Dosai (South Indian fermented rice pancake)
3 cups long grain rice (not Basmati) 1/3 cup black gram dal (washed urd dal) 1/3 cup Bengal gram dal(yellow split peas, channa dal) 1/3 cup red gram dal(pigeon peas, toor dal) salt to taste ghee for shallow frying water for soaking and for making up the mix Wash rice in several changes of water and drain. Add enough water to cover by about 4cm and soak overnight. At the same time, soak the dals in 2 cups water overnight as well. Drain the rice and put into a blender.* Add 1 ¾ cups of water and blend to a fine paste. Put this paste in a bowl (large) as the batter doubles in volume. Drain and blend, slowly adding ½ cup water. Place this paste in the bowl as well. Salt and set mixture aside for about 10 to 15 hrs till the batter ferments and becomes bubbly. We usually get the batter ready on a warm morning, place the bowl outside, and when the mix is ready, we either have dosais for dinner or place the mix in the refridgerator till the following day. Heat a heavy cast iron frying pan or a griddle and put a dob of ghee to melt. When it starts to smoke, measure out a ladleful of batter and spread as you pour. Then use a butter knife to push out the dosai pancake till it is as thin as you can manage. The traditional way to do this is to pour the batter in and then quickly spread it out with a circling spiralling motion of the bottom of the ladle. Cook till the dosai is golden. Turn over and cook the second side till golden as well. Serve with the potato curry folded inside.
3 cups long grain rice (not Basmati) 1/3 cup black gram dal (washed urd dal) 1/3 cup Bengal gram dal(yellow split peas, channa dal) 1/3 cup red gram dal(pigeon peas, toor dal) salt to taste ghee for shallow frying water for soaking and for making up the mix Wash rice in several changes of water and drain. Add enough water to cover by about 4cm and soak overnight. At the same time, soak the dals in 2 cups water overnight as well. Drain the rice and put into a blender.* Add 1 ¾ cups of water and blend to a fine paste. Put this paste in a bowl (large) as the batter doubles in volume. Drain and blend, slowly adding ½ cup water. Place this paste in the bowl as well. Salt and set mixture aside for about 10 to 15 hrs till the batter ferments and becomes bubbly. We usually get the batter ready on a warm morning, place the bowl outside, and when the mix is ready, we either have dosais for dinner or place the mix in the refridgerator till the following day. Heat a heavy cast iron frying pan or a griddle and put a dob of ghee to melt. When it starts to smoke, measure out a ladleful of batter and spread as you pour. Then use a butter knife to push out the dosai pancake till it is as thin as you can manage. The traditional way to do this is to pour the batter in and then quickly spread it out with a circling spiralling motion of the bottom of the ladle. Cook till the dosai is golden. Turn over and cook the second side till golden as well. Serve with the potato curry folded inside.