One of the things that’s interesting and irksome at the same time is the dearth of information on anything you’ve been running after, even in an era when you can hear folks claiming that the world is at our fingertips, for instance, this red rice that I’ve been clinging and searching for new suppliers for months. Stocked in the freezer and checked for any kind of spoilers, so I never run out of this rare variety of rice that makes beautiful soft spongy and succulent benne set dosas. Recently I’ve been clearing up the pantry and I’m now only left with a couple of red rice varieties and the black rice until I restock a few more for my Ottushyavige Hittus and Dosey Hittus.
Saastikasaale is none other than Njavara — Shastika Sali, or the 60-day rice that has such rich medicinal properties. Many retailers will claim to have it, but the best must be carefully procured from native growing regions in Kerala or from farmers who have had a habit of growing it in their regions for a long time. My stock comes from Krishnappa, who told me about its value for diabetes. His father and Grandfather grew this rice, so he continues to grow this rice. He stated a few dishes that can be prepared using this rice though: Kajjaya, Thambittu, Huri Hittu (which can be had as a drink), Laddoos and also as a table rice). All for next rounds.
Because the rice is high in amylose and so full of rich nutrients, it also makes delicious, soft set dosas.
These dosas aren’t the regular crisp and thick dosas you’d usually make. The Swasthikasaale rice (and red rice in general) makes these dosas a little sweeter, spongy and these happen to just melt and trickle down the esophagus. You can even make a crispier dosa on a lowest heat with the same batter. Proof that both are possible are in the left and right images below!
Red rice dosas are one of a kind. One wouldn’t mind taking helping with extra dosa sets of threes or twos with dollops of butter, podis, chutney and jaggery at the sides!
“Ondu benne set dosey bisi bisi!”
Benne Set Dosa
Ingredients
- 3 cups Rice
- 1 cup Urad Dal
- ½ cup Tapioca Pearls
- 3 tbsps Flattened Rice
- 3 tbsps Fenugreek Seeds
- 3-4 tbsp Channa Dal
- Salt to taste
- 2 tsp of Sugar
Instructions
For the batter:
- Soak the urad dal, tapioca pearls, flattened rice, fenugreek seeds, channa dal separately for 4 hours.
- Soak the rice separately for 4 hours.
- Grind the soaked mixture containing urad dal with about ½ to ¾ in a grinder till it turns smooth and airy. This would take about 30 minutes approximately.
- Once done, take out the batter and add the soaked rice.
- Grind the rice with about 1 cup of water to a point where it just starts turning smooth. This might take approximately 15 minutes.
- Once done take out the batter and mix the rice batter to the urad dal batter and mix the two with your hands. This process will kick start the fermentation process.
- Once mixed well, add salt and sugar and mix again. You can add more water (about 1-2 cups) to adjust the consistency of the batter.
- Leave the batter to ferment for about 8-10 hours. This will double or sometimes triple the batter.
- After the fermentation, mix the batter again.
For making the doses:
- In a hot dose pan, add a ladleful batter and let the batter spread on its own.
- Add ghee or sesame oil.
- Wait till the dosa cooks on one side, and flip it to cook it on the other side.
- Once the second side cooks, flip and serve with chutney, chutney pudi, jaggery, ghee or any sambhar you prefer, with some butter on top.
