Dosai/Masala Dosai

From Idlis we get to Dosais - that is the logical progression. Usually, idli batter that is a couple of days old is diluted to prepare dosais. Dosai/Dosa is a savory, crispy crepe. Some call it Indian pancake, but dosais are not as dense or thick as pancakes. Although I have a soft corner for idlis, dosai is my ultimate, all-time favorite food. You will never ever catch me saying no to dosai. Ever. And my mom’s dosai is my unbeatable favorite of favorites. She indulges my love for its crispy edges by liberally spooning sesame oil around the sides of the dosai to crisp it to the perfect level of golden-brown crunchiness.  In fact, I love it so much that I often munch on it without dipping it in sambar or chutney, or any other side dish. 

I have come to understand that the authentic taste of dosai lies in the traditional cast-iron skillet in which it is prepared. The non-stick skillets don’t come close to delivering the true taste. True, the quality of the batter matters as well, but heat distribution is a key element to achieving uniform cooking and crispiness. And the cast-iron skillet (stone, as it is called) is designed to deliver just that. The traditional cast-iron skillet has a few other alloys that I’m unsure of, but it requires diligent care and maintenance. My mother’s skillet still shines and gleams like a brand-new one, although it is more than 30 years old. I’m not bragging or exaggerating here, but just giving credit where it is due. I sorely lack her patience and meticulous maintenance routine. Even before the skillet cools, she douses it with tamarind and water (and sometimes lemon juice). The acidity of the tamarind and lemon helps strip away the grease. After the acids soak the surface of the skillet for a few hours, she scrubs it with a steel wool or coconut fibres (and no detergent) till there is not a speck of black dot or grease. It is then washed, wiped clean and generously coated with coconut oil. The skillet then sits sparkling on the shelf, ready for the next batch of dosais/adais. Here, I have to make do with a non-stick skillet and watch my dosais remain milky white and not gain any color from the insufficient heat.  

According to Meenakshi ammal’s book, dosai batter is prepared a little differently from idli batter. She uses the same proportion as for idlis - 2 ½ cups of parboiled rice and 1 cup of urad dhal. But in addition, she advices adding a handful of raw (white) rice, because it makes the dosai crispier. Soak the rice and dhal separately. Grind it just as you would to get idli batter, and give the resulting batter about 8 hours before using it to make dosais. But, even without the addition of raw white rice, dosais made out of diluted idli batter turns out reasonably crispy. Perhaps in the interest of efficiency and conservation of time, most families follow this routine.

Preparing Dosai

1. Dilute fermented idli batter (that is more than 24 hours old) with about ½ - 1 cup of water (or more). The batter should be thin enough to be able to spread into delicate circles of dosai.
2. Heat your skillet on high heat until hot. Immediately reduce the heat to medium heat and keep it at this setting while making the dosais (overheating burns the dosai, doesn’t allow for uniform cooking, and the batter will roll up into lumps before you can spread it out)
3. Some people start by adding a spoon of sesame oil to the centre of the skillet (this step is not needed if you are using a non-stick skillet, but it is advised if you are using a traditional iron skillet). Then pour a ladle of batter onto the centre and gently spread it out in circular motions to form a thin circle. A stainless-steel ladle is ideal for this, as plastic may melt under the heat.
4. Spoon a little bit of sesame oil around the edges of the crepe/dosai. This step is optional, of course. For the uber diet-conscious person, this may seem unnecessary, especially if using a non-stick skillet. But the sesame oil infuses a delicate flavor and aroma that comes to be associated with the intrinsic taste of dosai.
5. Wait for about 2 minutes for the dosai to crisp/cook on one side. Then carefully flip the dosai onto the other side using a flat, broad spatula.
6. You may again spoon some sesame oil around the edges (and some over the dosai). Wait for about 2 minutes.
7. Flip the dosai back.
8. If you are satisfied that the dosai is cooked (the batter isn’t raw in patches, and the dosai has lots of little bubbles of escaped steam/air), transfer it onto a plate.
9. Dosais are best eaten while hot and crispy, with a side of milagai-podi, sambar, chutney, or pickle.

dosa sizzling and cooking in a cast-iron skillet

Adaptations

Masala Dosai/Onion Dosai:

Dosais can also be stuffed in the middle with spicy mashed potatoes, or any vegetable curry. Or you can just sprinkle some finely chopped onions into the uncooked batter. The onions crisp and caramelize in the heat. This adds extra flavor and texture to the dosai. The recipe for the stuffing below is merely a guidance. You can innovate and create as many different stuffings as you can. I usually use left-over curry/stuffing. 

Masala Stuffing (Ingredients: 2 potatoes, 1 onion, 2 green chillies, a piece of ginger, turmeric powder, chilli powder/garam masala, coriander leaves/curry leaves, and vegetable oil):

1. Cook 4-5 peeled potatoes. Once cooled, mash them into coarse bits.
2. Finely chop 1 onion, a piece of ginger, and the green chillies.
3. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan (medium heat). When the oil is hot, add the green chillies, 2-3 torn curry leaves,  ginger, and turmeric. Saute for a minute.
4. Add the onions and saute till translucent.
5. Then add the mashed potatoes and stir well.
6. Add a teaspoon of chilli powder and/ or garam masala (or any other spicy powder of your choice).
7. Add salt to taste.
8. Mix everything together and let the potatoes soak in the spices. (for about 5-10 minutes).
9. Switch off the heat. Garnish with finely cut coriander leaves.

Once the stuffing is cooled and ready,

1. Pour dosai batter onto the skillet and spread it out into a thin circle. Spoon in some sesame oil around the crepe. Wait for 2 minutes. Flip the dosai.
2. Spoon the stuffing into one half of the dosai (the picture contains a different stuffing of just potatoes/potato curry). Wait for 2-3 minutes.
3. Then fold the dosai over the stuffing.
4. Serve.

It takes some practice to spread the batter into a nice, evenly thin circle of dosai. If you are a novice, please don’t lose heart! What matters is the taste of the dosai, not the shape :)