Rawa Dosas (Bachelors' Cooking)

One of my favourites whenever I go out to South Indian restaurants is Rawa Dosas and at times Rawa masala dosas.

The former is a plain version of the fermented pancakes (dosas) and the latter is one which has a mashed spicy potato filling. It is really yumm. They will always be served with a plain coconut white chutney, a tomato garlic chutney and a bowl of sambhar. I love this combo and if ever I get a chance to go to a selected few restaurants, invariably I end up ordering these. It is almost like how Indians breathe "Biriyani" in and out when they are given choices.

I decided to make them and found the process of sourcing all the ingredients quite simple as everything is available at home. A few things to keep in mind is to prepare this about an hour before actually making these or even less than that. This is mainly because once the rawa or sooji/semolina is added , it plumps up and soaks in all the water.

Add sufficient water to make it of a buttermilk consistency-quite loose and not as a thick pancake or dosa batter. It needs to be diluted well. The ingredients to be added should be all carefully measured and laid out around you so that they are easy to mix.

 I have used a cup of sooji/rawa/semolina, three-quarters of a cup of rice flour, a quarter  cup of Maida/all purpose flour. Add sufficient salt to the batter... you will understand as you add and taste. Curd is added to bring in some sourness to the pancake and also sort of helps in the fermenting. I have added almost less than a cup of curd.

 A nice sprinkle of Hing/asafoetida is also added. Freshly pound pepper corns, finely chopped green chillies (as per the heat you desire) a cup of finely chopped onions and  a tsp. or more of cumin seeds.

 Whisk them all in. In the hotels, I have seen slit cashew nuts in the pancake as well. So if you like that appearance as well, do add in a few split cashews. Two tbsps. I suppose.

 Curry leaves also must go in but I did not have them at hand. Mine were quite stale. Always use fresh ingredients.

 The semolina is added in last as it starts to absorb in the water as soon as it is added. Do check for seasoning.

 Dilute it by adding more water if it is not to the buttermilk consistency.

Will update later once the dosas are made. I have kept them for twenty minutes to stand like so before preparing the dosas. Hence the finished pics will be uploaded later on.

UPDATED:-

 It would be nice to measure everything out so as to maintain the taste without a certain flour overpowering another.

I was very happy to make a few for a sibling who turned up in the evening. Made it fresh and crisp off the tawa. Do not be over concerned with the shapes. Do not attempt to shape them as well, just ladle the batter into the griddle and let it form in any manner that it is poured. Flip it when a side is cooked.

They may resemble the various continents that you have learned about. So enjoy the tour!