The heavy rain lashing the city forces many to stay indoors behind a blanket or sit cosily before the fireplace. But the piping hot dosas with an assortment of fillings, accompanied with spicy or mild chutneys at the ongoing Dosa Festival at Cafe Canopy in Abad Plaza can tempt any one to crawl out of their cosy corners. Biting into the crispy monsoon-special delicacies can leave you wanting for more.
The festival being held for the seventh consecutive year at Abad, has a unique list of sumptuous dosas with a variety of filling and chutneys. The fest holds surprises for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Ranging from the usual ‘masala dosa’ and ‘thattu dosa’ to the ‘beef kheema dosa’ and the ‘kada mutta oothappam’ the menu is a treat for all.
According to chef Abdul Khader, the ‘kadamutta oothappam’ (quail egg dosa) is high on nutritious content. “We usually recommend this dosa for children as the quail egg is high on nutritious value. Three quail eggs are spread on the batter and cooked. The taste is unique,” says Abdul Khader.
The fest also offers a variety of egg dosas - ‘duck egg dosa’ (onion and pepper are added to the egg) and grated egg with masala dosa (the egg is boiled for this variety) - are healthy and filling.
The Chinese food aficionados here are in for a feast. The ‘chilli idli’ (small idlis downed in sauce and garnished with capsicum and onions) is a right combo of Indian and Chinese tastes. “There is a non-veg version of the dish as well. ‘Idli chilli chicken’. Here we garnish the dish with chunks of chicken. The dish is the most sought-after,” says the chef.
Also on the palate is ‘Szechwan mushroom roll dosa - dosas in the shape of spring rolls and heavily laden with capsicum, mushroom and onions - that will surely be a delight for veggies. One can also dig into the vegetable-overdose in ‘capsicum mushroom dosa’ which is equally filling, healthy and tasty.
According to the chef, the non-veg dosas have seen more takers over the years. “Dosas get tastier when topped with non-vegetarian fares. People like it more that way. Our ‘kuttanadan chemeen dosa’ (prawn masala filling), ‘beef vindaloo dosa and ‘peralan beef dosa’ are high on demand. The dosas with egg varieties also feature on the favourite list,” chef Abdul Khader said. The chef is being assisted by CDPs Biju and Joshi.
However, it is the ‘chettinad koli dosa’ that stands out and defines the dosa fest with its unique taste. The finely-chopped and well-cooked chicken prepared the Chettinad way is used as a filling in the dosa. The chicken is so tenderly cooked that it melts in your mouth.
The dosas are priced between Rs 70 and Rs 130. The dishes can be washed down with coffee, tea or yummy fruit shakes.
The fest is on from 3.30 pm to 11.30 pm till July 7.