Dosa

Wash dal and rice and place each in separate bowls. Cover with cold water and let them soak at room temp overnight (6 hrs minimum). Drain rice and combine with 6 Tbsp water in the jar of a blender. Blend at high speed until rice is completely pulverized and the mixture becomes a thick paste. With a rubber spatula, scrape the rice into a deep bowl. Repeat this procedure for the dal (drain, add water, blend). Combine the two pastes, cover, and allow to ferment at room temp for 10 to 12 hours. Little bubbles will start to form on the surface of the paste. Chop onions and ginger coarsely and put in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until onion and ginger pieces are chopped very fine, but stop pulsing before they turn to mush. Heat oil in a large skillet and fry fenugreek and mustard seeds for a few seconds. Add onions and ginger and fry until onions are limp and light brown. Combine onion mixture, cilantro, chilies, and salt with fermented paste and add enough buttermilk to make a thin-pouring batter. In a heavy skillet (preferably with a non-stick coating), heat 1 Tbsp of ghee or oil over moderate heat until oil is hot. Pour in 1/2 cup of the batter and spread out in a very thin pancake with the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula. Spread batter as thin as possible for a crisper pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 mins, or until bubbles begin to form on the surface. Turn pancake with a wide metal spatula and cook another minute or two, or until golden brown. If necessary pour a little oil around the edges. Repeat until all the batter is used up. Serve plain or spread with 3 to 4 Tbsp. of filling rolled in the center of the dosa (roll up like a roll of paper towels). Either way, serve with coconut chutney. Heat oil in a large skillet. Fry onion, ginger, and chilies about 2 mins. Stirring, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, coconut, and shrimp and cook for one minute. Add potato, turmeric, ground roasted cumin and coriander, ground chilies, and salt. Cook, stirring for 2 to 3 mins. over med. heat. Add bean sprouts and mix well. Cook for another 5 mins. Mix in lemon juice and cilantro leaves. Stirring most of the time, cook the whole mixture about 2 to 4 mins. more, or until brown. Combine coconut, onion, ginger, chilies, garlic, cumin, cilantro, lemon juice, and salt in the jar of a blender and blend at high speed for one minute. Scrape down sides of the jar and blend again until you have a smooth paste. Heat oil in a skillet and fry mustard seeds until they pop. Add coconut mixture and cook for one minute, being sure not to let the coconut brown. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Refrigerate until ready to serve. NOTES: Onion, ginger, fenugreek and mustard seeds may be omitted for a simpler dosa. "The Art of Indian Cuisine" by Pranati Sen Gupta Potato filling is more common than shrimp. Fred Towner posted a recipe for potato filling earlier.