Start by making oven-fried halloumi nuggets with my delicious, crispy batter. Toss it in the sauce along with crunchy onions and peppers. Serve as it is, in a wrap or my favourite way – which is with fries.

Is the 65 an Indo-Chinese dish?

No. It’s a common misconception as it’s similar in appearance to Indo-Chinese faves like Chilli Paneer, Manchurian, etc.

The 65 was actually created in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

What are the main ingredients in a 65 dish?

Every restaurant, hotel and street vendor has their own take on this dish. My version is an interpretation of the 65.

I incorporate key flavours and ingredients like curry leaves, chillies, yoghurt and garlic. Having said this, halloumi is not typically used – but it’s absolutely mouth watering.

Why is it called 65?

Legend has it that the original dish, said to have been created in a Chennai hotel, was Chicken 65. There are many wacky theories around why it’s called 65, some more plausible than others.

One suggests the dish was first created with 65 different ingredients, another that it was made with 65 varieties of chilli. Another even suggests that the chicken used to make the original version was 65 years old!

Whatever the origin of the dish, know that it’s fiery, tangy and slap-you-in-the-face delicious.

What else can I “65”?

The possibilities are endless. Batter your favourite protein or veggies to make this dynamite Indian dish. This recipe works particularly well with paneer, tofu, seitan, cauliflower and potatoes.

Ways to serve Halloumi 65

Enjoy this dish as part of a larger Indian meal. I suggest you pair it with something carby and plain, such as rice, paratha – or even fries!

I know, I’m a complete heathen but let’s be honest, what doesn’t taste good with fries?

This Halloumi 65 is a delicious addition to your lunch time wrap or roll. Add some salad and your favourite cooling dip/drizzle to temper the chilli heat.

Halloumi 65: Troubleshooting

Halloumi 65 recipe

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Halloumi 65

Halloumi 65 is inspired by Chennai’s famous chicken 65 dish. This fun vegetarian take puts squeaky halloumi to work in a chilli & garlic yoghurt sauce. Start by making oven-fried halloumi nuggets with my delicious, crispy batter. Toss it in the sauce along with crunchy onions and peppers. Serve as it is, in a wrap or my favourite way – which is with fries.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Indian

Keyword cheese, chilli, halloumi, vegetarian

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 450 g halloumi

For the coating:

• 50 g cornflour
• 50 g self-raising flour
• 2 tbsp your favourite mayo I used Hellmann’s Vegan mayo
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp English mustard or 1 tsp dried mustard powder
• 8-10 curry leaves finely chopped
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp oil I used rapeseed
• 25 ml water
• Spray oil

For the sauce:

• 1 tbsp oil I used rapeseed
• 6 large cloves garlic crushed
• 10 curry leaves
• 2 green chillies cut lengthways
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1 green pepper cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 red onion cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tsp your favourite chilli sauce
• 150 g plain yoghurt
• 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 150 ml water
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• Salt to taste

Instructions

For the halloumi:

• Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
• Drain the halloumi and cut into large bite-sized chunks. Place it in a bowl and cover with boiling water. This will soften the halloumi pieces up beautifully and also remove excess saltiness. Allow to soak for 5 minutes. Drain.
• Place the halloumi in a large bowl and add the cornflour, self-raising flour, vegan mayo, English mustard, black pepper, garlic powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, curry leaves, lemon juice, oil and water. Use your hands to gently mix everything together and coat the halloumi pieces. the batter should be thick and quite sticky.
• Line two or three large baking trays with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking oil. Arrange the halloumi pieces on the baking parchment, leaving a 2cm gap between each one.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, turning half way through the cooking time to ensure even browning.

To make the sauce:

• Whisk together the yoghurt, cornflour and chilli powder until smooth.
• Heat the oil in a pan. Add the oil, garlic, curry leaves, dried chillies and fresh chillies in rapid succession. Sauté for a few seconds until the garlic browns very slightly.
• Next, add the onions and peppers. Mix well. Add the yoghurt mixture, chilli sauce and 100ml water. Stir well. Stir continuously while cooking over a over medium heat, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt but remember the halloumi is salty so don’t be too generous with it.
• Add the crispy halloumi pieces and stir to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes to heat the halloumi through. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

• Serve immediately for maximum crispiness. Having said this, this still tastes great reheated the next day. For breakfast… #SorryNotSorry.
• To air fry the halloumi nuggets, place the batter-coated pieces in a SINGLE LAYER inside the greased basket of the airfryer. Ensure they’re not touching each other and that there’s a gap between each one or they will stick together. Spray liberally with oil. Air fry at 200°C/400°F for 8-10 minutes. You might need to cook them in batches.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• Leftovers might be a little dry as the sauce will soak into the batter. You can always bake them in the oven or air fry them to reheat through. They’ll turn into halloumi nuggets. Delish!

