Life style

Dosa : wholesome fast food obsession

Published

4 years ago

2022/12/18

While South Indians have eaten this go-to breakfast food for thosands of years, it has evolved into a fast food item to be eaten at just about any time, day and night.

It was time for Sunday breakfast, and I sprinkled a few water droplets onto a hot griddle to check if they would sizzle. Perfect. Quickly, I poured a ladleful of pale batter onto the pan’s centre, gently spiralling it outwards. Then, raising the heat, I added a generous spoonful of ghee (clarified butter) around the newly formed disc, which soon began to rise slightly and curl at the edges. Now it was time to flip it and cook the other side.

The traditional dosai dates back at least two millennia

Although the glistening, golden-brown circle might have looked like a French crepe or a Russian blini, it was neither. It was a dosai, a thin South Indian pancake made from a fermented batter of soaked rice and black gram, a 2,000-year-old dish beloved by millions of Indians that can now be found in almost every part of the planet, from Parry’s Corner in Chennai to Paris’ La Chapelle neighbourhood (also known as “Tamil Town” or “Little Jaffna”).

With no time for admiration, I carefully slid a spatula under the hot pancake and plated it alongside a small heap of idli podi, a spicy lentil-based powder. After making a slight crater in the heap, I filled it with gingelly (sesame) oil and mixed them together. Finally, I tore a piece off the crispy dosai, dabbed it in the mixture and popped it into my mouth, enjoying a pleasant burst of tart and spicy flavours followed by an earthy aftertaste of sesame.

This is how millions of South Indians eat this wholesome and satisfying vegetarian dish every morning, sometimes opting for a side of chutney and sambhar (a tangy lentil-based broth) over the idli podi. However, over time, the dosai – also known as thosai, dose or attlu, depending on the Indian region, and as the anglicised “dosa” around the world – has evolved to include different ingredients and fillings such as spicy potatoes as in the globally ubiquitous masala dosa.

The traditional dosai dates back at least two millennia, being documented in ancient literature and passed down through the generations, with the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka both claiming it as their own. In his book The Story of Our Food, food historian K T Achaya says that King Someshwara III (who ruled parts of the present-day Karnataka state) mentions dosai as “dosaka” in the 12th-Century Sanskrit literary work Manasollasa. However, ancestors of the dosai such as mell adai (a pancake made of lentils and rice) and appam (a rice pancake soaked in coconut milk) were being consumed in the Tamil region much earlier.

“Appam and mell adai do find a mention in Madhuraikanchi, a Sangam age literary work from the 3rd or 4th Century,” said Jayakumar S, a researcher of South Indian history and founder of . “But, the actual term “dosai” seems to have been added much later into the lexicon.” He further explained that Senthan Divakaram, an ancient Tamil lexicon (some ascribe it to the 10th Century) attributes dosai to one of the varieties of appam that’s often eaten with the coconut milk on the side.

Despite any debate over who owns the dosai, chefs from the Udupi region in Karnataka were credited with the crispy version we know now somewhere in the 19th Century. Until then, the dosai was more of a soft, fluffy and lacy crepe. And to this day, institutions like (opened in 1924) and (opened in 1943) in Karnataka’s capital Bengaluru have been dishing out delectable dosai for decades. By the early 20th Century, however, many Udupi chefs had migrated to larger Indian towns and cities, popularising the dosai – especially the masala dosa – across India as an affordable breakfast item given its humble and widely available ingredients.

In 2003, the Chennai-based chain took things to the next level by opening South Indian restaurants in various countries, starting in Dubai. And the dosai has continued to grow in popularity around the world, mainly due to the large Indian diaspora who regularly devour the dish and its many variations – including US Senator and current vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris, whose video of took Twitter by storm last November.

The dosai has also recently become trendy in health and wellness circles in India, as it’s considered due to the probiotic qualities that come from its fermentation process. The soaked triad of rice, black gram and a few fenugreek seeds (which impart a distinctive nutty flavour and bitter undertones) is ground with some water and then transferred to a vessel to ferment naturally for seven to eight hours. A few spoonfuls of salt are added after grinding to accelerate the fermentation process.

“The final fermented batter, owing to the action of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts, has increased levels of essential amino acids. This aids in the reduction of anti-nutrients (such as phytic acid) and enzyme inhibitors, thus making it an extremely nutritious food to consume,” explained microbiologist Dr Navaneetha T.

