Avalakki Dosa - Crepes with Flattened Rice

As 2012 comes to an end and the new dawn will usher in another year, I want to wish you all a 2013 where happiness and goodwill overflows and there is great harmony in all spheres of your lives.

This past month has been about tragedies and more proof that evil dwells amongst us. Though the world did not come to an end, here's hoping that it is the dawn of a new era, which has us all doing our bit to better ourselves and spread positive energy into this world of ours. 

Here is a quick peek at the top five posts on Mysoorean for 2012, based on pageviews.  I am glad to see some posts from this year making it to the list, unlike the last time.

1. Bisi Bele Bhath
2. Avarekalu Saaru
3. Mysore Masala Dosa
4. Bisi Bele Bhath - the Quicker Version
5. Vegetable Saagu

And here's another dosa recipe for you. The little fellow S is a South Indian at heart and loves everything dosa. And I make dosas out of everything, really! The quick, instant kinds with various flours for when my (or little fellow S's) mood hits or the fermented kinds with variations such as the recipe below.

Ingredients:

For the batter:
3 cups rice
1 cup thick poha/flattened rice
1 tbsp chana dal
1 tsp methi seeds
1 cup think yogurt
4 cups water
Salt to taste

Oil for making dosas

Method:

Wash and rice, poha, chana dal and methi seeds together
Whisk the thick yogurt and mix well with the water. Alternately, you could use 5 cups buttermilk.
Soak the washed ingredients in the yogurt/water or buttermilk for 4 hours.
Grind to a smooth paste, adding water if required. The batter is thinner than the regular dosa batter.
Add salt and mix well.  Note: This batter can be used to make dosa at this point but for a fermented version, go to the next step. (At this stage, pour batter from outer edge inwards, instead of pouring in the middle and spreading outwards). 
Let it ferment for 8-9 hours or overnight.
Mix well again. Heat a lightly greased skillet. Pour a ladleful of batter at the center and spread the batter in a circular motion.
Pour oil around the edges and cover. Let cook for a minute or two, until crispy around the edges.
Using a spatula, fold the dosa at the center and plate it.
Serve with coconut chutney or sambar.

Note: As mentioned earlier, the batter can be used unfermented too, soon after grinding. It is a thin, flowy batter then, that has to be poured from outer edge inwards. The yogurt in the batter gives a slightly sour flavor that is nice. The fermented version is lighter and spongier.