Variety is the spice of life. So even if you are used to having your dosas, plain, ghee-laden or stuffed, a dash of creativity can lend the dish a twist. A versatile dish, dosas now come in many avatars… right from the familiar masala dosa, tomato dosa and egg dosa to the more exotic gobi kheema dosa, garlic chicken dosa, koonthal dosa and many more.
Looking forward to sampling a variety of dosas, I head for Kingsway Hotel, Eanchakkal, which is hosting a dosa festival. The dosa fete is set outdoors. Covered tables with patio umbrellas are arranged neatly in the courtyard. Potted plants lend colour to the area. Those who prefer eating indoors, can opt to dine at the Hotel’s restaurant.
Chef Joseph preparing a dosa
Chef Siji Joseph, head chef of Kingsway Hotel, is all set to pamper the taste buds of dosa lovers at the live dosa counter. “Who doesn’t enjoy having crisp dosas with spicy, tangy chutneys and piping hot sambhar? At this fete, I have tried to mix and match the traditional varieties with new flavours and have come up with some special in-house delicacies. You should try the sweet and sour musti dosa, the grated tofu and mashed potato filled toffu neer dosa and the Kingsway special dosa, which has the choicest of fillings. In fact, one Kingsway special dosa can feed two,” says Joseph.
For purists, there is masala dosa, onion dosa and ghee dosa. Those willing to experiment can go a step further with butter paneer dosa, pumpkin dosa and ginger chicken dosa. A splash of oil, a ladle-full of batter with a host of multiple ingredients that includes fish varuval, chicken tikka, spicy mutton, mushroom, carrot and a splash of mint chutney on a simmering tawa and Joseph serves me a Kingsway special dosa.
The dosa is large and crisp, and the stuffing, scrumptious. I especially like the fish varuval, which reminds me a bit of Grandma’s fish pickle and the finely cooked pieces of spicy chicken tikka. I would have liked an extra spread of mint chutney on the dosa though, and will avoid the carrots, baby corn and chick pea in my dish the next time around. This dosa does indeed fill the belly and although feeling stuffed myself, I find myself nodding to a bulls-eye dosa, which hits the spot, and a rava dosa which has onions, coriander, green chillies and whole black peppers.
The dosas are served with a side of coconut chutney, tomato chutney and sambhar. While the Kingsway special dosa is best had as it is, the other two go well with the coconut chutney and flavoursome sambhar. The tomato chutney does nothing to my palette; it is neither tangy nor spicy. I have a bowl of creamy butterscotch icecream for dessert.
One can have unlimited dosa and and ice cream at the dosa fete for ₹199. Those feeling adventurous, or find their favourite combination of ingredients missing from the menu, can request the chef to put in the ingredients of their choice into their dosa.
Weekends turn special for diners at Kingsway. They can dine on scrumptious kebabs served on sizzler plates or choose from a variety of dishes at a gala buffet dinner which serves toddy shop styled food, chaat dishes and more. However, if dosas are what your heart desires, have your fill at the dosa fete, which is on daily. The fetes conclude on May 16.
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