This particular art seems to be eluding me for ages (Hope you don’t raise the question, “Have you mastered the other arts then?”).. The whole process seems like a hi-fi science project that my seemingly mundane brain refuses to understand. Everytime I have achieved something worthwhile (atleast for myself), this dosa making humbles me. It serves to remind me that I’ve a looong way to go.
I buy the batter from the market since I start perspiring even at the thought of the various permutation combinations with rice and urad dal to arrive at the right combo that satisfies one’s taste buds. Now, let me give a picture as to what happens when I embark upon the missions of making dosa or idli.
Mission dosa :
I start with a positive Can Do attitude. Batter is in a vessel with the right sized karandi.The pan is on the stove being heated to the optimum temperature .Some oil in a bowl, a small something to wipe out the bits of dosas that sticks to the pan and a cup water near the stove.I spray a little bit of water in a very professional manner on the dosa pan. It sizzles.. hmmm .. all set. With great reverence I take a karandi ful of batter, put it gently on the midst of the pan and with slow, circular movements, spread it well so that it attains the shape of the dosa.I put a little bit of oil on the sides.. after several seconds I think I should turn the dosa around.. no.. it is still tender. Let it be for a few more secs. I leave it.Ellam nalla than poikitu irukku.. . now I think this side is done.I must turn it to the other side. And when I try to do that, dosai karandi is sort of struck underneath the dosa. Some portions of dosa refuses to budge from the pan and so I find it difficult to turn it. But with great effort I give a mighty push to the karandi.The dosa tears and assumes the shape of some modern art in the black background of the pan. A few drops of uncooked batter spills onto some vessels nearby. A few drops land on my hair and on my dress too.Black burnt bits of dosas are scattered nearby.. Only thing that remains to complete this scene is a background score of a dozen violins playing a sad tune.. This way I end up making a variety of dosas. Burnt dosas, semi burnt dosas, Uncooked dosas and so on. For complete recipe you can contact me on toblogforu@gmail.com (To use it on the fellow human beings who annoy you !)
Mission Idli :
This is really simple you see. I pour the batter in the rounded idli making vessel (ofcourse after anointing them with oil). Put those vessels inside the Idli cooker, mount the whole thing on the stove. Then leave it for 10 – 15 mins. I then open it and prod it gently with a spoon to check whether it is done.. Annnnd, the spoon goes right in ! batter is almost intact.. it gives a partially cooked smell. No prob. I say to myself. It will be done soon.I close the cooker and heat for another 10 mins. Open it.. same result. This time I am slightly annoyed. I close the cooker and heat for 15 mins. Open it. It seems to be done.. errr.. a little overdone perhaps. Coz those idlis now have hardened like stone, strong enough to choo away birds , dogs etc. I sigh.. resign and leave the kitchen.. really simple na..
The results for both the missions remain the same despite taking various suggestions from others and trying out things in different ways.. well... guess I just don’t have the knack for this thing.. chalo.. Happy ???
I buy the batter from the market since I start perspiring even at the thought of the various permutation combinations with rice and urad dal to arrive at the right combo that satisfies one’s taste buds. Now, let me give a picture as to what happens when I embark upon the missions of making dosa or idli.
Mission dosa :
I start with a positive Can Do attitude. Batter is in a vessel with the right sized karandi.The pan is on the stove being heated to the optimum temperature .Some oil in a bowl, a small something to wipe out the bits of dosas that sticks to the pan and a cup water near the stove.I spray a little bit of water in a very professional manner on the dosa pan. It sizzles.. hmmm .. all set. With great reverence I take a karandi ful of batter, put it gently on the midst of the pan and with slow, circular movements, spread it well so that it attains the shape of the dosa.I put a little bit of oil on the sides.. after several seconds I think I should turn the dosa around.. no.. it is still tender. Let it be for a few more secs. I leave it.Ellam nalla than poikitu irukku.. . now I think this side is done.I must turn it to the other side. And when I try to do that, dosai karandi is sort of struck underneath the dosa. Some portions of dosa refuses to budge from the pan and so I find it difficult to turn it. But with great effort I give a mighty push to the karandi.The dosa tears and assumes the shape of some modern art in the black background of the pan. A few drops of uncooked batter spills onto some vessels nearby. A few drops land on my hair and on my dress too.Black burnt bits of dosas are scattered nearby.. Only thing that remains to complete this scene is a background score of a dozen violins playing a sad tune.. This way I end up making a variety of dosas. Burnt dosas, semi burnt dosas, Uncooked dosas and so on. For complete recipe you can contact me on toblogforu@gmail.com (To use it on the fellow human beings who annoy you !)
Mission Idli :
This is really simple you see. I pour the batter in the rounded idli making vessel (ofcourse after anointing them with oil). Put those vessels inside the Idli cooker, mount the whole thing on the stove. Then leave it for 10 – 15 mins. I then open it and prod it gently with a spoon to check whether it is done.. Annnnd, the spoon goes right in ! batter is almost intact.. it gives a partially cooked smell. No prob. I say to myself. It will be done soon.I close the cooker and heat for another 10 mins. Open it.. same result. This time I am slightly annoyed. I close the cooker and heat for 15 mins. Open it. It seems to be done.. errr.. a little overdone perhaps. Coz those idlis now have hardened like stone, strong enough to choo away birds , dogs etc. I sigh.. resign and leave the kitchen.. really simple na..
The results for both the missions remain the same despite taking various suggestions from others and trying out things in different ways.. well... guess I just don’t have the knack for this thing.. chalo.. Happy ???
