A tangy and spicy South Indian brinjal mash, slow-cooked with tamarind and freshly ground spices. This traditional Tamil dish is the perfect side for ven pongal, idli, or dosa, offering a burst of flavor in every spoonful.
Prep15 min
Cook30 min
Soak15 min
Servings4
Serving size: 1 cup
151cal
3gprotein
19gcarbs
Ingredients
500 g Brinjal (Small, tender purple variety preferred)
Discover the magic of Kal Dosa, a soft and spongy South Indian pancake. Unlike its crispy cousin, this dosa is delightfully thick and porous, perfect for soaking up flavorful sambar and chutney. A truly comforting breakfast classic that requires overnight fermentation.
This chettinad dish is perfect for lunch. With 443.33000000000004 calories and 10.84g of protein per serving, it's a high-fiber option for your meal plan.
8gfat
2 pcs
Dry Red Chili
(Broken into halves)
1 sprig Curry Leaves
0.25 tsp Hing (Asafoetida)
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tsp Sambar Powder (Use a good quality, fresh powder)
1 tsp Jaggery (Powdered, adjust to taste)
1 tsp Salt (Or to taste)
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (Finely chopped, for garnish)
1.5 cup Water (Divided for cooking and soaking)
Instructions
1
Prepare Brinjal and Tamarind
Wash brinjals, remove stems, and chop into large cubes. Pressure cook with 1/2 cup of water for 2-3 whistles until very soft.
While the brinjal cooks, soak the tamarind in 1 cup of warm water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the pulp to extract the juice, then strain and discard the solids.
Once the pressure cooker has cooled, drain any excess water from the brinjals and mash them coarsely with a masher or fork. Set aside.
2
Temper the Spices
Heat gingelly oil in a heavy-bottomed pan (kadai) over medium heat.
Add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter completely.
Add urad dal and chana dal. Sauté for about 1 minute until they turn a light golden brown.
Add the broken dry red chilies, curry leaves, and a pinch of hing. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
3
Sauté Aromatics and Powders
Add the finely chopped onion and slit green chilies. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onions become soft and translucent.
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes until they turn soft and mushy.
Stir in the turmeric powder and sambar powder. Cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously, until the raw aroma of the spices disappears.
4
Combine and Simmer
Add the mashed brinjal to the pan and mix thoroughly with the onion-tomato masala.
Pour in the prepared tamarind extract. Add salt and powdered jaggery, and stir well to combine.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 8-10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the gravy to thicken.
5
Garnish and Serve
Turn off the heat and stir in the finely chopped coriander leaves.
Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve hot as a side dish for ven pongal, idli, dosa, or upma.
Servings4
Serving size: 2 pieces
292cal
8gprotein
33gcarbs
15gfat
Ingredients
1.5 cup Idli Rice (Parboiled rice works best)
0.5 cup Urad Dal (Whole, skinned variety)
0.25 cup Poha (Thick variety)
0.5 tsp Fenugreek Seeds (Also known as Methi seeds)
1 tsp Rock Salt (Non-iodized salt aids fermentation)
3 cup Water (For grinding, plus more for soaking)
4 tbsp Gingelly Oil (Also known as sesame oil, for cooking)
Instructions
1
Soak the Rice and Lentils (5-6 hours)
In a large bowl, rinse the idli rice 4-5 times until the water runs clear. Add fresh water to cover the rice by at least 2 inches and set aside to soak.
In a separate medium bowl, rinse the urad dal and fenugreek seeds together. Add fresh water to cover and set aside to soak.
Allow both bowls to soak for at least 5 to 6 hours.
2
Grind the Batter (25-30 minutes)
About 15 minutes before grinding, rinse and soak the poha in a small amount of water until it softens.
Drain the water from the urad dal and fenugreek seeds. Transfer them to a wet grinder or high-speed blender. Add about 3/4 cup of cold water and grind for 15-20 minutes until the batter is extremely smooth, light, and fluffy. Transfer this batter to a large, deep container (at least double the volume of the batter).
Next, drain the water from the rice and the soaked poha. Add them to the same grinder. Add about 1 cup of water and grind to a smooth, yet slightly grainy texture (like fine semolina).
Pour the rice batter into the container with the urad dal batter. Add the rock salt.
Using your clean hands, mix both batters together thoroughly for 2-3 minutes. This traditional method introduces beneficial microbes and helps kickstart fermentation.
3
Ferment the Batter (8-12 hours)
Cover the container with a lid, but do not seal it tightly; leave a small gap for gases to escape.
Place the container in a warm, draft-free place (like inside a turned-off oven with the light on) to ferment for 8 to 12 hours.
The batter is perfectly fermented when it has doubled in volume, is bubbly and frothy, and has a pleasant, slightly sour aroma.
4
Cook the Kal Dosas (15-20 minutes)
Once fermented, gently stir the batter just once or twice. Do not overmix, as this will deflate the air pockets that make the dosa soft.
Heat a cast-iron or non-stick tawa over medium heat. To check if it's ready, sprinkle a few drops of water; they should sizzle and evaporate immediately. Lightly grease the tawa with oil.
Pour one ladleful of batter (about 1/3 cup) onto the center of the tawa. Do not spread it thin. Gently swirl the ladle to form a thick pancake, about 5-6 inches in diameter.
Drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon of gingelly oil around the edges and on top of the dosa.
Cover the tawa with a lid and cook for 1-2 minutes on medium heat. The top surface will become porous and appear cooked.
Uncover and flip the dosa. Cook the other side for just 30-40 seconds. The Kal Dosa should remain soft and pale, not brown and crispy.
Fold the dosa in half and remove it from the tawa.
5
Serve Hot
Repeat the process with the remaining batter, greasing the tawa lightly between each dosa.
Serve the soft and spongy Kal Dosas immediately with your choice of coconut chutney, kara chutney, or sambar.
