Monday, December 20, 2010

Easy Breezy Besan Dosa / Puda


Nowadays, I am not in a mood to cook as M is away. Cooking for two (The picky one 'daughter' does not come into count) is sounding more like a chore, especially when the other adult is not there to appreciate and enjoy food. I am opting for simple, basic stuff as these 'no ferment' besan dosas / pudas that we had for lunch yesterday. I added veggies to the batter and served them with chutney. Though these are on the same lines as the rice flour dosas or the wheat floured ones, they are more nutritious and healthier because of the besan-veggie combination and are quicker to make. Good for a quick breakfast / lunch or as an evening snack. :) 

The ingredients: (make about 10 dosas)
2 cups besan / chickpea flour
1 tsp each - carom seeds & cumin seeds (I always add to besan preparations to avoid the bloating effect later.)
Vegetables (optional. I added about one finely chopped onion, one grated carrot and about 1/2 cup of chopped methi / fenugreek leaves. Spinach or tomato can also be substituted. If leafy greens are not included, try to add some chopped cilantro for flavor. Though I haven't tried, grated cabbage or bottle gourd may work too.)
2 -3 finely chopped green chillies or chilli powder (entirely optional and can be left out if serving kids. Or ground paste of green chillies and ginger can be substituted.)
Salt to taste
Oil to make dosas

Preparing the batter:
Sieve the besan to avoid lumps. Add besan, salt, carom & cumin seeds to a mixing bowl. Add enough water to make the batter. About 1.5 cups of water will make thicker dosas and if you prefer the dosas to be thin, add a little more. Stir in the chillies and veggies you prefer to add. If not preparing dosas immediately, batter can be refrigerated.


Making dosas:
Heat a griddle or a shallow non-stick pan. Sprinkle a little water on the pan and if it sizzles and evaporates, then the pan is ready for dosas. Pour about 1/4 cup or a ladleful of batter at the center of the pan and spread into a circle. Spread 1/2 tsp of oil around the edges and roast until it turns golden brown. Then flip it, spread the oil again and let it cook on the other side as well. Repeat the same with the remaining batter.
Serve with chutney / any spicy pickle.


This goes to Priya's CWS event, hosted by Kavitha this month with the theme Ajwain Seeds.

Post a comment

20 comments:

  1. Suma, that looks super tempting :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. healthy chilas....looks so mouthwatering...

    ReplyDelete
  3. That makes a great breakfast..love it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. healthy and colorful dosa indeed!! me also going on a dosa spree these days!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Simply superb,such a easy and yummy dosas..

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for posting. What language is 'Puda'? I usually call this 'besan pancake'. I make it once in 7-10 days. Have a wonderful day!
    Here's my version! :)
    http://shakahaari.blogspot.com/2009/08/besan-omlette.html

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jennifer,
    I am not sure. My husband always calls it puda and so I mentioned. I have to check with him and update here.

    Anonymous,
    I did not understand why the reference to that site. Besan dosa is a very commonly prepared item in India.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Quick and delicious dosa.. looks awesome !!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Bookmarking this one. I want to make this no ferment dosa when I have a Dosa craving.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Suma.. I actually posted your recipe on my FB page. Some commenters said they call this 'cheela'.. maybe that's Hindi! :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Yes Jennifer, besan dosas are also called as cheelas.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Liked your use of carom seeds.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Realy nice idea looks yumm good choice for breakfast.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Perfect for a snack, though I make this for meals too!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. This is a nice recipe. Can I add mustard seeds in it?

    ReplyDelete