Panpolo Wtih Rice ~ Bajra

Panpolo Wtih Rice ~ Bajra .... Served with Amla Pickle and Raw Mango Chunda ..... It's Millets all the Way ..... Panpolo is a Polo / Dosa very familiar and enjoyed by every Konkani Saraswat ..... here I have added Bajra, a millet that is much more healthier ..... Goes well with any spicy curry too ..... Thanks to my sister Vijaya Bhat for the Chunda ....... Yummy Combo ......

Panpolo or Neer Dosa is a very famous dosa known all round the world. It’s a famous South Indian dosa that is very tricky in making. But once you master the art then it is a breeze work to carry it out successfully without hitches. The dosa is as thin as a handkerchief and the more the hole formation in the dosa the better the dosa outcome is. Panpolo is prepared with any ordinary rice along with some freshly grated coconut. I have posted the recipe to the same in blog before. Panpolo is one of my favorite dosa. However, though I do like it for breakfast, I prefer having them for lunch when I prepare some non-veg dish as the combination is truly awesome. I learnt this combo from my Shetty neighbors who always prepared the panpolo / neera dosa as they call it with chicken curry. This dosa goes well with kurma and crab curry too. You can enjoy the same with any combination you prefer. This is a variation on the panpolo by addition of bajra flour to the same. Bajra a millet is very famous and considered good for health specially during winter season. However, though I like the roti prepared from the same, I prefer adding it to dosa or Idly too as a variation to the same. This one is a take on from our normal panpolo with addition of bajra flour. 

Soak 2 cups raw rice (I used Surti kollam thick variety rice) for about 4 hours or overnight in plenty of water. Wash well and drain off the water. 

Grind the soaked rice with ½ cup of freshly grated coconut to a fine paste. See to it that you add fresh white coconut gratings only. Do not use the coconut flesh that is closer to the shell. This is to ensure that you get snow white dosas. Do not add much water while grinding as it will not turn out smooth. Remove into a vessel then add in 1 heaped cup of Bajra Flour and mix to a smooth consistency. There should be no lumps whatsoever. Add in about 2-3 cups of water to bring it to a thin consistency. The texture should be that of fresh thick milk. 

Add salt as required and keep ready. 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 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 a non stick large sized tava which has a fitting home shaped sized lid. Apply oil all over the tava. Rub it lightly with a tissue paper evenly all round the tava, so that the tava gets evenly coated with oil. 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 lacy texture 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. There will be gaps or holes in the dosa, which if large can be filled with little bit of batter. 

There is no need to drizzle oil round the edges of dosa on the pan. Cover the dosa with a lid and let cook on medium heat. It takes only about 3-4 minutes maximum for the dosa to get cooked. Remove the lid and raise the heat and let cook uncovered for a minute. You will notice the dosa leaving the sides and curving inward. This dosa is snow white when done only with rice however as there is addition of Bajra flour it will turn slightly off white in colour, the texture will still remain soft. Do not let the dosa turn too crispy or brownish at the bottom side. 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 fold it into half or quarter, to pile them one on another or else they will stick to each other and may tear off when separate them while serving. You can serve this dosa with any dish of your choice. Goes very well with chicken curry, kurma, panna upkari etc. Children love this dosa simply with Shrikhand, Pickle, chunda or homemade butter. You can serve with jaggery ravo too.