Dosa

Dosa
Tamil:	Dosai
Malayalam:	Dosha
Kannada:	Dosay
Telugu:	Dose

The dosa is a savoury South Indian crêpe.

Preparation

Regular dosa batter is made from lentils and rice blended with water and left to ferment overnight. (The same batter can be used to make idlis.) The lentils and rice can be replaced with highly refined wheat flour to make a maida dosa or semolina for a rava dosa.

A dosa is made by spreading the batter into a thin, circular disc on a flat, preheated pan, where it is fried with a dash of edible oil or ghee until the dosa reaches a golden brown colour. Then the dosa maybe optionally turned over on the pan, and partially fried. The end product is neatly folded and served.

Serving

Though considered a breakfast dish, dosas are eaten at other times of day.

The dosa is served with different accompaniments based on regional and personal preferences.

sambar
"wet" chutneys, often coconut chutney — a semi-solid paste usually made of coconut, dhal, cilantro, or mint and green chillies
"dry" chutney powder
In Tamil Nadu, the simplest, most traditional side-dish, which purists swear by, is the dry spice mixture known as milagai podi.
Eating a dosa with chicken or mutton curry is also common among non-vegetarian households in Tamil Nadu.

Masala Dosa

A masala dosa is made by stuffing a dosa with a lightly cooked filling of potatoes, fried onions and spices.

The inventor of the masala dosa is Kadandale Krishna Bhat of the famous Woodlands Hotel . He hailed from Kadandale village in Karkala Taluk of Udupi district in Karnataka. He invented the masala dosa in its present form to beat rising price of potatoes used in the potato curry which was served along with a plain dosa. He added onions to this potato (batata) curry and placed them inside a dosa, so that customers eating it did not reject them outright. His invention clicked and the dish became popular with people favouring the masala dosa for its crispiness and mouth watering taste.It has since become a trademark of South Indian cuisine all over the world.

One variant of the Masala dosa, the Mysore Masala Dosa, is served with both coconut and onion chutneys. In Bangalore, the masala dosa is usually served with a red chutney applied to its inside surface; this is a peculiarity that lends it a unique taste and is something that is not found elsewhere. In recent times this has caught on in other parts of Karnataka.

Variations on theme

Other types of Dosa are

Egg Dosa : an omelette is spread on the dosa.
Chilli Dosa : some idlly power is spread on the dosa.
Onion Dosa : chopped and sautéd onions are spread on the dosa.
Ghee Dosa : substitute ghee instead of oil while frying dosa.
Roast : Spread dosa thinly and fry till crisp.
Family Roast : Long dosa which can be spread over 2 or 3 feet.

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