Dosa Varieties

The dosa is a pancake made from rice and black lentils. It is a typical dish in South Indian cuisine, eaten for breakfast or dinner, and is rich in carbohydrates and protein. Dosa is noted in the Tamil Sangam Literature from 100 BC to 300 AD ("idaichangam" literature) and later, around 6th century AD.



It is also believed that dosa had its roots in the Temple Streets of Udupi, Karnataka. Although a South Indian food Dosa is extremely popular throughout India.

1 cup urad dal
2 1/2 cups raw rice ( pachari )
1 tablespoon cooked rice
Salt to taste ( approximately 1 teaspoon )
Ghee / oil for frying
Water for grinding

2 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon urad dal
2 teaspoon channa dal
1 spring curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
5 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1 - inch ginger, finely chopped
500 g potatoes ( boiled with a little turmeric powder )
3 onions, sliced
Salt to taste

Wash and soak urad dal and rice separately for 6 - 7 hours.

Grind the urad dal and cooked rice to a very fine paste . Add little water while grinding. Remove and keep aside in a big vessel.

Then grind rice with little water. Remove and mix with dal paste and add salt to taste. Batter should be of dropping consistency. Cover and keep aside for 6 - 8 hours / overnight.

Heat oil in a kadai ( deep pan ). When it is hot enough add mustard seeds. When they start splutter add urad dal, channa dal, green chillies, curry leaves and chopped ginger. Saute for 2 - 3 minutes ( till dals are light brown ).
Add sliced onions. When the onions are light brown in color and turmeric powder and fry well.

Add boiled and mashed potatoes. Add salt to taste and mix well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 5 - 8 minutes.

Heat a heavy - bottomed wrought iron griddle or non stick dosa pan on a medium heat.

Grease with little oil / ghee.

Make the dosa by placing a ladleful ( approximately 120 ml ) of batter on the centre. Spread evenly by circular rotations using the base of the ladle, starting from the centre and progressing outwards. Let the dosa color, and sprinkle a few drops of ghee.

Place the masala ( filling ) in the centre of the dosa. Fold the dosa and cook till crisp.

When ready, carefully remove with the help of a thin spatula. Serve hot with coconut chutney & sambar. Other accompaniments - Medu vada and Filter coffee.

1 cup coconut grated
1 green chilli
1 red chilli
1 teaspoon tamarind paste ( optional )
Salt to taste
Ginger - 1/2- inch piece

1 teaspoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon urad dal
1 red chilli
1 spring curry leaves

Grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste with a little water. Adjust the thickness of the chutney with water.

In a pan, heat 1 teaspoon oil. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter , add remaining ingredients. Saute well. Pour this over to coconut chutney.



2 nd Recipe

Recipe Credit - Chef O . P . Khantwal

Washed urad dal - 50 gms
?Boiled rice - 100 gms ?
Rice - 100 gms
?Methi seeds - 10 gms
?Channa dal - 10 gms

?Besan - 10 gms ?Maida - 10 gms ? Salt to taste ?Sugar - 5 gms ?Rice flour - 20 gms

Soak the ingredients for 6-8 hours. Grind them to make a fine paste, making sure that the consistency is thick. Then, add all the additives. Check the seasoning and consistency and prepare dosa on griddle. Follow Dosa recipe and for each filling, follow masala dosa recipe.

In a pan heat oil, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. When they crackle, add capsicum. Saute for a while and then add tomatoes, green chillies and coriander. Cook for while. Then add tomato puree and red chilli powder. Cook till done and puree coats the paneer. Check seasoning and stuff in the dosa.

Mushroom (chopped) - 50 gms ?
Green peas - 10 gms
?Red chilli powder - 5 gms
?Turmeric powder - a pinch ?
Salt to taste
?Coriander powder - 5 gms
?Ginger-garlic paste - 5 gms
?Mustard seeds - 2 gms ?
Curry leaves - 5
?Oil -10 ml

Heat oil in pan and add mustard seeds and curry leaves, when they crackle add all the powdered masalas. Then add the green peas and mushrooms. Cook till done and adjust the seasoning. Fill this in the dosa and serve it with coconut chutney.

Cauliflower florets - 100 ?gms
?Fennel seeds - 5 gms
?Onion seeds - 5 gms ?
Salt to taste
?Chaat masala - 8 gms
?Lemon juice - 10 ml ?
Coriander (chopped) - few sprigs ?
Red chilli powder - 5 gms ?
Turmeric powder - a pinch
?Oil -10 ml

Boil the cauliflower florets with turmeric powder and salt. In pan heat oil, add fennel seeds, onion seeds and red chilli powder. ?Add cauliflower, chaat masala and mix properly. Add lemon juice and chopped coriander. ?Stuff in the dosa.

Carrot juliennes - 10 gms
?Bean juliennes - 10 gms
?Potato juliennes - 10 gm ?
Cottage cheese juliennes - 10 gms
?Capsicum juliennes - 10 gms ?
Tomato juliennes -10 gms ?
Salt to taste
?Tomato puree -10 gms
?Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
?Lemon juice - few drops
?Kasoori methi- 1/2 teaspoon

In a pan, heat some oil and add capsicum. Saute for sometime. ?Then add the paneer, rest of the vegetables and tomatoes and fry for sometime. Add little water and rest of the ingredients. Cook till the tomato puree coats the paneer. Stuff in the dosa.