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Vegetable Manchurian

The post Halloumi 65 appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

The batter for these dosas flows like a swooshing river of pouring cream. Splash it in a hot pan, rotating until it becomes as thin as a crepe — and then watch the surface transform into a corded lace-like dosa.

Serve Neer Dosa with your favourite saagu, sambhar or simply enjoy with chutney. My favourite dish to serve with these is a creamy coconut milk-based Vegetable Kurma.

What are Neer Dosa?

Recipes for Neer Dosa vary from cook to cook, but the core ingredients are soaked rice, water and salt. Fresh coconut is abundant in South India and is commonly added for flavour.

I add coconut flavour to this dosa in the form of coconut milk. Vegetable Kurma is a curry I like to serve alongside Neer Dosa, so a splash of coconut milk from the same tin does the job perfectly for me.

Neer Dosa are a favourite in Tulu vegetarian cuisine is a treasured part of Mangalorean cuisine. It’s also known as Udupi cuisine which is rooted in Satvik traditions.

Is it easy to make Neer Dosa?

Being a non-fermented variety of dosa, it is relatively quick to prepare in comparison to other types of dosa.

What type of rice is best for making Neer Dosa?

Again, every cook has their own preference of what rice to use. I am UK based, so have experimented with the most commonly available types of rice here. Typically, a medium-short grain rice like Sona Masuri is popular for making Neer Dosa. It is grown largely in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and is known for its great fragrance and starchy qualities. However, it’s not a variety I can get my hands on easily where I live. Cue the Neer Dosa rice experiments.

What if I don’t have special rice?

After nine separate experiments using various varieties of rice, I found that both Idli rice and Thai Jasmine rice did a wonderful job in place of Sona Masuri. Having said this, I had good results using a standard American-style short-grain rice, too. Even 100% Basmati rice (250g) produced a good result for me (when I reduced the water content in my recipe by 50ml).

What equipment do I need for making this recipe?

• High-powered blender
• Frying pan (I used a non-stick one, about 30cm dia.)

Neer Dosa: Troubleshooting

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Neer Dosa

Soft and lacy Neer Dosa are delicate in both texture and flavour. A hint of coconut gives these beautiful rice dosas added aroma and suppleness. Serve with your favourite saagu, sambhar or simply enjoy with chutney. This dosa is a favourite in Udupi Mangalorean cuisine. Being a non-fermented variety of dosa, it is relatively quick to prepare in comparison to other types of dosa.

Course Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword breakfast, dosa, healthy, pancakes, rice

Prep Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8 dosa

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• High-powered blender or wet grinder
• Frying pan

Ingredients

• 125 g Basmati rice
• 125 g short-grain rice of your choice I used idli rice but any short-grain rice works well. Thai Jasmine rice is particularly flavourful
• 50 ml coconut milk
• 450 ml water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cooking oil I used sunflower

Instructions

To make the batter:

• Combine the two types of rice in a large bowl. Wash it in plenty of fresh water to remove any surface dirt. I changed the water 2-3 times. Drain well.
• Cover the rice with plenty of fresh water, so there's about an inch of water above the surface of the rice. Allow to soak at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
• Drain the water from the rice.
• Place the rice in a high-powered blender (I used a NutriBullet). Add the coconut milk and 150ml water. Grind the rice to a very fine paste. You may need to start and stop a few times to give your blender a break (so the motor doesn't burn out). The mixture should be the texture of softly-whipped cream, with very few grains visible if you rub it between your fingers.
• Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add the remaining 300ml water and salt. Stir well. The batter should now be of a flowing consistency – it should look a bit like pouring cream.

To cook the Neer Dosa:

• Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Rub the inside of the pan with a kitchen paper dabbed in oil.
• Give the batter a quick stir to ensure the rice and water hasn't separated. When the pan is smoking hot, carefully splash the dosa batter into the frying pan, tilting the pan as you go along for even spreading. Watch the video below to see how I do this. The dosa should be thin and will immediately begin to look lacy.
• Cover with a lid and cook for 30-40 seconds. The dosa shouldn't brown. Don't flip the dosa – it should only cook on one side.
• Remove the lid and fold the dosa in half and then in half again so you have a neat little triangle-like shape. Remove the dosa from the pan and place on a plate.
• Repeat this process for the remaining dosa batter.

