Gold and Indian cuisine have an ancient interconnectedness. Be it the era when using gold utensils as cookware and dinnerware was a norm, especially among the wealthy, to using edible gold in food, we aren't new to the gold and food connection. Today, for most middle-class Indian society, eating or drinking in gold utensils is a far-fetched dream. It is equally an exorbitant adventure to make room for edible gold in our daily food. Nevertheless, to sense this ancient spell of antiquity, we have a few opportunities to sample how gold tastes without breaking the bank. One such eatery in Vizag is House of Dosas and its 916KDM Gold Dosa. How much does it cost? What makes it unique? How does it taste? All the answers are here.
The touch of gold
Available in a famous eatery of Vizag, named, House of Dosa, this 916 KDM or 22 carat gold dosa is one of the exotic items on the menu. Strangely, despite the popularity of this eatery for its south-Indian breakfast and snacks staples, this luxury culinary preparation hasn't been known to many. But when asked, the hotel staff informed that those who are frequent to this place have been ordering this dosa and it has a steady and repeat patrons.
It is named as 916 KDM Gold Dosa. This special dosa is slightly bigger than and regular-size of the dosa. The pure gold vark or foliage is placed on the outer part, more like an ornamental presentation. The inner part of the dosa sans any touch of gold. For the uninitiated, fine foil sheets of pure metal, usually silver but sometimes gold, known as varq (also varak or warq), are used to adorn dishes. Silver and gold may be consumed, albeit they provide no flavour.
How much does a 916 KDM Gold dosa cost?
Does the price of this dish vary according to the gold rate in the market? I don't think so, as it has a fixed rate on the menu alongside other food items. Of course, the edible gold makes it an expensive dish on the menu. The use of other high-quality ingredients also adds to it. The price of 916 KDM Gold Dosa at House of Dosas, Vizag, is capped at a whopping Rs1116.00 per dosa (at present).
Served with a regal touch
The entire show of 916 KDM gold is on the top of the dosa as an aesthetic touch with a golden sheen. Those who aren't aware gold vark has no distinct flavour or taste. The 916 KDM gold dosa has the inner part smeared with ghee, different types of podi and a profuse amount of fried cashew nuts. Thus, it has a unique taste. What are the podis? "That is our chef's secret and is not meant to be shared. Even we don't know," informed the hotel staff. So, I understood that the recipe of this prized recipe is absolutely tight-lipped.
916 KDM Gold Dosa with chutneys, podis and fried cashew nuts at House Of Dosas
An array of accompaniments
Of course, when you pay about Rs1200 for a dosa, it's bound to have a regal serving of accompaniments. Thus, it comes with ten side dishes. There are three podis - curry leaves and tamarind leaves podi, Senaga Karam Podi (Senaga Pappu Podi) and kandi podi. There are various types of chutneys- tomato chutney, Bombay chutney, onion chutney, peanut chutney, and coconut chutney. Likewise, there is a bowl of pure ghee or neyi. In the centre, there sits a bowl of golden fried cashew nuts.
Taste meter
I liked it since I didn't go with any preconceived notion or expected taste of this gold dosa. Instead of alu masala, this stuffing felt decadent. But I didn't have that aah feeling that I was eating gold. Of course, I grabbed the attention of co-diners because of the way it was presented.
Advice
If you wish to taste gold, nothing can be a better combination of dosa and gold than this. The flavour experience is a personal choice and subjective.
Name: 916 KDM Gold Dosa
Available at: House of Dosas, 7-19-3, Ground Floor, Flat 101, Apex Orion Bay, Kirlampudi Layout, Vizag, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Price: Rs. 1160.00 per serving