As people celebrate World Dosa Day on March 3, the beauty of the dish is that you can make so many different variations and they are never-ending, especially if you love to explore unique flavours. So, we got Indian chefs to share recipes for their most unique variations
World Dosa Day is observed on March 3 every year. Photo Courtesy: Special Arrangement
The dosa is possibly one of the most delicious creations to come out of India, especially if you love something simple yet delicious, that you can play around with so many different kinds of flavours, the possibilities are endless. Over time, we know of the classic Sada Dosa but that has transformed into so many variations such as the Masala Dosa and Mysore Masala Dosa.
However, Indians love to innovate and have since popularised the cheese version, and in many eateries in Mumbai, there is also an Ice Cream Dosa. While we don’t want to go that far, innovation is key with dosa, according to Indian chefs, whom we spoke to, especially one where you take flavour up a notch with the use of ingredients that every one of us are enjoying now more than ever before.
Every year, World Dosa Day is observed on March 3 to celebrate the unique South Indian delicacy, and even as almost every other Indian loves it, the dosa has evolved into so much more. As Indian chefs continue to play around with its flavours, here are some interesting recipes. Imagine Jackfruit in your dosa, Truffle and mushroom, or arbi and podi among other savoury, because there are sweet ones that have chocolate and banana too. So, put on your chef’s hat and have fun with flavours.
Jackfruit Seed Dosa
The beauty of making a dosa is that you can relish your own variations, and while there are many popular versions, Nagesh Poojari, who is the chef at Dakshin Legacy in BKC, says you can make Jackfruit Seed Dosa. He shares, "Some of the most sustainable recipes already exist in our grandmothers’ kitchens. This dosa celebrates ingredients we often discard but are deeply nutritious."
Ingredients:
Dosa rice 1 cup
Grated fresh coconut 1/2 cup
Boiled jackfruit seeds (peeled) 8-10 nos
Poha (flattened rice) 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Dried red chillies 2 nos
Salt to taste
Water as required
Coconut oil for cooking
Method:
1. Soak dosa rice for 5–6 hours.
2. Grind the soaked rice with coconut, jackfruit seeds, poha, chillies, cumin, and salt into a smooth batter.
3. Add water to achieve pouring consistency. No fermentation required.
4. Heat a dosa tawa and spread batter slightly thick.
5. Drizzle coconut oil and cook both sides until golden.
Truffle Mushroom and Cheese Dosa
While you can always have the traditional dosa varieties, there are many different kinds that have sprouted over the years, including other sweet varieties. However, Anshul Dhyani, who is the executive chef at ITC Grand Central in Parel says, "Innovation in food is about respecting tradition while adding your signature soul to it. A dosa is a canvas, paint it boldly." It is also why he shares recipes for not one but two different types such as Truffle Mushroom and Cheese Dosa, which he says is a luxurious, and earthy twist on the classic South Indian staple; he also says you can make a Chocolate Banana Dessert Dosa, which he says is a decadent, indulgent, and irresistible sweet dosa.
Ingredients (Serves 2–3)
For the dosa batter:
Regular dosa batter (fermented) 2 cups
For the filling:
Button mushrooms, finely chopped 1 cup
Butter 1 tbsp
Garlic, finely minced 1 tsp
Onion, small, finely chopped 1 nos
Crushed black pepper 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Truffle oil 1 tsp
Mozzarella cheese, grated 1/2 cup
Fresh parsley, chopped 1 tbsp
Method:
1. Heat butter in a pan over medium flame.
2. Add garlic and sauté until aromatic.
3. Add onions and cook till translucent.
4. Add mushrooms and cook until moisture evaporates and they turn lightly golden.
5. Season with salt and black pepper.
6. Finish with truffle oil and parsley. Set aside.
7. Heat a dosa tawa and spread one ladle of batter into a thin circular dosa.
8. Drizzle a few drops of oil around the edges.
9. Once crisp, spread the mushroom mixture evenly.
10. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese generously.
11. Fold and cook until the cheese melts beautifully.
12. Serve hot with coconut chutney or spicy tomato relish.
Chocolate Banana Dessert Dosa
Ingredients (Serves 2):
Dosa batter 2 cups
Bananas, ripe, sliced 2 nos
Dark chocolate chips 1/4 cup
Nutella or chocolate spread 2 tbsp
Butter 1 tbsp
Powdered sugar 1 tbsp
Cinnamon powder 1/2 tsp
Chopped roasted almonds 1 tbsp
Method:
1. Heat the dosa pan and spread batter thinly.
2. Drizzle butter around the edges.
3. Spread a thin layer of chocolate spread.
4. Arrange banana slices evenly.
5. Sprinkle chocolate chips and cinnamon powder.
6. Cook till the base turns golden and crisp.
7. Fold gently and cook for 30 seconds more.
8. Garnish with powdered sugar and roasted almonds.
9. Serve warm for that gooey, molten experience.
Charcoal Arbi Podi Dosa
Exploring flavours through a little bit of drama, Rajan Kumar, who is the executive chef at Via Bombay in Chembur, says, "This is a show-stopping creation that combines the dramatic visual appeal of activated charcoal with the earthy richness of arbi (tarrow root) and the fiery punch of podi spice mix, a dosa that is as striking on the plate as it is on the palate." Kumar says they wanted to honour the soul of the traditional dosa while giving it a contemporary identity that excites the modern diner.