The dosai, termed “dosaka” in ancient Ayurveda texts, is also used by Ayurveda experts in bespoke treatment menus.

“Dosa and idli

[a savoury rice cake made with the same batter as dosai] are part of the diet to treat muscle wasting, constipation and debility,” said Dr Sreelakshmi, a senior wellness consultant in Delhi.

We can dish out almost 70 varieties of dosas at any given time

For most Indians though, dosai is a go-to breakfast food that has evolved into a fast food item to be eaten at just about any time, day and night. Owing to its popularity, affordability of its ingredients and the ease with which the batter ferments in a tropical region like India, dosa outlets can be now found in every corner of the country and beyond.

“Over the years, the batter’s flexibility to be dished out in many variations has aided and lent itself to dosa’s evolution as comfort food,” said chef Thirugnanasambantham K, principal of Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration in Manipal. And while the dosai is usually eaten plain (sans fillings), food trends, ingredient availability and convenience factors have resulted in many alternative dosai varieties, both filled and non-filled.

For example, in households across Tamil Nadu, when the fermented batter turns overtly sour from too much fermentation, it gets transformed into uthappam (a thicker dosai with chopped or sliced vegetables); while coconut milk is used instead of black gram in the delicious appam. And new varieties are being created all the time. From Szechuan dosa, hailing from India’s Chinese culinary influence, to the North Indian-inspired paneer butter masala dosa, there is no dearth of dosas churned out by food ventures across India. Even McDonald’s capitalised on this culinary obsession by introducing its in December 2019.

Brothers Ritesh Bhattad, 31, and Ygesh Bhattad, 33, are second-generation businessmen who have flourished by swirling the humble dosai batter. “We can dish out almost 70 varieties of dosas at any given time,” said Ritesh. “However, our signature RBS dosa [filled with grated paneer and onions mixed with peanut chutney and spices] easily sells close to 5,000 pieces every month.” The duo’s successful family-run fast food and catering enterprise, in Hyderabad, has been a hit with college students and office workers, allowing them to open outlets at three more locations across the city.

According to , the masala dosa has been the most-ordered vegetarian dish across India during the pandemic. A whopping 331,423 masala dosas have been delivered by India’s food delivery company, , since lockdown began in the last week of March. This version of dosai has become synonymous with South Indian cooking around the world, although it wasn’t part of India’s culinary history until the Dutch and Portuguese introduced potatoes to India in the 17th Century.

However, in South India, the dosai remains more sacred than a mere breakfast or fast food item, and forms part of the edible offerings to god categorised as “temple cuisine”, which follows closely guarded recipes and sometimes old temple inscriptions.

Azahagar Kovil temple in Madurai, for example, makes a thick and fluffy dosai spiced with cumin seeds and crushed black pepper that is deep-fried in ghee as a divine offering, which is then eaten by devotees. In the town of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, a dosai recipe is depicted on the walls of Varadaraja Perumal Temple. “We have an interesting 16th-Century inscription on the walls… mentioning the preparation of dosai (both savoury and sweet) during Ekadasi processions [religious events conducted on the 11th day after the full moon, and on the 11th day after the new moon],” said Jayakumar S. “This confirms that dosai has been part of the Indian temple cuisine for a long time.”

Whether made at a temple, on the streets or at home, the dosai in its many variations is a divinely tasting food that is deeply embedded into Indian culture.In my family, the dosai isn’t just another food; it’s more like an emotion that cannot be replicated – only experienced in the moment. These words of wisdom came from my grandma, who, a few years back, let me in on an age-old secret shared in turn by her grandma: that no two people can swirl a dosai the same way, no matter how much one tries.

– BBC

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Life style

Taste of the Swiss Alps comes to Colombo

Published

6 days ago

2026/07/19

Thilina Walpola

Chef Heinz: Master of Alpine cooking

High in the Swiss Alps, where mountain landscapes shape both life and cuisine, Chef Heinz Rufibach spent more than four decades mastering the art of Alpine cooking. From the grand hotels of St. Moritz and Gstaad to the peaks of Zermatt, his career has been defined by a deep respect for tradition, local flavours and the quiet precision of Swiss craftsmanship.

