Dosa is one of the most popular dishes in India, hailing from the South. It is the quintessential Indian breakfast that is enjoyed with coconut chutney, tomato chutney, mint chutney, and sambar. Dosa, on the other hand, is made from fermented rice batter with single ingredients like urad dal and salt.
One thing that makes dosa so appealing is the filling. These dosas are called Masala Dosa and Mysore Masala Dosa, and these are popular variations of the plain dosa. Masala dosa is filled with a tangy potato filling that goes perfectly with the dosas, but if you want to try something else and elevate your dosa experience even further, this article brings you the best dosa fillings that you can try apart from the common potato filling. These stuffings will definitely catch your attention.
Leftover Pav's Bhaji
This delightful variation brings two amazing dishes together in a mouthwatering combo. Pav's bhaji works as the perfect replacement for the traditional potato filling. As the leftover pav bhaji gets thicker in consistency overnight, it becomes ideal to be used as a filling. If you want the bhaji to be even thicker, simply put it on high heat and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes.
You would want the bhaji on the thicker side to make sure that the dosa doesn't get too mushy and is easier to eat; therefore, having a thicker bhaji will allow you to have the best experience. Serve with coconut chutney or sambar.
Paneer Bhurji
This is one of the popular variations of the dosa that is loved by many, and we don't blame them. Paneer has a mild, tangy flavour with a creamy texture, which makes it a perfect addition to the dosa, which is somewhat dry on its own. Add some spicy paneer bhurji that will surely enhance the dosa with the masalas that are incorporated in it while also providing a smooth, crumbly texture to complement the dosa. Sambar is the perfect accompaniment to serve with paneer dosa.
Onion-Tomato Relish
This filling is highly liked by dosa lovers due to the distinct flavour and texture the onion-tomato filling provides. It is an explosion of flavours in your mouth, which will keep making you ask for more. The onions and tomatoes are cooked thoroughly until they are soft. The filling gets a delicious tangy flavour thanks to the tomatoes and the spices and herbs such as chilli and turmeric powder, curry leaves, and jeera that elevate the filling ever further. You can serve this dosa with tomato chutney, which will complement the flavours perfectly and be your meal of the day.
Sweet Coconut Filling
You are very likely to find this stuffing in Maharashtra, as it is quite popular in the state. Often used to make sweet dishes such as modak and karanji. Just like that, you can use this delicious filling to stuff into the traditional dosas, which are savoury in nature, but this stuffing is a good change to that and will create a different yet scrumptious dish. This sweet stuffing is prepared by using shredded coconut, jaggery, nuts, ghee, cardamom powder, and more. Although nuts are optional, you can use them to add richness. This stuffing stores for around 4 days, making it a convenient filling, while it is also travel-free, giving you no reason not to use this distinctly sweet filling.
Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs are usually the dish we prepare when we are on the go but do not want to sacrifice flavour and nutrition. Scrambled eggs, or Anda Bhurji, have a separate fan base in India while being immensely popular in Mumbai as a street food where it is enjoyed with pav.
This variation brings two of the best dishes together to make one heavenly combination. The dosas now pack protein and are much more filling than before, thanks to the scrambled eggs. Not only that, the soft and creamy texture of the eggs also enhances the overall experience. You can enjoy these dosas on their own, or you can have them with coconut chutney if you prefer.
Chicken Kheema
Another scrumptious filling to take your dosas to the next level is chicken kheema, which is essentially minced chicken made using onions, tomatoes, and a few spices such as chilli powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, and black pepper powder. This results in a very rich chicken dish that has been enjoyed for ages in India. Bringing chicken kheema and dosa finally offers something to the dosa fans who want a non-vegetarian twist to the traditionally vegetarian South Indian speciality.
The only thing you need to be careful of is that your kheema shouldn't have a runny consistency, just like it's the case with pav bhaji. You can even top the kheema with some raw onions to add some crunch to the dish. You can enjoy this dosa with sambar since it will be a dry variation of the chicken kheema.
Mushroom Gravy Filling
Although unusual, mushroom dosas provide a sensational taste elevated by the earthly flavours of mushrooms. This is a great alternative for those who want to add more plant-based foods to their diet. This variation will surely help you reach the target.
The mushroom filling is created by cooking a tomato-onion gravy and later incorporating the mushrooms and cooking them to create a smooth, consistent filling. Not only that, mushrooms' earthly flavours pair excellently with the tangy-sour taste of the fermented batter, resulting in a great savoury dish that can be enjoyed with coconut chutney or tomato chutney based on your preference.