Ingredients:
Charcoal dosa batter
Dosa Batter 200 gm
Activated Charcoal Powder 1 gm
Salt 2 gm ,
Sugar 2 gm
Podi arbi mixture
Ghee - 30 gm
Curry leaves - 6 to 8 leaves
Mustard seeds - 2 gm
Onion - 30 gm
Garlic - 5 gm
Arbi (Taro Root) - 300 gm
Salt - 1 gm
Black pepper - 1 gm
Podi powder - 20 gm
Fresh coriander, chopped - 10 gm
Serve along with
Tomato chutney
Podi butter
Method:
Charcoal dosa batter:
1. Take a bowl and add regular dosa batter. Add salt, activated charcoal powder, and sugar. Mix properly until well combined.
Podi arbi mixture:
1. Wash and clean arbi thoroughly, removing all soil.
2. Boil arbi in salted water until fully cooked.
3. Remove from heat and mash well.
4. Heat a pan, add ghee, then add mustard seeds and curry leaves.
5. Add finely chopped garlic and onion; sauté until translucent.
6. Add mashed arbi to the pan and adjust seasoning as required.
7. Finish with a little ghee, sprinkle podi powder, and mix nicely.
8. Add chopped coriander for freshness.
Final assembly:
1. Heat dosa tawa properly. Pour charcoal dosa batter on tawa and spread into a round shape.
2. Drizzle some ghee on top, then add podi arbi masala over the dosa.
3. Cook dosa until crispy on the outside.
4. Serve along with Tomato Chutney and Podi Butter on top.
Avakaya Dosa
At Novotel Vijayawada Varun, executive chef Shivaramakrishna J, says you can make an Avakaya Dosa. He shares, "Indian breakfast dishes are often labelled as heavy or carb-loaded, but that perception does not always tell the full story. Take the humble dosa, a fermented South Indian crepe made from rice and black gram. Thanks to its natural fermentation, it is light on the stomach, easier to digest and wonderfully balanced, making it a wholesome way to begin the day."
Ingredients:
Regular dosa batter 250 gm
Avakaya pickle (mango pieces slightly mashed without shell) 45 g
Pickle oil (from the jar, for enhancing flavour) 10 ml
Onion, finely chopped 20 gm
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 10 gm
Ghee as required
Method:
1. Heat a dosa tawa or flat griddle on medium heat. Ensure the surface is hot before pouring the batter.
2. Stir the dosa batter well. Pour one ladleful onto the centre of the tawa and spread it in a circular motion to form a thin dosa.
3. Drizzle a small amount of butter or ghee around the edges and on top of the dosa.
4. When the surface begins to cook and the edges start lifting slightly, spread a thin layer of mashed
5. Avakaya pickle evenly over the dosa. Add a little pickle oil for enhanced flavour if desired.
6. Sprinkle chopped onion, green chillies, and coriander leaves evenly over the top, if using.
7. Cook on a medium flame until the base becomes crisp and golden brown.
8. Fold the dosa in half or roll it. Remove from the tawa and serve hot.
9. Serve immediately with coconut chutney (not too spicy) to balance the spice.
Red Lentil and Coriander Dosa with Avocado–Corn Filling
Experimenting with a wide variety of ingredients, Ashfaque Ali, who is the executive chef at The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace wants you to make Red Lentil and Coriander Dosa with Avocado–Corn Filling. He shares, "As chefs reinterpret traditional South Indian staples, lentils beyond rice are finding their way into dosa batters. This Red Lentil & Coriander Dosa is light, crisp, naturally gluten-free, and packed with flavour, paired with a smoky avocado–corn filling and a nutty tomato chutney."
Ingredients:
For the Red Lentil & Coriander Dosa Batter:
Red lentils (masoor dal), soaked 3–6 hours 1 cup
Poha (flattened rice), soaked 15 minutes 1/2 cup
Green chilli (adjust to taste) 1 no
Fresh coriander leaves 2–3 tbsp
Dried oregano 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Water as needed (for smooth batter)
Ghee for cooking
For the Avocado & Charred Corn Filling:
Sweet corn, charred 1 cup
Avocado, ripe, grilled or lightly charred 1 no
Fresh mint leaves, finely chopped 1 tbsp
Olive oil 1 tbsp
Lemon juice 1 tsp
Salt to taste
For the Tomato Chutney:
Tomatoes, medium, chopped 2 nos
Fresh grated coconut 1 tbsp
Roasted peanuts 1 tbsp
Curry leaves 6–8 nos
Salt to taste
For tempering:
Oil 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
Curry leaves 4–5 nos
Method:
Prepare the Batter
1. Soak red lentils for 3–6 hours.
2. Soak poha separately for 15 minutes.
3. Drain and blend lentils, poha, green chilli, coriander leaves, oregano, and salt with enough water to make a smooth, slightly thick batter.
4. Prepare the filling
-Char the corn on a hot pan until lightly smoky.
-Lightly grill or char avocado halves for added depth.
-Mash corn and avocado separately.
-Combine them with mint, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.
5. Adjust seasoning and keep aside. Rest for 20–30 minutes (optional but recommended).
Make the Tomato Chutney
1. Sauté tomatoes and curry leaves in a little oil until soft.
2. Cool and blend with coconut, peanuts, and salt into a smooth chutney.
3. Heat oil for tempering. Add mustard seeds, let splutter.
4. Add asafoetida and curry leaves.
5. Pour tempering over chutney.
Cook the Dosa
1. Heat the dosa tawa.
2. Pour a ladle of batter and spread in circular motion.
3. Drizzle ghee around edges.
4. Cook until crisp and golden.
5. Place avocado–corn filling inside, fold, and serve hot with tomato chutney.
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