Video

Notes

• Serve the Neer Dosa immediately.
• The number of dosas you make will depend on the size of your pan. I used a 30cm (12″) diameter pan and was able to make 8 large Neer Dosa.
• You can also use a cast iron tawa if you are comfortable doing so. However, I find a non-stick pan is perfect for this recipe.

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Vegetable & Coconut Milk Kurma

The post Neer Dosa appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Serve with dosa for a delicious vegan meal that’s gluten free too. It also pairs perfectly with rice, roti or paratha. I love to eat this with Neer Dosa.

What’s the difference between Kurma and Korma?

Both Kurma and Korma have roots in Mughalai cuisine. They are one in the same, adapted to local tastes over centuries. Their shared heritage means the two curries are a culinary venn diagram. At the intersection lies nuts (often cashews and almonds), seeds (often white poppy seeds) and a handful of spices. The spices include, but are not limited to: Coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, mace (or nutmeg) and black peppercorns.

In the South of India, Kurma puts locally abundant coconuts to use for a rich and creamy foundation. In the North of India, yoghurt and dairy cream add the opulence and richness Mughal dishes are famous for with Korma. Both Kurma and Korma are made using meat or vegetables, and both the dishes are stew-like, mild and aromatic. They can be either white, yellow or orange in colour.

Making a creamy, flavoursome masala

Kurma by its very nature is a rich and creamy curry. I like to create a thick and luscious base for this dish using a combination of onions, cashews and something that’s not as common in Kurma — raw rice! An old trick in some households but something that’s recently amped up my South Indian-style curries.

First, I toast the rice up in the tadka (tempering) until golden. I like to blend my Kurma gravy for a smooth finish. Not only does this eliminate any chance of biting into whole spices, it also gives the cashews, rice and other aromatics a chance to get nice and familiar with one another. The result? TONNES of flavour!

Kurma: Troubleshooting

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Vegetable & Coconut Milk Kurma

This simple coconut milk-based curry is rich with aromatic spices, nuts and a rainbow of colourful vegetables. Make it in an Instant Pot if you have one, or simply simmer away on the stove. Serve with dosa for a delicious vegan meal that's gluten free too. It also pairs perfectly with rice, roti or paratha. Feel free to add any vegetables you have in the fridge, as long as the total weight is around 600g.

Course Breakfast, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword coconut, curry, south indian, vegan, vegetables

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 150 g cauliflower cut into bite-sized florets
• 150g red pepper diced
• 100 g French beans cut into pieces
• 100 g carrots cut into half moons
• 100g g sweetcorn I used a combination of corn on the cob and kernels
• 50 g peas I used frozen

For the sauce:

• 1 tbsp cooking oil I used rice bran
• 15 cashews
• 250 ml coconut milk
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 6-7 curry leaves
• 2 green chillies slit lengthways
• 5 cm piece fresh ginger grated
• 5 cm cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 1 tsp whole coriander seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 1/8 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp Basmati rice
• 1 large tomato (approx. 150g) cut into pieces
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 250 ml water

To serve:

• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 4 lime wedges
• 1-2 tbsp coconut milk to drizzle on top

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds, chillies, curry leaves, cashews, rice and onions. Saute for 4 minutes until the onion turns a light golden brown.
• Next, add the ginger, tomatoes and turmeric. Cook for a further 2 minutes. Pour in the water and stir well. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes if cooking on the stove in a conventional pan.

  If using an Instant Pot, pressure cook on high with the vent closed for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the lid and check the cashews are tender. Allow to cool down.
• Remove the cinnamon stick and pile the mixture into a blender. Blend for 90 seconds until very smooth and creamy.
• Pour the mixture through a fine-holed mesh sieve back into the pan. Use the back of a spoon to press the mixture through and catch any whole spice pieces, tomato skins and seeds. Add 250ml water to the blender jar and rinse to ensure you're getting every last bit of sauce out. Pour this through the sieve too. Discard any skins or seeds left in the sieve.
• Return the pan to the heat. Add the coconut milk and season with salt. Add the vegetables (I used frozen peas so left these to the side until the end). Cover with a lid and cook for a further 15 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender.

  If using an Instant Pot, pressure cook on high with the vent closed for 10 minutes. Depressurise the pot and carefully remove the lid. Do this straight away or the vegetables may overcook.
• Add the peas and chopped coriander. Stir well and check the seasoning. Drizzle with coconut milk, if desired. Serve the Kurma hot with lime wedges and your favourite dosa, roti, paratha or rice.

