Crazy about dosai, delicious Indian fast food

It was Sunday breakfast time and I sprinkled a few drops of water on the hot saucepan to see if they sizzled. Perfect.

Quickly, I pour a tablespoon of the light powder mixture into the center of the pan, gently turning to spread it out.

Then I turned up the heat in the oven, adding a tablespoon of transparent butter (called ghee) circle the newly formed round cake, immediately afterwards it swells a little and the edges curl. Time to flip the other side so the cake is cooked through.

Although the golden brown circle is a bit shiny, it looks like a cake. crepe French or Russian macaroni, but this dish is nothing like the previous two.

That is to say dosaiA South Indian pancake made with a mixture of fermented rice flour and black beans, a 2,000 year old dish loved by millions of Indians, is now available almost everywhere. on the planet, from Parry’s Corner in Chennai to the residential area of ​​La Chapelle in Paris (also known as “Tamil Street” or “Little Jaffna”).

Not having time to show admiration, I carefully slid the scoop table under the hot pancake and set it on a plate, along with a pinch of spicy lentil dough called idli podi.

After forming a small pinch of tall pot, inside a pinch of flour, I pour a little sesame oil in the middle and mix them. Finally I broke the cake dosai Crunchy, dipped in the mix and then tucked into your mouth, enjoy the explosive tangy taste in your mouth with a rustic aftertaste of sesame oil.

This is how millions of people in South India eat this healthy and tasty vegetarian dish every morning, sometimes switching for it. chutney [trái cây ngâm chua cay] or eat with sambhar (fragrant lentil soup) with flour idli podi.

However, over time, the cake dosai – Another name is thosai, dose or attlu, depending on the region of India, and is collectively called “sin“around the world – has evolved and comes with various ingredients and garnishes such as spicy potatoes in the global popular name. masala dosa.

pie dosai The tradition dates back at least two thousand years, and it has been recorded in ancient literature and has been passed down through many generations. Both states of India, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, accept this cake as their own.

In the book “Food Story”, culinary historian KT Achaya said that King Someshwara III (the ruler of parts of present-day Karnataka) mentioned the cake. sinI am “dosaka“in a 12th century literary work written in Sanskrit called Manasollasa.

However, the people of the Tamil region ate the ancestors of the dish. dosai I eat food mama adai (a type of pancake made with lentils and rice) and plate appam (rice cakes dipped in coconut milk) long before than before.

“Appam Y chest aid It is also mentioned in Madhuraikanchi, a literary work from the Sangam period of the 3rd and 4th centuries, “said Jayakumar S, researcher of South Indian history and founder of Courtyard Tours.” But, from where “dosai“It actually seems to be added to the vocabulary much later.”

He further explained that the Senthai Divakaran, an ancient Tamil vocabulary (some attribute it to be present around the 10th century) suggests that the pastel dosai is one of the versions of the cake appam that people usually eat with coconut milk.

Even if someone is arguing about who owns the cake dosaiCooks in the Udupi region of Karnataka are still known for the crispy crust that we know dates back to the 19th century.

Until then plate dosai still a soft, slightly puffy pancake.

Today, restaurants like MTR Tiffins (opened 1924) and Vidyarthi Bhavan (opened 1943) in the Bengaluru capital of Karnataka state serve pastries. dosai delicious for decades.

However, since the early 20th century, many chefs from Udupi have migrated to larger cities and towns in India and prepare cakes. dosai became famous, especially cake masala dosa – famous throughout India for its cheap breakfast dishes, made with popular ingredients, easy to find and simple.

In 2003, the Chennai-based Saravana Bhavan restaurant chain raised the bar by opening many South Indian restaurants in many countries, starting in Dubai.

And food dosai it continues to gain popularity around the world, in part because the large number of Indians living in exile often enjoy different versions of food.

The senator, who served as vice president with Joe Biden in the 2020 U.S. elections, Kamala Harris also had videos doing dishes. masala dosa with famous actor Mindy Kaling on Twitter last November.

pie dosai It has recently become fashionable for health-conscious people in India and has been called the indigenous superfood of India because the amount of probiotics in the dish comes from fermentation.

A three-ingredient mixture of rice, black beans, and curry seeds (creating an exceptional grain flavor and bitter aftertaste) is soaked, then ground into a powder with a little water and then transferred to a container of soak for automatic fermentation. course in seven to eight hours. People add a few tablespoons of salt after grinding the flour to speed up the fermentation process.

