This Vegan Godhumai Dosai recipe is a part of the Culture Tuesday column, in which Best of Vegan Editor Samantha Onyemenam explores different cultures’ cuisines across the globe through a plant-based and vegan lens. This week’s column on vegan South Indian cuisine (and Tamil breakfast dishes in particular) was written in collaboration with Supriya Raman of supriyaraman.com and @supriyaramankitchen on Instagram. All photographs are by her and each recipe developed by her based on the dishes she grew up eating in Tamil Nadu. Read more about this dish and discover more vegan Tamil breakfast recipes here.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup rice flour
- ½ cup rava - fine semolina
- 1.5 tsp coarse salt
- ½ tsp asafoetida
- 1 cup chopped greens - use spinach, kale, beet or radish greens, any fresh greens will work
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 3-4 green chillies - finely chopped
- A sprig of curry leaves - 10 leaves chopped
- ~ 3 1/2 to 4 cups of water
Instructions
- Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix them together. The water is incorporated in batches to make sure the batter is lump-free. Start with adding 1 cup of water and mix thoroughly. It is recommended that you use your hands to make sure the batter is lump-free. However, a whisk is a good alternative.
- Add another cup of water and keep mixing and breaking lumps. Next, add the third cup of water and incorporate fully. Use your judgment with this last cup of water addition. You may need only half a cup.
- The batter should have a pourable consistency much thinner than a pancake or regular dosa batter. Once the batter is ready, let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Making the Dosais
- It is recommended that you make this dosai on a cast iron pan, but a non-stick pan will work too.
- Preheat a cast-iron pan over medium heat and brush oil evenly all over. Mix the batter well before using. Pour a ladle full of batter onto the preheated pan ladling it from the outside in.
- We typically ladle batter in the center of the pan and then spread them all around. In this case, because the batter is thin and to create that lacey crispy thin texture, you will start ladling the batter from the outside. No more than a cup of batter per dosai, and it should be a thin even layer. Do not spread the batter using your ladle. Some gaps in the batter will naturally form and leave them as is you do not have to fill them.
- The first dosa is always a tester and may stick to the pan, or not work out, but that is ok. The cast-iron pan needs the right heat and to be seasoned and subsequent dosais will be perfect.
- Ladle the batter from the outside in to form an even thin layer. Take a teaspoon of oil and pour around the edges. This creates crispiness. After two to three minutes over medium heat, when you see the edges turn golden brown and the center visibly firm, it is time to flip. Gently unhinge the edges first and run the spatula to the center and flip. Cook on the other side for only a minute and they are done. Make them all, stack, and enjoy!
Notes
Find more of Supriya’s recipes on her website.
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