By: Laurie Wallin
Capital Cooking Contributor
Ever heard of a dosa? I hadn’t
either, until I attended Dosas for Dummies, hosted by Bombay, India native Priya
Ammu, Chef and owner of dc dosa. Dosas are rice- and lentil-based crepes
stuffed with a variety of fillings. They are a popular food staple in Southern
India and Ammu’s goal is to make them mainstream here and a regular part of a
healthy diet. All of her recipes are home-based – from her Mother-In-Law – and
even better, Ammu’s dosas are vegan and gluten-free. Even the varieties made
with more substantial fillings clock in at around 400 calories, perfect for a
satisfying meal.
Again, dosas are made with a base
of lentils and rice. The dosas that Ammu prepared were made with three
different lentils blends. The first was made with a blend of white lentils,
mini lentils, chana daal and split pigeon peas, the second made with whole mung
lentils, and the third made with mini yellow lentils. Once soaked and blended,
the lentils form a cake-like batter to be cooked and which forms the dosa base.
Dosas can be made with a number
of fillings, and Ammu fills hers with curry potatoes, eggplant, sweet potatoes,
and vegetables. Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I’m not the biggest
fan of vegetables, but I couldn’t get enough of the four lentil dosa. Made with
the four lentil blend blended with rice, fennel seeds, fresh garlic and dried
red chilies and stuffed with sautéed cabbage and carrots, the dosa was rich and
satisfying.
Ammu’s dosas are accompanied by
different chutneys, designed to enhance the flavor of each dosa. With the
petite yellow dosa, I preferred the Tomato Peanut chutney, with the four lentil
dosa, I liked the onion tamarind chutney, and with the Whole Mung Lentil Dosa
(the most filling dosa of the three) I preferred the most potent chutney, the
Cilantro Sesame.
After winning DC StartUp Kitchen
(a contest designed to support budding local food entrepreneurs of which the
prize was the opportunity to open a pop-up restaurant under the tutelage of an
established restaurateur), Amma approached Whole Foods Market and is now
selling her authentic dosas 7 days a week at the Whole Foods located in Foggy
Bottom. From 11-9 M-F and 11-4 on the weekends, you can purchase Amma’s
delicious dosas for $8 (which includes your choice of chutneys) and enjoy a vegan, gluten-free
filling meal for 400 calories or less. She hopes to expand to additional Whole
Foods locations in the future.
In addition to dosas, Ammu also
sells her fresh-made lassi (an Indian yogurt-based drink). I had the opportunity to
sample the Mango Ginger Lassi which was made from Ataulfo mangoes, fresh ginger,
buttermilk, yogurt, and brown sugar, and is looking to switch it up to
Strawberry and Black Pepper soon! Be sure to visit Ammu and try a dosa at
Foggy Bottom Whole Foods 7 days a week or visit https://www.facebook.com/dcdosa1
for more information.
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