Cooking Recipe Osas
Recipe Ingredients
Directions
Soak the rice and urad dal in separate bowls of water for about 2
hours. The water should cover them by around 1 inch. Drain. Blend the
urad dal with 6 fl oz water in an electric blender for 5 - 8 minutes
until it is pale, smooth, light and airy. Empty the mixture into a
large bowl.
Put the rice and 6 tablespoons of water into the blender and blend
until it turns into a fine granular paste. Add to the dal with the
salt and mix gently. Cover and leave in a warm place like an airing
cupboard to ferment for 24-26 hours. The batter should double in
volume.
Add 7 fl oz water fold in gently and leave in a warm place for a
further 1 1/2 hours. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil in a frying pan and
when hot, drop 4 fl oz of batter in the centre of the pan. Put the
rounded bottom of a soup spoon very lightly into the center of the
batter and using a slow, gentle and continuous spiral motion, spread
the batter outwards with the back of the spoon until you have a
pancake around 7 inches in diameter.
Dribble 1/2 teaspoon of oil over the pancake and another 1/2 teaspoon
round the edges. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes, or until the
dosa has turned reddish brown. Turn over and cook uncovered for a
further minute or until the second side develops reddish spots.
TIPS
Urad dal is a small pale yellow split pea. Buy it from Indian grocers
or substitute the more familiar yellow split peas available in
supermarkets.
Madhur Jaffrey's Flavours of India - Tamil Nadu
Osas
These nutritious pancakes from the Tamil Nadu region are versatile
and can be eaten for breakfast as a light lunch or for dinner. They
may be eaten plain with coconut chutney, or folded over potatoes.