Davangere Benne Dosa (DBD)

I have been to Davangere and had Davangere benne (butter) dosa from the authentic place. Luckily, we get it in our place too (Belgaum). With my interest in cooking, I have been intrigued by the unique deliciousness of the DBD. Recently during conversation with a friend, he told that the batter of DBD is different from the routine dosa and puffed rice is used in this. This aroused my curiosity; I searched for a recipe and finally prepared it at home! You have to use butter liberally to get that unique taste, and if it is homemade butter, the better.

Ingredients:

Regular rice        - 1 cup

Dosa rice              - 1 cup

Beaten rice/ poha            - 2 tbsps

Puffed rice/ murmure   - ½ cup

Urad dal               - 2 tbsps

Fenugreek Seeds1- ½ tsp

 Green chilli        - 1

Salt to taste

To add at the time of making dosa:

Refined flour     - 1 tsp

Sugar     - 1 tsp

Baking soda        - a pinch

Fresh butter

Method:

-          Soak the regular rice, dosa rice, beaten rice, urad dal, murmure, and fenugreek seeds for 6 hours and grind it into uniform smooth mixture. Add cut green chilli and salt, and grind again.

-          Leave it covered overnight to allow fermentation.

-          At the time of making dosa, add sugar, refined flour and baking soda. Mix well.

-          Spread the batter on a hot non stick pan. Add butter along the edges, cover with a lid and roast on medium flame.

-          After a minute, open the lid; add blobs of butter over the dosa. Roast it till it turns crispy underneath.

-          Fold it into half, place some butter over it and serve with potato sabzi and coconut chutney

The potato sabzi served with DBD is also different.

Potato sabzi:

Peel two big potatoes, cut into half and pressure cook with a green chilli for four minutes. Cool and open the cooker, discard the green chilli. Mash the potatoes and add salt. Heat oil in a pan, add a sliced onion and fry till translucent. Add the mashed potato and mix well. 

Raw papaya, parijat and masoor dal sabzi

Papaya possesses anti-amoebic and anti-parasitic characters which controls the bowel movements. It cures diseases like indigestion, constipation, acid reflux, heart burn, irritable bowel syndrome, stomach ulcers and gastric problems.

It controls flow of blood to maintain the blood pressure. It regulates harmful sodium effects inside the body. So it protects you from heart diseases.

Ingredients:

Raw papaya, skinned and cut into rectangular pieces     - 2 cups

Parijat flowers  - 1 cup

Masoor dal       - 1 cup

Ginger  - ½  inch piece

Garlic   - 6 flakes

Green chilli       - 1

Mustard oil       - 1½ tbsps

Salt to taste

Sugar   - 2 tsps

Baking soda     - ¼ tsp

Water   - 3 cups

Turmeric powder          - ½ tsp

Chilli powder    - ¼ tsp

Coriander powder        - 1 tsp

Garam masala powder  - ½ tsp

Method:

-         Heat oil in the pressure cooker, add crushed ginger and garlic, and vertically slit green chilli. Stir for half a minute on low flame

-         Now add the cut papaya and parijat flowers. Mix well and add the masoor dal

-         Stir for about a minute, add salt, baking soda and water

-         Pressure cook for 6 minutes.

-         Cool, open the cooker, keep on low flame and add all the masala powders and sugar

-         Mix well. Simmer for three minutes and remove from fire

-         Add ½ tbsp mustard oil at the time of serving

Fried Rice with Parijat flowers

Parijat is considered to be a divine tree. It has several names like night jasmine, harshingar, pavizhamalli, shephali and coral jasmine.The flower is the official flower of the state of West Bengal, India, and for Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand.

 The juice of its leaves is bitter and saline in taste and provides effective relief  for various body disorders ranging from common cough and cold to arthritis and sciatica. Its flowers, though bitter in taste, act as appetizer and soothe the stomach.

This is an awesome Assamese dish. AS Parijat tree has many medicinal properties, it is wise to include this in your menu.

Ingredients:

Rice     - 1 cup

Parijat flowers  - 1tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil or ghee       - 1 tbsp

Onion sliced     - 2 tbsps

Lightly roast and powder the following:

Mustard seeds  - 1/2 tsp

Methi seeds      - 1/4 tsp

Onion seeds     -1/2 tsp

Saunf    - 1/2 tsp

Ajwain - 1/4 tsp

Method:

- Cook the rice, drain and keep aside.

- Heat oil in a thick bottomed vessel, add sliced onions and reduce the flame.

- When they become transparent, add the parijat flowers. Keep stirring occasionally till the onions are brown.

- Add the ground masala powder, stir, and add the cooked rice and salt.

- Keep on slow fire for a minute or two, mix well and remove from the fire.