Video

Notes

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat thoroughly in the microwave or in a saucepan to ensure food is piping hot before serving.
• This South Indian-Style Vegetable Kurma is suitable for freezing. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature and ensure food is piping hot before serving.

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Neer Dosa

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The shrill pitter patter of the mung beans being poured into a bowl and the swoosh and clatter of them being washed and rinsed reminds me of waves lapping the shore at Bamburi Beach, Mombasa. It’s a place where I’ve had a bucket load of happy food memories.

First the mung beans bloom; They’re fat and full of water. Next, their sage skins crack and reveal the creamy white of the inside, rather like Japanese Kintsugi. After a few days and minimal TLC the mung beans begin to sprout delicate tendrils which get longer over the span of 24 hours. Full of goodness and earthy crunch, the mung beans are ready to eat.

Make your own sprouted mung beans by washing them and soaking for 24 hours. Once they’re plump, drain the water from them and scatter them into a colander lined with kitchen paper. Cover with another piece of kitchen paper and leave them for 48 hours, trickling a little water on the top piece of kitchen paper after the first 24 hours. Keep them on the countertop at room temperature. After 72 hours, they will be ready to eat. You can store them in the fridge for 24 hours.

You can pack the sprouted mung beans into lunchboxes, toss them through salads, stir-fry them with spices or eat them straight up with a spoon. I like to pack some protein into my breakfasts and my go-to ingredients to do this are sprouted mung beans, tofu, cheese and edamame. This dish puts sprouted mung beans to good use.

My lightly stir-fried vermicelli noodles are tossed with sprouted mung beans, crackled mustard seeds, curry leaves, chillies and turmeric for a big, punchy breakfast number you’ll cook again and again. Transform it into a filling lunch or dinner with the addition of pan-fried tofu.

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Sprouted Mung Bean Breakfast Noodles

My lightly stir-fried vermicelli noodles are tossed with crackled mustard seeds, curry leaves, chillies and turmeric for a big, punchy breakfast number you’ll cook again and again. Transform it into a filling lunch or dinner with the addition of pan-fried tofu.

Course Breakfast, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword noodles, pasta, stir fry, vegan

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 150 g sprouted mung beans
• 350 g vermicelli noodles
• 2 medium carrots peeled into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp black mustard seeds
• 10-12 curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 2-3 dried red chillies
• 3-4 fresh green chillies
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander to garnish

Instructions

• Cook the vermicelli according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large, non-stick pan. Add the mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Add in the asafoetida, curry leaves (stand back, they will splutter), fresh and dried chillies. Sauté momentarily and then add the onion. Cook the onion until translucent.
• Next, add in the sprouted mung beans, carrots, turmeric and salt. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes.
• Finally, add in the cooked vermicelli noodles and toss to combine. Garnish with fresh coriander.

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There’s nothing more OTT than being the table that orders the ‘sizzler’ in a restaurant; the loud crackling noise, the aromatic waft of spices and the annoyingly smug smiles on the diners’ faces. It immediately reminds me of how it feels to be on the receiving end as I sit there with my lacklustre Aloo Chaat, thinking, ‘Sizzlers are so overrated and tacky… but I’ll get one next time.

It’s a love/hate thing.

Whether it’s crowned with vegetables, paneer, cassava or meat, sizzlers are notorious for their sticky, spicy sauces made with plenty of chilli and garlic. It’s not something you’d order on a first date.

I’m not ashamed to admit I own a sizzler (purely for showing-off purposes) and although you know my first love in life is paneer, I’m sizzling up something more unusual this time.

Idli or South Indian rice cakes are made with ground rice and split urad daal which have been gently steamed. Because idli are so perfect fresh from the steamer, leftovers are often overlooked (at my house, anyway). I’m sure all those yummy South Indian ammas out there have some amazing recipes for using up idli leftovers.

Rather than feeling bad about throwing idli away, cube them up and use them in place of your usual sizzler ingredients.

Think about it, you shallow-fry fluffy rice cakes to get a crispy coating, then plunge them into a dark, spicy sauce tossed with crunchy peppers and onions. The soft idli pieces immediately suck up all those chilli-garlic flavours like sponges. All it needs is a squeeze of lime for the perfect finish.

