenly.
11. Free the sides(if needed with Knife point)-Normally on a nonstick Pan,if a small edge is freed the rest of the Appam slips easily and can be removed with hand.
12. For the  second appam onwards it would be sufficient to add a drop of oil to the  center of the pan and smear it around before pouring the batter.
13. 

Making Ishtu:

1. Microwave all the vegetables along with curry leaves and Chillies  for 15mts.
2. Remove this into a cooking vessel,add the coconut Milk  and salt.
3. Cook for 5-10mts over low flame.
4. Add water and simmer.
5. Let it settle,garnish with chopped Coriander leaves.
6. Serve with Hot Appam.

 

Neer Dosa/Paan Polo

 

This s the most fast moving Dosa in my household,tasty easy to make and can be eaten within 30mts of making the batter unlike most dosas,so I can call this almost instant.

My MIL is my tutor at this,she makes this with such an ease,it over came my popular belief that this dosa was a cumbersome one.She always says this is the easiest to make and the easiest to eat ,due to which it is famous among the kids.

This goes along with any side dish ranging from the Diluted Jaggery to Mallu style Ishtu to Veg Kurma to Egg Curry.

 

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups raw rice
2. 1 cup coconut grating
3. salt to taste
4. Oil

Preparation:

1. Soak washed rice, for 2-3hrs .
2. Grind together with coconurt grating to a smooth paste.
3. Add salt & dilute with water ,the batter should be water and flowy enough,like rava dosa batter.
4. Heat Pan ,little above medium heat,spread oil(for the every first dosa only).
5. Pour the Batter ,by throwing it from the side,tilt the pan so the batter will start spread around and fill the vacant space with more batter thrown in.
6. There will be sizzling when the batter is thrown on to the pan,control the heat accordingly so the dosa does not burn(this dosa is not fried on the other side,therefore it will be best to close with lid,for a few second so that it gets cooked).
7. When the sides starts to crisp up,its time to remove the dosa on to plate.
8. Serve with butter,or veggies curry or “Goda panku”-made by cooking jaggery,Cardamom and water for a few minutes so the syrup becomes thick and cooled down before serving.