Tuppa set dosa / Malnad style Tuppa set

Every city has its own specialities when it comes to food. Likewise, there is one famous hotel in my native named “Venktesh dosa canteen” which is well known for tuppa set dosa, chutney dosa and many such types of dosas. He is very famous in the locality that even tourists come searching for his small tiny hotel. People stand in queues and do not mind waiting for 30-40 minutes. I know, by now you would have imagined how tasty the dosas would be. It is a small restaurant which comprised of not more than 7 tables and chairs. There is no place to sit inside and wait for your turn. People wait outside and first come first serve is what the restaurant people follow.

This is my humble try in replicating “Venky’s tuppa set dosa” Tuppa in kannada is ghee/clarified butter. Set refers to the spongy dosa. I swear the dosa is so soft and spongy that you cannot stop with just four of them. you will crave for more. The unique part in this recipe is the freshly prepared ghee which he tops on the mixture of chutney and onionbhaji. We mix it thoroughly and then relish it with the sponge dosas. The dosa texture is very soft and it absorbs all the combined flavours on onionbhaji, chutney and ghee. I took a while in cracking this. I tried several times to get the right amount and texture and finally got it right. Before posting this, I have followed the same recipe twice. Once I also tried with regular sona masuri, but the dosas come out dense but taste is same. Dosa rice suits best for this and gives you excellent results.

This recipe is a combination of dahi dosa, onion bhaji and coconut chutney. Although I have written them in separate posts I shall write them for you again here.

Ingredients:

For Dahi Dosa/Spongy Dosa:

Dosa rice/ Ponni rice – 2 cups

Beaten rice / Poha (thick) – 1 cup

Curd/Yogurt -1 cup

Baking soda – 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil – 4 tbsp

For Onion bhaji

Onion – 1 large (chopped lengthwise)

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Green chillies – 2 (slit)

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Coriander leaves – finely chopped

Asafoetida – a pinch

Oil – 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

For coconut chutney:

Ingredients:

Grated coconut – 1/2 cup

Green chilli – 4

Garlic pod – 1

Roasted bengal gram/Pottukadala/Hurikadale – 2 tbsp

Coriander leaves – finely chopped ( 3 tbsp)

Curry leaves – 2 springs

Tamarind paste – 1/8 tsp

Salt to taste

For ghee :

Unsalted butter – 1 tbsp (softened)

Method:

Part 1 : Making Soft Dosa Batter

Part 2 : Preparing onion bhaji

Part 3 : Grinding coconut chutney

Part 4: Roasting Dosa

Part 5: Making ghee and topping

Part 1 : Making soft dosa batter

Wash the Dosa rice thoroughly twice or thrice with water.
Soak dosa rice in enough amount of water for 4 to 5 hours
Wash the Poha thoroughly with water
Soak the poha in enough amount of water for 2 hours.
Soak both of them separately
Drain the excess water from soaked rice and transfer the rice into the mixer grinder
Add 1/2 cup yogurt and grind this to a smooth paste.
If it needs more yogurt, add some
Grind to a smooth and fine paste
Transfer this in a large and deep bowl
Now grind the soaked poha to smooth and fine paste adding the remaining yogurt
Add more water if required
Now mix both the ground rice and poha together and set aside
Add salt and mix thoroughly
Set aside to ferment over night
Next morning, you will notice a rise in the batter.
Add baking soda and mix well
Add 4 tbsp oil and 1/2 cup water and mix well
The batter should be a little on the liquid side. Having said that, not as liquid-y and free flowing as a neer dosa batter. The batter has to be thinner than the regular dosa batter. When you pour the batter in the centre of a hot tawa, the batter should spread out on its own.

Part 2: Making onion bhaji

In a kadhai, allow 1 tbsp oil to heat
Once hot, add mustard seeds and allow them to crackle
Add curry leaves and allow them to curl
Add Asafoetida
Add slit chillies and chopped onions
Fry till the onions are cooked but not mushy
Season with salt and little water if you wish to and mix well.
Add finely chopped coriander leaves and mix well
Set aside

Part 3 : Preparing coconut chutney

In a mixer grinder, add grated coconut, green chillies, Roasted bengal gram, garlic pod and tamarind paste
Add little water
Grind to a smooth paste
Add coriander leaves, curry leaves and salt
Pulse for 3 to 4 times and set aside

Part 4 : Roasting Dosas

Now, heat a dosa tawa, allow it to heat
Pour a laddle full of batter at the centre and gently spread it in a circle
Sprinkle ghee around the dosa
Cover it with a lid and let it cook on medium flame for a minute
Next, you will see pours around the dosa
If you like you can turn it the other side with the help of a turner but I prefer not to

Part 5 : Preparing ghee

In a small serving plate add desired amount of onion bhaji and chutney
In a tadka pan/ small pan, add 1 tbsp butter and allow it to melt and clarify
Immediately top this on the onion bhaji-chutney mixture and serve
Please make sure you mix ghee with onionbhaji-chutney mixture very well with a small spoon before dipping your dosas.

Tips:

Adding right amount of salt plays a vital role in giving you the sponginess. We never knew salt could do such wonders right.
Please make sure the batter is not thick. It should be thin and right for you to just spread it gently with the back of a spatula.
Covering and cooking the dosa is important.
Curd helps in fermentation. If your batter is fermented enough, you dont actually need to add baking soda. If it did not rise, you will definitely need an external agent to help in the softness of dosa.