"
Noncooks think it's silly to invest two hours' work in two minutes' enjoyment; but if cooking is evanescent, so is the ballet. "
Category : Veg
Duration : soak: 6-8 hours
prep: 10 minutes
ferment: 12-48hours
cook: 5 minutes each dosa
Servings : 4
Ingredients
3cups white rice
1 cup urad dal (black gram)
handful of cooked rice (if required)
pinch of sugar (if desired)
¼ teaspoon salt
Preparation of Aloo Masala:
[4 large potatoes, cubed and par-boiled
1 medium onion, chopped thin
4-5 split green chillies
½ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon chana dhal (optional)
½ teaspoon mustard seed
5 curry leaves
pinch of turmeric powder
1 tablespoon oil
Procedure
Heat oil.
Sautée the mustard seed first, then add chana dhal, curry leaves, onion and chillies.
Fry until the onions begin to change color.
Add potatoes.
Sprinkle the turmeric evenly and stir well to mix all the ingredients
Cover and cook on a medium flame for about 5 minutes, stirring well, until the potatoes become very soft and somewhat mashed
Batter
Put the rice and dal in a large pot and wash twice.
Fill with water until submerged by 2 inches.
Soak for 6 hours.
Grind in an blender, water and all, for 30 minutes. If the weather is cold, grind in a handful of rice and a pinch of sugar to help in fermentation.
Let ferment overnight in a warm place. Make sure the pot is twice as large as the amount of batter, as it will rise a great deal.
Add salt; at this point the batter can be kept in the refrigerator for more than a week until you wish to fry the dosas.
Dosas
1.Heat a tava (large flat pan) or griddle over a high flame.
2.Sprinkle water on the pan to cool it a little.
3.Pour ½–¾ cup batter in the middle of the pan, depending on preferred thickness and crispiness.
4.Spread the batter with the back of a spoon, starting from the centre and 5.spiralling outwards until the dosa is about 10 inches across and very thin.
6.Sprinkle a little oil around the edges of the dosa.
7.Cover until the dosa shows brown through the thinnest parts.
8.Turn the dosa around on its back and allow it to cook for a few seconds.
9.Fold in half and remove with a metal spatula.
10.Makes 10–15.