What experts whipped up

Five chefs from across the country tell us what they discovered, perfected or fell in love with in the kitchen in these pandemic months

The Perfect Dosa

by Anahita Dhondy

What I have most enjoyed tinkering with in the lockdown is the dosa. I first learnt how to make this precarious batter while I was training at the Taj in Aurangabad 12 years ago. We had to have the batter ready by 5 am for the breakfast service. As a teen just starting out, I never got it right.

All these years later, being a big fan of the dosa, I decided to try my hand at it again. I have a dear friend — pastry chef Vinesh Johny from Bengaluru — who’s always making them on Instagram. So I asked him to help.

He messaged me the ratios from his mother’s heirloom recipe and voila! The next day I had the most gorgeous dosas I’d ever made. I was so excited and proud — this is a dish so simple yet so complicated. I make it every week at home in Delhi.

Here’s the recipe. Remember 3:1:1. That’s 3 parts idli rice to 1 part urad dal and 1 part poha or flat rice. Leave in water enough to cover it double. Let it soak overnight and grind it in the morning. Add salt and adjust water for consistency. When making your dosa, the trick is to heat the pan, grease with some fat and then wipe off the fat completely. Then, like the dosawallahs do, splash a little water on the pan (do it like you mean it and be a pro, but also stay far enough so you don’t burn yourself).

Now spread the mixture in an even circle, using a ladle or katori. Dribble a little oil or butter on top. And you should have a beautiful dosa, crisp at the bottom and super fluffy on top. Try it. It’s life-changing.