“The mixture after sufficient fermentation will have the activity of lactic acid bacteria and yeast, increasing the content of essential amino acids. This reduces non-nutrients (like phytic acid) and other substances. Enzyme inhibitors, so this cake is extremely nutritious, ”explains microbiologist Dr. Navaneetha T.

pie dosai, also called “dosaka“in Ayurvedic literature, also used by Ayurveda experts in the famous hospitality menu.

“Sin Y Idli [một loại bánh gạo ngon lành làm từ cùng hỗn hợp giống dosai] As part of a diet that treats muscle weakness, constipation and weakness, “said Dr. Sreelakshmi, senior health consultant in Delhi.

Still, for most Indians, breakfast food sin it evolved into a fast food that could be eaten at any time, day or night.

Due to its popularity, affordable prices and ingredients, as well as easy-to-ferment mixes in tropical climates such as India, bakeries sin it is present on every street in this country and beyond.

“Over the years, the versatility of cake mix has resulted in multiple versions and sin it has become happy food, “said chef Thirugnanasambantham K, director of the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Management in Manipal.

And umbrella sinI It is usually eaten plain (no fillings), but with new culinary trends combined with the availability of ingredients and convenience items it has made many versions of the cake. dosai differences, both with and without.

For example, in families in the Tamil Nadu region, when the fermentation mixture turns sour due to over-fermentation, it turns into a cake. uthappam (thicker dosai with chopped vegetables); and coconut milk is used in place of black beans in cakes appam delicious.

And different kinds of increases keep popping up.

From the cake sin Sichuan, derived from Indian influence on Chinese cuisine, to cake masala dosa with custard in North India, everywhere in India there is no shortage of cakes sin appeared on the culinary journey.

Even McDonald’s took advantage of this culinary passion and introduced the McDosa Masala Burger in December 2019.

Brothers Ritesh Bhattad, 31, and Yogesh Bhattad, 33, are the second generation of entrepreneurs who have been successful since they turned the cake mix upside down. dosai.

“We can always make 70 kinds of cakes sin difference, “Ritesh said.” But the cake sin Our famous RBS [có bơ sữa đông nạo và hành củ trộn với đậu phộng chua và các loại gia vị] sold almost 5,000 per month. ”

This successful family-run fast food business of two brothers, Ram Barose – Bhattad ki Idli from Hyderabad, is very popular with students and office workers, so they opened a new store. in three new locations around town.

According to the report ‘StatEAT: Quarantine Time Version’, the pie masala dosa It was the most popular vegetarian dish in all of India during the pandemic.

The whopping amount is approximately 331,423 cakes. masala dosa He was transferred by the Indian food delivery company Swiggy, from a quarantine phase that began in the last week of March.

This version of the cake dosai It became considered South Indian cuisine around the world, although it was not part of Indian culinary history until the Dutch and Portuguese brought potatoes to the country, 17th century anise.

However, in South India, the dish dosai It is more sacred than breakfast or simple fast food, and any type of food offered to the gods is called “temple kitchen”, you must follow the recipe and sometimes follow the words Ancient carvings in the temple.

For example, the Azahagar Kovil temple in Madurai makes thick and smooth puffed dosai with ground turmeric seeds and crushed black pepper, fried in butter. ghee to make offerings to the gods, and then the donor ate them.

In the city of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, the cake recipe dosai inscribed on the walls of the Varadaraja Perumal temple.

“We have an interesting recipe on the wall from the 16th century … that mentions how to make a cake dosai (both salty and sweet) during the Ekadasi Procession [là sự kiện tôn giáo tổ chức vào ngày thứ 11 sau khi trăng tròn, và vào ngày thứ 11 sau khi trăng non]”Said Jayakumar S.” This confirms that the plate dosai It has been a part of temple cuisine in India for a long time.

Whether it’s done in the temple, on the street, or at home, the food dosai and many of its modifications have become deeply rooted in Indian culture.

In my family, food dosai not just a plate; it feels like an irreplaceable emotion that can only be experienced in the present.

A few years ago, my grandmother told me the secret of her grandmother’s heirloom: that no one turned the cake. dosai the same, no matter how hard they try.