Davanagere Benne Dosa | Guest Post By Aruna | 3 in 1 recipe

From this January, VVK will feature a guest post from great bloggers out there every month. Blogging is fun and when it is shared the fun doubles. I have been following Aruna’s blog for couple of years. I love all her traditional recipes especially the Indian Regional Cuisine. Her attention to details always amazes me and she nicely weaves the story behind the food with this history and culture. She is one of my inspirations behind my food details and study.

Last month I dropped in an email asking for guest post. She replied back right away with a yes and also with a list of recipes. From that lot I selected this traditional recipe from Karnataka – Devanagare Benne Dosa. She not only gave the recipe of the main course also she sent me the recipe for the two sides also. That’s why it is 3 in 1 recipe. Thanks a ton Aruna. Here is Aruna’s blog and social media presence. Do check it out.

blog: http://aahaaramonline.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Aahaaram
Twitter: @Ahaaram
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/Aahaaram/

This is the first guest post in VVK and here it is… Over to Aruna

When Vidhya wrote to me about doing a guest post for her, I was quite eager to do. A few months ago, Vidhya did this wonderful guest post that was about one of my favorite things on earth; Javvarisi Vadagam / Javakki Sandige / Saggubiyyam Vadiyalu or Sabudana Papad. I can eat Vadiyalu or Vadagam all day long. In fact, when I want a snack, I occassionally do fry some up.

Back to Vidhya and her wonderful blog. What I like about Vidhya’s wonderful blog is the range of cuisines she tries. Also, all her recipes are easy to make without any compromise on taste.  Take her post on the Eggless Tutti Frutti and Nut Cake or then her Baked Coconut Milk Murukku (this one I have bookmarked for trying). I sent Vidhya a list of recipes I could try for her and she chose Davanagere Benne Dosa. As the name suggests, this is a dosa from the town of Davanagere in Karnataka, India and is very buttery (Benne = Butter in Kannada). It is a dosa that is somewhere midway between a Sada Dosa and an Aval Dosa. It is thicker and fluffier than a Sada Dosa but is thinner than an Aval Dosa. It is cooked in butter AND served with a pat of butter on the side. This makes it quite a favourite with kids and I hope Vidhya’s child would love it as well.

The Davanagere Benne Dosa is traditionally served with some Coconut Chutney and a Spicy Potato Mash. I have included the recipes for both these dishes as well.

Davanagere Benne Dosa:

Makes: 12 to 14 Dosas

Soaking Time: 6 to 8 Hours

Fermenting Time: 8 to 12 Hours

Cooking Time: 5 to 7 Minutes Per Dosa

Ingredients for Davanagere Benne Dosa Batter

• Udad Dal or Husked Black Gram – 1 Cup
• Boiled Rice – 2 Cups
• Plain Rice – 2 Cups
• Poha or Beaten Rice – 1 Cup
• Murmura or Puffed Rice – 1 Cup
• Methi Seeds or Fenugreek Seeds – 1.5 tsp
• Green Chillies – 3 or 4
• Salt to Taste

Additional Ingredients for Davanagere Benne

• Maida – 3 tbsp
• Baking Soda – ¼ tsp
• Sugar – 1 tsp
• Water – ¼ cup

Other Ingredients

• Butter, ghee or oil to make the dosas
• Butter to serve with the dosa

Method to Make Davanagere Benne Dosa Batter

• Soak the rice, udad dal, and fenugreek seeds in 6 cups of water for about 6 to 8 hours.
•  Drain all the water from the dals and rice. Save about ⅔ cup of the water.
• Using about ¼ to ⅓ cup of the reserved water, grind the soaked dals + rice + fenugreek seeds along with the green chillies into a smooth thick paste. Add a little more of the saved water, if required.
• Let the batter ferment for 8 to 10 hours.
• Add salt and mix well.

Just before making the dosas:

• Dissolve about 1 tsp of sugar in ¼ cup of water.
• Add Maida to the sugar-water and mix till there are no lumps.
• Add ¼ tsp baking soda and mix well.
• Add to the batter and mix well.

Method to Make the Davanagare Benne Dosa

• Keep a bowl of water nearby.
• Over medium flame, heat a griddle or tava.
• Grease the surface of the tava with some oil.
• Ensure that the tava is not too hot. If it is:
• Pour a ladle of batter in the centre of the tava.
• Using the back of a heavy ladle, spread the batter to form a slightly thick dosa.
• Over a medium flame, cook for a minute.
• Add a few small balls of butter/ghee along the edges of the dosa.
• Spread a little butter/ghee on the surface of the dosa.
• Let the dosa cook till the surface dries a bit and the side touching the tava turns golden.
• Reduce the flame.
• Sprinkle some cold water on the surface.
• Loosen the edges with a sharp spatula.
• Fold the dosa in half.
• Serve the Davanagere Benne Dosa hot with a generous Pat of Butter, White Potato Palya and Coconut Chutney.

Davanagare Potato Palya

Ingredients

• Potato – 3 Large
• Onion – 1 Medium
• Green Chillies – 2
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Salt to Taste

Method to Make Davanagare Potato Palya

• Peel and chop the onion to fine pieces.
• Boil or pressure cook the potatoes till they are mashable.
• Peel the potatoes mash well.
• Slit the green chillies.
• Heat the oil.
•  Add the green chillies and onion pieces.
• Fry the onion pieces till transparent.
• Turn off the heat.
• Add the mashed potato and salt.
• Mix well.

Coconut Chutney for Davanagare Benne Dosa

Ingredients

• Grated Coconut – ⅔ Cup
• Roasted Chana Dal, Putnala Pappu, Huri Kadale, Pottukadalai – 2 tbsp
• Green Chillies – 2 or 3
• Tamarind Flake – 1 Large Or Thick Tamarind Pulp – ½ tsp
• Salt to Taste

Method to Make the Coconut Chutney

1. Grind all the ingredients together to form a thick and slightly coarse chutney.