How a small Bandra joint brought Karnataka’s benne dosa back into the spotlight

Among the galore things Bengaluru had to connection was the nutrient prepared by my father’s cook, Prema. We relished everything she made — but the dosa. We were unacquainted with what she served, the benne dosa –– “benne” meaning butter. Unlike the thin, crisp dosas we were utilized to, these were smaller, heavy yet crispy outside, brushed inside, and ever served with 2 oregon 3 coconut chutneys. We thought Prema didn’t cognize however to marque dosas; she thought she was feeding a household of heathens. However, implicit time, we grew to emotion these. But soon, we moved backmost to Calcutta and its crisp insubstantial dosas.

Who would person thought that benne dose, oregon dosa, arsenic astir radical telephone it, would marque specified a comeback extracurricular Bengaluru successful the 21st century? Today, it’s each the rage, acknowledgment to a tiny eatery successful Bandra that reintroduced it to a caller procreation of nutrient lovers. Back then, I had nary thought however antithetic the mentation of benne dosa was from that of insubstantial dosa.

Benne dosa has a chiseled look that is said to person originated successful Davanagere, Karnataka. Unlike different dosas, its batter includes puffed atom successful summation to atom and urad dal, giving it its signature softness. Some variations usage poha oregon flattened atom alternatively of puffed atom and chana dal alternatively of urad. The dosa is ever finished with a generous dollop of food and usually served with a spiced murphy dish. Standard dosa batter follows a 3:1 rice-to-urad dal ratio, sometimes with fenugreek seeds. In contrast, benne dosa batter follows a 3:2:1 ratio of rice, puffed rice, and urad dal.

I would emotion to stock a recipe, but portion I tin maestro intricate desserts, roasts, and biryanis, dosas stay my Achilles’ heel. A adjacent friend, who seldom cooks, tin whip up flawless, crisp insubstantial dosas effortlessly. I person tried and failed countless times—experimenting with homemade and store-bought batter, investing successful the champion dosa pan, preheating it perfectly, and discarding the archetypal fewer dosas. Yet, each I negociate to nutrient are dosas that look similar they survived a car crash.

So my proposition would beryllium to trot implicit to your neighbourhood dosa edifice and inquire for a benne dosa. And don’t hide the other food connected the top.

Next week, I’ll beryllium penning astir the antithetic types of jaggery you tin find successful India and sharing my favourite look utilizing jaggery.