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Recently, Bollywood sweetheart Ananya Panday stopped by Benne in Bandra, Mumbai for a taste of their tasty buttery ghee idlis and benne dosa. This Karnataka favourite can also be created at home in a few simple steps for an indulgent breakfast.
Ananya Pandey Savours Buttery Benne Dosa In Mumbai, Make The Bengaluru Favourite At Home
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Benne Dosa
Ananya Pandey Savours Buttery Benne Dosa In Mumbai, Make The Bengaluru Favourite Recipe At Home
Ingredients
1/3 cup urad dal, 1.5 cups idli rice (or parboiled rice), 2 cups pori (puffed rice),1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (optional), 1/4 cup maida (optional), Melted butter or ghee for cooking
Step 1
Begin by soaking the urad dal and idli rice separately for about 4-5 hours, or preferably overnight. This ensures that both ingredients soften sufficiently, allowing them to grind easily. Soaking also aids in the fermentation process later on. The rice should be thoroughly soaked, as this will help achieve a smoother consistency when grinding. If you're in a hurry, soaking for a minimum of 4 hours should suffice, but overnight soaking is ideal for the best texture.
Step 2
After soaking, drain the urad dal and place it into a blender or wet grinder. Add approximately 1/2 cup of ice-cold water to facilitate grinding. If you are using fenugreek seeds, add them to the grinder along with the urad dal. Grind this mixture to a smooth, slightly fluffy paste. The consistency should be thick but spreadable. Once the dal is ground, transfer it to a large mixing bowl, ensuring there are no chunks remaining.
Step 3
Drain the soaked rice and add it to the grinder, along with 1 cup of water. Grind the rice until it forms a smooth paste. It is important that the rice is ground well, as any rough texture may affect the final product. The rice should be finer than a typical rice paste but not as fine as the urad dal. Once the rice paste is ready, combine it with the ground urad dal in the same mixing bowl.
Step 4
Now, take the pori and grind it with an additional 1 cup of water. This will create a thick, grainy paste that will help give the dosa its characteristic texture. Add this to the bowl with the rice and dal mixture. If you are using maida, you can add it at this stage to help with binding and texture, although this is optional. Once everything is added to the bowl, stir the mixture thoroughly to ensure it is evenly combined.
Step 5
Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt into the batter, ensuring it is evenly distributed. You may also want to check the batter's consistency at this stage. It should be thick but spreadable. If it appears too thick, you can add a small amount of water to achieve the desired consistency. Mix all ingredients well until the batter is smooth and homogeneous.
Step 6
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or lid, and allow the batter to ferment for 6-8 hours in a warm place. Once the batter is ready, heat a dosa griddle or non-stick pan over medium heat. Once it’s sufficiently hot, pour 1/3 cup of batter onto the griddle and use the back of a spoon to swirl it around, spreading it into a thick, round shape. Ensure that the dosa is a little thicker than usual to allow for a softer texture.
Step 7
Once the dosa begins to crisp up on the bottom, add about 1/2 teaspoon of melted butter or ghee to the edges and centre. This will add flavour and help crisp the dosa. Allow it to cook for a little longer, until the underside is a rich golden brown. This typically takes around 1 minute.
Step 8
After the dosa is cooked on one side, use a steel spatula to carefully loosen the edges of the dosa and flip it over. Cook for another 30 seconds to a minute on the other side, just to ensure it is fully cooked through and crisped to your liking. Remove the dosa from the griddle and transfer it to a serving plate.
Step 9
Continue making dosas with the remaining batter, greasing the griddle lightly with butter or ghee as needed. Serve the freshly cooked dosas hot with coconut chutney or any other chutney of your choice. These dosas are best enjoyed immediately, as they tend to lose their crispiness over time. Enjoy hot with chutney and sambar.