Sizzling Chilli Idli
(Serves 4)

Ingredients

500g cooked and cooled idli, cubed
1 tablespoon oil
2 onions, peeled and sliced into strips
2 peppers (I used red and yellow), sliced into strips
5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons grated ginger
4 green chillies, chopped
1 teaspoon tomato puree
2 tablespoons Sriracha (Thai chilli sauce) or any hot chilli sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons hot water
4 spring onions, sliced
2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Oil to shallow fry idli
Lime wedges to serve

Method

1. Heat enough oil in a pan to shallow fry the idli until golden and crunchy on all sides. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large wok. Add the garlic, ginger, sesame seeds and tomato puree. Stir fry for a moment, then add the chillies, chilli sauce, soy sauce, hot water and sugar. Cook for three minutes.

3. Add the onions, peppers and fried idli. Cook for a further three minutes, tossing so the sauce coats everything. Remove from the heat. If you don’t have a sizzler, add the spring onions and serve now.

4. If you want to serve it on a sizzler, place your cast iron sizzler on a flame for five minutes. Carefully add the chilli idli, sprinkle with chillies, spring onions and sesame seeds and using the special sizzler handle, serve immediately.

Here’s how I make my idli:

Ingredients

200g rice
100g split urad daal (get it in your Indian supermarket)
1 ½ tablespoons salt
1/8 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
Oil for greasing pan 

Method

1. Wash and soak the daal for 8 hours.

2. Add washed rice, fenugreek seeds and bicarbonate of soda to the daal mixture and add around 320ml water. Grind into a batter.

3. Leave to ferment overnight. Add the salt just before you want to use.

4. Grease an idli maker and fill until ¾ full and steam for around 10 minutes. For chilli idli, you should fill a greased baking tin with the idli batter and steam for around 30-40 minutes, cool and cut into cubes.

You can keep the idli batter in the fridge for up to a week.

I love this so much, I steam idli batter in a baking tray the day before, just so I can make chilli idli the following day. I promise that once you’ve tried it, you’ll, like me, be creating leftovers on purpose. And buying a poncey sizzler.

The post Sizzling Chilli Idli appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Sooji or semolina is added to give the bread a crisp finish and it is popularly eaten with Shrikhand at auspicious times. Let me tell you, that is probably one of my favourite ways to serve it. Simplicity at its finest.

What’s your favourite Indian bread and what do you like to eat it with? Leave a comment or share them on Twitter or Facebook.

The post Masala Poori appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

I’m yet to meet a person who doesn’t love masala dosas. A light, healthy meal full of nutrients and flavour, dosas are widely popular on restaurant menus and in roadside cafés.

Ever since I was a little girl I have always associated these crispy rolls of spicy potato with family outings to a nearby vegetarian restaurant which serves ‘monster dosas’. If you hadn’t already guessed, these are gigantic versions of the South Indian speciality. When I say gigantic I’m talking over a ft long.

We didn’t always go out to eat moster dosas, sometimes we were treated to the special type of masala dosas – homemade ones.

On strained tiptoes, I used to peek over the stove top to watch my mother swirl the thinnest sheet of batter you’ve ever laid eyes on, as glorious mix of anxiety and hunger slowly took over my pot belly. As soon as I saw the faintest tinge of golden brown through the pancake, I’d run to pick up one of our very Indian Pyrex plates from Popat Stores in Wembley and return to collect my reward for waiting so patiently.

She would spread a layer of my father’s speciality coconut chutney on top of the rice and lentil pancake, then a tumble of spicy lemon potatoes, and slowly roll it up ready to slide onto the plate gripped with restless hands. A drizzle of chutney on top and I was ready to sink my teeth into a harmonious medley of textures and flavours.

Now, I could go all fancy-schmancy by making monster dosa for you to stun your guests into thinking you’re a domestic god/goddess – but I won’t.

1. Because I’m not a pro dosa spreader.
2. Because mini is always cuter and more convenient.

I’m good at applying justifications to my weaknesses. If you are amazing at batter-spreading please go ahead and make giant ones – they will taste great. The key is to get the filling and the chutney perfect. Always remember to add plenty of lemon, salt and sugar – they make a big difference.

After stacks of experimentation, I found that if you’re a novice and want to spread thin dosa, use a cold pan wiped with sunflower oil. The downside to this is that the colouring of the pancake is not as even as it would be if you used a hot pan.

