Kanchipuram Dosa

Event: Blogging Marathon #56
Theme: Breakfast
Country: India

I have been noticing this dosa in the web world for years now but never got around making it though I prepare dosa batter quite frequently. The dosa batter being the prerequisite for the recipe. I kept wondering whether the folks at home would love a spicy version of their beloved dosa and stuck to that apprehension until I tried Kanchipuram idli and Azhagar kovil dosai. Surprisingly the two spicy versions were received well at home and they have become a regular feature in my kitchen.

Most of the Kanchipuram dosa versions I found online were similar and so there was no particular source I can link this recipe to. There seems to be another masala version which has piqued my curiosity and is quite different than the regular masala dosa. Now that is for another time and let's come back to Kanchipuram dosas. If one is used to the regular dosa making, then this recipe would come across as a breeze. The batter used here is similar to the regular version except the addition of yogurt and spices to it. Those subtle changes create altogether a different and yummy version that yields soft, spongy and spicy dosas.

Ingredients:
2 cups rice *
1/2 cup urad dal / black gram
1 tbsp. chana dal /split chick peas
1 tsp. methi / fenugreek seeds
1/2 to 3/4 cup yogurt
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1 to 2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
1/8 tsp. asafoetida powder
1 tsp. grated ginger
Oil to make dosas (I use canola oil.)

* I used 1 cup of extra long grain rice and 1 cup of idli rice for this dosa. Any Indian variety rice except Basmati can be used.

Dosa batter preparation:
* Rinse rice, urad dal, chana dal and methi thoroughly and soak them in water for at least 3 to 4 hours. Drain before grinding.
* Grind the ingredients into a smooth, thick batter using water as needed. The batter should be on a very thicker side and not be runny.
* Transfer the batter to a container. Add salt and yogurt to the batter and mix well. The spices too can be added to the batter at this stage but I added them just before making dosas.
(The container should be big enough to allow the increase in volume of the batter during fermentation. If the batter is fermented properly, there will be an increase in the quantity of the batter and so always use a container which can hold more than the ground batter.)
* Cover the batter and allow it to ferment overnight or for at least 8 - 12 hours in a warm place depending upon the climate outside. 
* Add turmeric, black pepper powder, ginger and asafoetida to the fermented batter before making the dosas.

Making dosas:
* Heat a griddle / non stick pan on medium flame until a drop of water dropped beads on it.
* Pour a ladleful of batter on the griddle and with the backside of the ladle, gently shape it into a circle. Don't try to spread the batter thinly since these dosas are on a thicker side. Pour ½ tsp. of oil around the edges of the dosas and cook on medium flame until the lower side turns golden brown. Flip the dosa and cook on the other side too if needed. Remove the dosa with a spatula.
* Repeat the process of dosa making with the remaining batter.
* Serve dosas warm with chutney or a side dish of your choice.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 56

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