Maida Panna Polo (APF Seasoned Dosa)

"Maida Panna Polo (APF Seasoned Dosa)" ... served with Kajoor (Dates) Syrup and Masala Tea ........

Maida dosa is every child’s delite. Children simply love this thin flimsy dosa with lots of holes. This is relished with thickened Jaggery syrup or date syrup. Off course it’s a pleasure having this with fresh homemade white butter. While children happily gobble these up we elders who have grown up eating these dosa’s too enjoy them. The recent study that Maida is not good for health has put off people from preparing this delicious dosa. However, I always feel that our elders were very wise enough to know such matters, so if it has not harmed them, it will not harm us if eaten within limits. So I do prepared these once in 3-4 months and enjoy them with dates syrup which is my favorite combination for Maida Dosa. 

Ingredients :

Maida : 2 cups.

Fine Rava : 2 tablespoons

Freshly grate coconut : 2 tablespoons

Prepared hing water : 1 tablespoon or Hing Powder : 1 tsp.

Jeera : 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp

Green Chillies : 2-3

Fresh Curry Leaves : 5-6

Salt to taste

Oil as needed.

Put 2 cups of maida in a bowl add 4 cups of water and mix well, there should be no lumps. Now add in another 2 cups of water and mix well. Leave this aside to rest for 4-5 hours or overnight. Next morning or after few hours, you will see that the maida has softened and settled add the bottom in the bowl and the there is clear water at the top. Gently tilt the bowl, do not give jerks. Drain off all the plain water at the top. Now add in enough fresh water to bring the mixture into thick milk consistency. The same consistency as that of panpole. Add 2 tblsp of fine rava, 2 tblsp of freshly grated coconut, 1 tblsp of hing water (if using prepared hing water), salt to taste and mix well and keep aside ready.

For Tempering : Heat 1 tblsp oil in a small pan, when hot add 1 tsp of jeera, 1 tsp of mustard seeds, 2-3 green chillies cut into rings, 1tsp of hing powder (only if adding hing powder), 5-6 curry leaves cut into pieces and fry for a minute and pour this over the prepared maida batter.

Mix the batter once again. The Maida batter is now ready to be used for dosa’s. If still not sure of the consistency of the batter check it by dipping the ladle into the batter. When you remove the ladle out the batter should not form a coating on the back of the laddle. If it does, then add more water to the batter. The batter is not to be fermented so it is ready to be used immediately. However if you need to remove the dosa after a few hours refrigerate the batter and bring it to room temperature before you proceed in making of the dosa.

Heat Iron or non stick large sized tava to smoking point, lower the heat apply oil all over, rub with a tissue paper so as leave only a thin film of oil on the tava. Do not rub of the oil from tava just spread it with the tissue evenly. If you want you can spray or sprinkle some drops of oil in the centre of the tava. Now turn on the gas flame to high and let the tava be very very hot. Using a deep rounded ladle that holds about ½ to ¾ th cup of batter, pour the batter on the hot tava after lowering the heat to minimum in a quick and swirl pattern by pouring in such way that the tava gets covered with a thin layer of batter all round. The batter should be poured from at least 4-6 inches above the tava and the ladle should not be allowed to touch the tava nor should you attempt to spread the batter as we do for normal dosas. Move from outward to inwards while pouring the batter. Because of the thin consistency of the batter, it will spread over the pan quickly and a thin textured dosa with holes will be formed. This does need practice and is difficult to explain and will help the novice if they watch any video demo on you tube for the purpose. The gaps or holes in the dosa, if large can be filled with little bit of batter, however leave out the small holes as it is, that is the way the dosa is prepared. Pour a little bit oil round the edges of dosa on the pan and let cook on medium heat. The dosa is done if the top portion of the dosa looks glazed and the batter does not touch your fingers, when touched lightly.

This dosa is snow white, soft and will not turn brown so do not attempt to make it crisp. Gently remove the dosa and put it on a plate as it is with the same side down as it was on the tava. Remove rest of the dosa with the batter in similar way. Season the tava before you remove each dosa to ensure that the dosa comes off evenly without getting torn. This dosa is not flipped over to cook. Ensure that the dosa has cooled a bit before you pile another on top of the first or else they will stick to each other and may tear off when you try to separate them while serving. Best way is to serve them single immediately once they are cooked and ready. Hot and fresh maida dosa direct from pan is a pleasure to eat. You can serve this dosa with any side dish of your choice. Goes very well with chicken curry, kurma, panna upkari etc. Children love this dosa simply with Shrikhand or homemade butter. You can serve this with jaggery ravo (syrup) or dates syrup which is the most hit combination for this particular Dosa. Enjoy these soft dosa’ as a snack or for breakfast.