Now, the chef. affectionately known as Le Cuisinier de Zermatt. brings that remarkable culinary heritage to Colombo for an exclusive Swiss dining experience at Bistro des Marées, Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Sri Lanka.

From 23 to 26 July, guests will have the opportunity to experience a specially curated menu by Chef Rufibach, celebrating the authentic flavours of Switzerland’s Alpine regions and the dishes that have shaped his lifelong connection with the mountains.

A former Executive Chef of the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof, Chef Rufibach has built a reputation as one of Switzerland’s celebrated culinary figures. Named Swiss Chef of the Year and a holder of a Michelin star for six consecutive years, his cooking reflects the balance between fine dining precision and the warmth of the traditional Alpine table.

For Chef Rufibach, Swiss cuisine is more than a collection of recipes. It is a reflection of place, people and generations of culinary heritage.

“Swiss cuisine is built on tradition, seasonality and a deep connection to the land. Through this menu, I hope to share the flavours and stories of the Alps with guests in Colombo and offer them a true taste of Switzerland,” he said.

The menu at Bistro des Marées takes guests on a journey through Switzerland’s diverse culinary regions, beginning with elegant starters, such as dried meat tartare with green asparagus and Parmesan, marinated salmon with mustard sauce and herbs, and the traditional Gommer Cholera, a Valais speciality of apple, leek and cheese baked in puff pastry.

The experience continues with comforting Swiss classics, including Valais white wine soup with dried apricots and Bündner barley soup, before moving into signature dishes, such as Swiss cheese fondue with bread cubes and potatoes, raclette with traditional accompaniments, and Zürcher Geschnetzeltes with rösti. Other highlights include Basel-style salmon with papet vaudois and fried onions, saffron-infused lamb ragout with mashed potato, and Ghackets mit Hörnli, a beloved Swiss comfort dish of braised beef mince, pasta and apple sauce.

Life style

Goodbye dearest Maria!

Published

6 days ago

2026/07/19

Thilina Walpola

Mariazelle Goonetilleke PHOTOCREDIT: Dayan Witharana

My dearest Maria. I never thought I would have to write this, this soon but then I realised, I owe it to you.

Remember the very first day I met you ? It was way back in 1981. I was 19, working at Lake House and writing to the Sunday Observer’s “Sat Mag” magazine. You were 23.

I made a prior appointment with you on the old rotary dial phone and arrived at Ekanayake Mawatha, Nugegoda, sharp on time. I waited and waited. There were (either) dogs or cats playing around me, with their fur flying all around me. That irritated me. I waited and waited. I wanted to, but could not walk out because the Editor was waiting for the article.

You sailed in one wretched hour late. I was furious. You never apologised either. That’s how we began our friendship. Rather a rocky start wasn’t it ?

What struck me most was NOT the fact that you were the highly celebrated Kandy Lamissi at that time, but rather the sparkle in your eyes and the warmth of your smile. It came from the depths of your heart and radiated outwards to everyone you came into contact with – both those who liked you and those who did not like you.

You radiated that sparkle and smile during the best of times and even the most difficult of times. You had your fair share of both in your 68 years. That smile was your trademark. It stayed on until the end.

We were neighbours, too, in Nugegoda. You were on that side of the junction and I was on this side of the junction. Remember in the mid-1990s when fitness fever hit us and we ambitiously started those 6.00 am early morning walks. They were alas short lived when children in passing school vans began shouting “Aunty Aunty” or “Kandy Lamissiiiiii”. That put an end to our walks and we reverted back to being unfit.

You also had a very, very wicked sense of humour which I loved to bits. Remember that evening when, with dead pan faces, you and I walked into the Metro Cinema Nugegoda and bought two balcony tickets for the 6.30 pm show. The man at the ticket counter couldn’t not believe his eyes. And how we, again with dead pan faces, slowly crept upstairs and sat in the (last row) middle seats much to the shock of all those lovers around us.

You were the Star. I was much lesser known to them than you. They were shocked and looked at you in great disbelief. I remember at one intense moment of the film, we asked the couple next to us, “Meh, excuse me. Aney welaawa keeyada?”. They only didn’t slap us.

And then, during the movie we crunched on and made a helluva din with the prawn crackers, much to the irritation of those around us.

