Protein-Packed Dosa

Hands up if you love dosa! These Indian crepes/pancakes are wonderfully savoury & light, and while I struggle to achieve the same epic thin crispiness as the South Indian street vendors, my smaller version is protein-rich, tangy & oh-so versatile.

Traditional dosa are made with white rice & lentils. In her beautiful info-packed book “Simplicious” – which inspired this recipe – Sarah Wilson uses quinoa & lentils. I’ve played around with different combinations, and this delicious trinity of quinoa, red lentils & brown rice has become my favourite. Fermenting the grains gives a slight natural tangy sourness, which is lip-smackingly good.

Humans have soaked and fermented grains, nuts & seeds for centuries, though it’s something we often lack in our modern diets. Getting scientific for a moment: the soak/ferment process means that phytic acid is broken down (which can stop us fully absorbing minerals) and good enzymes are released, to bump up the bio-availability and digestibility of protein & fibre. In short, fermented grains are kinder on our guts & better for us!

Serving wise, there are limitless fillings. Traditional dosa are sometimes served with spiced smashed potato. My son takes them to school filled with hummus, carrot, cucumber & lettuce. Sometimes he adds sauerkraut for a double ferment hit. A simple mix of avocado & salad greens is lovely. But one of my favourite fillings  – to make a meal of it – is my Sensationally Spiced Spiced Root Veges, as the tangy flavours match perfectly with the natural zing of the dosa.

1/3 cup quinoa, any colour

1/3 cup brown rice

1/3 cup red lentils

1 ½ cups water

½ tsp salt

a little oil for frying

Rinse the quinoa well until the water runs clear. Give the rice & lentils a rinse as well, then put all the rinsed grains in a bullet/blender/food processor with the measured water & salt, and put aside for about 8 hours – or preferably overnight.

The next day, blend the mixture until pink & smooth. Now we’re going to set it aside to ferment for a day or two. Options: pour the mixture into a bowl, cover with a clean tea-towel & let it do its thing. Or, since I use my NutriBullet for the blending, I pop a loose lid on my bullet cup and leave the grains to ferment in there. You could always tip it into a container with a lid, if that’s how you might store any leftover batter later. No need to refrigerate yet. If it’s cold & wintery, you can add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to kickstart the ferment.

After a day or two (I usually wait two), you’ll notice that the mixture has changed. It should look bubblier & puffier. The foamy ferment is working!

To cook: give the batter a good stir. If it looks a little thick, add a dash more water if needed. Heat a little oil in a frypan. Pour a couple of tablespoons of batter into the pan, and use the spoon or a spatula to swirl it out into a wider thinner circle, forming a pancake shape. Flip and cook until both sides are cooked through & golden.

The batter will last for a couple of days in the fridge. Simply stir well before using and add a dash more water if you feel it needs to be more pourable.