Dosa

If you have ever had breakfast at a food joint in any part of India, chances are, you’ve stumbled upon this immensely popular dish named Dosa. Made with fermented rice batter, these golden-yellow crispy pancakes are high in nutritional value as well as great gluten and dairy-free alternatives to other Indian bread like Naan and Chapati, making them the perfect item to be gorged on for breakfast. The fermented rice batter helps the body digest food easily in a hot and humid climate.

The origin of these is an ongoing debate, with food historian KT Acharya stating that the preliminary versions of these crepes were first made in Tamil Nadu as early as the 1st century AD, with references to the same being found peppered through Sangam literature. On the other hand, In Charmaine O’Brien’s The Penguin Food Guide to India, the historian mentions that the birthplace of this delectable dish could also have been in shops outside temples in Udipi. Someshvara III, an emperor of the Chalukya kingdom in the 12th century, mentioned a recipe for Dosa in his book titled Manasollasa.

The texture of Dosa varies slightly from one region to another. For instance, in Tamil Nadu, the Dosas are a little fluffier and resemble a pancake. In Karnataka, Dosas are thin crepes with crispy edges.

While there is no historical evidence to back this particular origin story, it is believed by many that the discovery of Dosa was a happy accident by a Brahmin cook, who had set out to make alcohol with rice. But when the fermentation process went awry, the cook poured the mixture inside a sizzling pan in a thin layer, giving birth to Dosa as we know it. It is usually consumed with an assortment of sides and chutneys, including coconut, mint, tomato and tamarind.

While masala, plain and ghee roast Dosas are the most popular variants, there are innumerable others for this dish that demands as much fanfare. Kari Dosa, for instance, has a topping of chicken or mutton. Pesarattu, on the other hand, is made with green gram flour. In the case of Adai Dosa, the batter is made with a mix of toor dal, rice and asafoetida, but not fermented.

Dosa assumes a different name in Maharashtra. Often called Amboli or Ghavan, these rice crepes are a Malvani cuisine staple. These crepes are thicker and chewier than traditional Dosa and use a heavier proportion of urad or chana dal in their batter.