We hadn’t come to watch the film. We just wanted to shock and annoy those lovers. Mission accomplished, we sailed out in the Interval, our sides splitting with laughter. We could not remember the movie either.

Remember those incessantly chats we used to have on a variety of topics? You could hold forth on practically any topic. Those chats sometimes went on till well past midnight and we hadn’t finished talking either.

Teshan your son was the apple of your eye, to use a cliché. How proud you were of him and how very much you used to talk about him. You took pride in his academic success and the fine young man he has turned out to be.

In our 46-year friendship, you and I have had our misgivings, too. Remember Mariazelle how we didn’t speak to each other for about three years?

And then in December 2015 you were a guest artiste and I the emcee at the Break-Away New Year’s Eve Ball organised by (your cousin) Sohan Weerasinghe and Corrine Almeida. We were still not talking to each other, but then, just after the countdown to midnight, you came up to me, hugged me and wished me with tears in your eyes. My respect for you hit the ceiling that night. Our friendship became rock solid from that day onwards.

We last met over dinner at Harpos Commons in Kotte, just before illness dragged you down. You had medical problems but you never complained. Remember the stories we traded and how much we laughed and laughed, at times much to the displeasure of the other diners. Harpo might have got the complaints but he never told me either.

And now you’re gone. Gone just like that. Before I close, I’d like to quote a few lines from your dear friend Aruna Siriwardhana’s tribute :

“I take a moment to mention two special beings in Mariazelle’s life. One is surgeon Prof. Srinath Chandrasekera (a musician himself) who for the past six months or so, together with his team at the Kalubowila Hospital, took indescribably attentive care of her. The other is singer Dinu, who virtually placed her life and work on hold, to care for Mariazelle”.

It was heart-breaking to see you lie in that coffin at Barney Raymonds last Monday (13 July). You were dressed in ivory and gold. You looked peaceful. You were free from suffering and free from pain.

“Kandy Lamissi” will ALWAYS be sung at parties and weddings and home comings and dinner dances and batch get-togethers. “Kandy Lamissi” and You have an unlimited life span. You will both go on forever!

And I will always remember that sparkle in your eyes and the warmth of your smile. That to me was You.

Goodbye my dearest Maria. May your journey in Samsara be speedy.

by Kumar de Silva ✍️

Life style

20-year-old filmmaker Joshua Alailima breaks into Hollywood

Published

6 days ago

2026/07/19

Thilina Walpola

Cast of Missing Threads

Production has officially begun on Missing Threads, marking it the first time a Sri Lankan production has been aimed first and foremost at an American audience. On Tuesday the 7th of July, a dinner was held bringing together the cast, crew, funders, and friends and family to mark the occasion.

The evening opened with guests arriving to chatter and press photography. Talavou Alailima opened proceedings, and a selection of Director Joshua Alailima’s previous films were screened, between speeches from key figures behind the production. The night closed with a large buffet and the signing of contracts.

Missing Threads

is an investigative crime thriller compared to films such as Zodiac and Se7en. The film follows journalist Maya Perera as she unravels a string of lies, all tying back to the mega corporation Verdeon, leading to a far more sinister truth about the internal affairs of the country at large.

This marks a significant milestone for Sri Lanka. It is the first time a Sri Lankan film has targeted primarily the USA Hollywood audience. This will further foreign relations, opening the door to industry expansion and significant economic potential.

Missing Threads

brings together a standout cast of actors, including Kaushalya Fernando (The Forsaken Land), Buddika Jayaratne (Sunny’s Mansion), Dharmapriya Dias (Machan), and Shyam Fernando (Paradise). It is led by international Sri Lankan actress Rebecca Munasinghe and leading social media influencer “Neesh.” Missing Threads is produced by Talavou Alailima, founder of Power World Gyms and Edge Nutrition.

Director Joshua Alailima is currently studying at one of the top film universities in America, Biola University, whose alumni network includes Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson and world famous influencer Zach King.

Joshua has been directing since he was a young teenager. He is now 20 and directing his feature debut, a rare feat by Hollywood industry standards.

Missing Threads

brings in an international crew, with people from the USA, Sri Lanka, and Australia flying in to work on the project. Post production will take place in Sri Lanka, India, and the USA. The film is shot on the Arri Alexa LF, the same camera used for the movie Dune. It is the only one currently in Sri Lanka.