If you’re feeling brave, try using a hot pan but ensure you spread very quickly and very evenly. Easier said than done – I know. With time the technique becomes much simpler to perfect. Here are 10 top tips:

1. Always use a flat, non-stick pan with no ridges.
2. Use half an onion, pierced onto the end of a fork to rub oil into your pan. It flavours your pancake and stops it from sticking.
3. Pour your batter into the middle of the pan with a ladle, making concentric circles outwards to spread thinly and evenly.
4. Using a cold pan? Leave the heat on high to warm up your pancake quickly. This may alter the colouring of the dosas.
5. Using a hot pan? (Good for you!) Spread quickly, evenly and as thinly as possible over a medium heat.
6. If your dosa are thicker than you’d like, try to spread them more thinly whilst on the heat, flattening as much as you can.
7. When the top of the pancake dries out, spread it with some oil using the back of a spoon to stop it drying out completely. You could then place a lid over the top of the pan if you wanted to.
8. When you start to see golden brown specks under the pancake, gently use a spatula to loosen the edges from underneath, ensuring it doesn’t break.
9. When golden, flip and cook the dosa for 5-10 seconds on the other side. Flip back and spread the uncoloured side with chutney, add filling and roll.
10. Keep remaining batter in the fridge for up to a week. You can use this to make uttapam (thick dosa with added vegetables – no need to roll).

Mini Masala Dosa

Ingredients for the batter:

200g uncooked rice
100g urad dal (split and husked black gram)
50g channa dal (split husked Bengal gram)
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 small pinch bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp asafoetida
Salt to taste

You will also need:

½ an onion pierced through the top with a fork
Around 100ml sunflower oil

For the potato filling:

800g potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes
150g onions, roughly chopped into cubes (optional)
2 large, hot green chillies, minced (or to taste)
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp ginger, minced
50ml lemon juice
1 ½ tsp salt or to taste
2 tbsp sugar
8-10 curry leaves
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp asafoetida (optional)
Handful of chopped coriander

For the coconut and coriander chutney:

5 large hot green chillies
1 small clove garlic
1 tsp ginger
80g coriander, including stalks
100g desiccated coconut
100ml coconut milk
1 tbsp sunflower oil
40ml lemon juice
2 ½ tsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
120g Greek yogurt

Method

For the potato filling:

1. Boil the potatoes in plenty of hot, salted water until tender. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the mustard seeds. Wait for them to pop, then add the asafoetida, curry leaves, onions, chillies, turmeric and ginger. Allow to cook on a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the salt, sugar, lemon, and potatoes. Toss together and add the chopped coriander.

For the coriander chutney:

1. In a large bowl, soak the coconut in the coconut milk and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, blend together all other ingredients except the yogurt using a food processor or a pestle and mortar if you’re feeling energetic or have stress to relieve.

3. Mix the blended ingredients with the soaked coconut and yogurt mixture.

For the batter:

1. Mix together the rice, urad dal, channa dal and fenugreek seeds and wash 5-6 times in cold water.

2. Place them in a large bowl and cover with warm water overnight or for at least 5 to 6 hours.

3. After the soaking period discard the soaking water, reserving about 500ml.

4. Place the soaked rice, dals and methi seeds in a blender/grinder, and blend to a thick paste. The consistency of the batter should be just so that it covers the back of a spoon. Add a little bit of the reserved soaking water to help with the blending/grinding process. Blend/grind the batter to a degree where it’s grainy – this is what’s going to make your dosas crispy.

5. Place the dosa batter in an extra large bowl, and put the bowl on top of a tray to catch the batter the fermentation becomes too aggressive. Cover loosely and ferment overnight.

6. The next day, add salt, asafoetida and bicarbonate of soda, whisk lightly. It is important to add salt at this stage and NOT before as salt retards the fermentation process.

I created the slideshow below to illustrate the dosa making process. To see it in all its glory press play, hover over the slideshow and click the bottom right button to enlarge to fullscreen mode. Then click the top right ‘show info’ button to see my commentary.

You could also serve this with a finely diced salad of tomatoes, spring onions, coriander, a dash of lemon, a pinch of sugar, a pinch of cumin powder, and some salt. If you want to go authentically South Indian, top it of with a ladle-full of sambhar (a thick daal with vegetables). The dosa pancake is just a carrier for an array of fillings you cook up. We often fill them with lentils, vegetables and paneer, then serve with a variety of chutneys.

I don’t know about you but I could eat masala dosa for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My family love to have masala dosa parties where we invite all 50-70 family members over to dig in to dosas – yeah, I have a huge, loud and hungry family. These mini dosas are perfect for such occasions so why not try these and invite your family and friends over? Just don’t forget my invite.

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