Dosa: Indian filled pancake makes a complete and healthy meal at any time of the day
- Served in infinite varieties and at all times of day, the fluffy, crispy pancake made from fermented batter is usually eaten for breakfast in South India
- Rich in carbohydrates and protein, sugar-free and gluten-free, a dosa is a complete and healthy meal. No wonder it has spread around the world
Step aside, you CEOs – Sunder Pichai at Alphabet, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella and Indra Nooyi – formerly Pepsi’s: southern India’s best-known export is a humble food item eaten daily by millions, the dosa.
“The dosa is an integral part of my home. I grew up watching my mother cook them for breakfast every day,” recalls Mallika Ramarao, 50, a social worker from Chennai who learned how to make dosas from her mother.
“She would pour the batter on to the hot tava [pan] and spread it carefully using the bottom of a small steel bowl. Next, she would add a little ghee (clarified butter), not too much, so that the batter would set firmly instead of sliding around the pan. The dosa would turn golden and crisp on the bottom while the top stayed nicely white and slightly spongy.
“The exterior of the dosa should be crisp, and when it cools it should contrast with the soft, warm stuffing inside.”
“An indispensable part of making the dosa is fermenting the batter overnight so it acquires the right texture and a slightly sour flavour,” Ramarao adds.