Dosa (food)

Adosa(known locally asdosey,dosaë,dosai,dosha,dose, ordhosa) is a thin, savourycrepeinIndian cuisinemade from afermentedbatterof groundblack gramandrice. Dosas are served hot, often withchutneyandsambar(a lentil-based vegetable stew).
The dosa originated inSouth India, but its precise geographical origins are unknown.  According tofood historianK. T. Achaya, references in theSangam literaturesuggest that dosa was already in use in theancient Tamil countryaround the first century CE.However, according to historianP. Thankappan Nair, dosa originated in the town ofUdupifromTulunad(ancient Tulunad country) in present-dayKarnataka.Achaya states that the earliest written mention of dosa appears in the eighth-century literature of present-dayTamil Nadu, while the earliest mention of dosaë inTulu literatureappears a century later.
In popular tradition outside of Southern India, the origin of the dosa is linked to Udupi (Tulunad), probably because of the dish's association withUdupi restaurants.The Tamil dosa is traditionally softer and thicker; the thinner and crispier version of dosa was first made in present-day Karnataka.A recipe for dosa can be found inManasollasa, a 12th-centurySanskritencyclopedia compiled bySomeshvara III, who ruled from present-day Karnataka.
The dosa arrived in Mumbai with the opening of Udupi restaurants in the 1930s.AfterIndia's independencein 1947, South Indian cuisine became gradually popular inNorth India. InNew Delhi, the Madras Hotel inConnaught Placebecame one of the first restaurants to serve South Indian cuisine.
Dosas, like many other dishes of South Indian cuisine, were introduced inCeylon(Sri Lanka) bySouth Indian emigrantsduringBritish rule.TirunelveliandTuticorinmerchants who settled there were instrumental in the spreading of South Indian cookery across the island by opening restaurants (vegetarianhotels) to meet initially the needs of the emigrant population.Dosa has found its way into the culinary habits of the Sri Lankan people, where it has evolved into an island-specific version which is quite distinct from the Indian dosa. In both forms, it is calledthose(තෝසේor[t̪oːse]) orthosai(தோசைor[t̪oːsaɪ̯]) inSinhalaand inSri Lankan Tamil.
As in Sri Lanka, dosa was introduced far abroad since the early 18th century, by the migration of theIndian Tamil diasporatoSoutheast Asiaand later in theWestern World, and through the worldwide popularisation of Indian and South Indian cuisines since the second half of the 20th century.
Dosa is theanglicisedname of a variety of South Indian names for the dish, for example,dosaiinTamil,dōsaëinTulu, anddoshainMalayalam.
The standard transliterations and pronunciations of the word in various South Indian languages are:
Dosa is high incarbohydratesand contains no addedsugars. As its key ingredients are rice andblack gram, it is a good source ofprotein.A typical homemade plain dosa without oil contains about 112 calories, of which 84% iscarbohydrateand 16% is protein.The fermentation process increases thevitamin Bandvitamin Ccontent.
A mixture of rice and white gram that has been soaked in water for at least 4–5 hours is ground finely to form a batter. Some add a bit of soakedfenugreekseeds while grinding the batter. The proportion of rice to lentils is generally 3:1 or 4:1. After adding salt, the batter is allowed to ferment overnight, before being mixed with water to get the desired consistency. The batter is then ladled onto a hottavaor griddle greased with oil orghee. It is spread out with the base of a ladle or a bowl to form a pancake. It can be made either thick like a pancake, or thin and crispy. A dosa is served hot, either folded in half or rolled like a wrap. It is usually served with chutney and sambar. The mixture of white grams and rice can be replaced with highly refined wheat flour orsemolina.
Dosas can be stuffed with fillings ofvegetablesand sauces to make a quick meal. They are typically served with a vegetarianside dish, which varies according to regional and personal preferences. Common side items are:
Masala dosais a roasted dosa served with potato curry, chutney, and sambar, while saada (plain) dosa is prepared with a lighter texture; paper dosa is a thin and crisp version. Rava dosa is made crispier using semolina.Newer versions include Chinese dosa, cheese dosa, paneer dosa, and pizza dosa.
Though dosa is typically made with rice and lentils, other versions exist.
On 16 November 2014, 29 chefs, at Hotel Daspalla in Hyderabad, India, created a dosa that was 16.68 m (54.7 ft) long and weighed 13.69 kg (30.2 lb), earning theGuinness World Recordfor the longest dosa.