Some of my best trips through coastal Karnataka and the state's Malnad region have been during the monsoons. The rains can get disruptive around here, especially around June and July but the verdant landscapes are well worth the drives through the rain. One such drive brought me to a homestay at Sirsi, a charming town in Uttara Kannada district. I was on my way back from Banavasi, a historic temple town that was once the capital of the mighty Kadamba empire. My host wasn't expecting me for dinner but quickly conjured up one of the simple yet delicious meals – neer dose with joni bella – liquid jaggery, that's a local delicacy in Sirsi. It was all the monsoon comfort I needed.
The Neer dose is one of my favourite staples. It's light, relatively easy to make and is truly an anytime meal. It translates to water dosa from Tulu. This light as air dosa is crafted with rice flour and water. Unlike the regular dosa, this one does not require fermentation. It can be folded almost to the size of a handkerchief. Many homes in coastal Karnataka serve the neer dose for breakfast with a garlic chutney or the joni bella. It's also a perfect foil for gravies like the quintessential Mangalorean fish curry or even a Kori Ghassi (Mangalorean chicken curry). A few months ago, I was at Machli one of Mangalore's iconic seafood restaurants where I sampled the neer dose with a fiery prawns masala.
JW Kitchen, the all-day diner at JW Marriott Bengaluru has a dedicated South Indian spotlight section as part of their buffet where signature dishes from Karnataka come to the fore. I watched Chef Vignesh craft a neer dose (See our recipe and step-by-step images) from scratch. Chef Vignesh shared a couple of simple tips and tricks. You don't need to spread the batter like you would do in the case of a dosa, given how thin this batter is. It's also important to cook the dose on a low flame. You can try it with fish curry (see recipe) or source the joni bella on online platforms.
(Also Read: Bengaluru's Masala Dose: A Quintessential Kannada Dish You Can Easily Make At Home)
Neer Dose JW Mariott
Neer Dose Recipe I How To Make Neer Dose:
Recipe Courtesy – Chef Vignesh, JW Marriott Bengaluru
Ingredients:
Cup Raw Rice 1 Cup - 250ml/250gm
½ Cup Grated Coconut - 120 gm
Salt - 5 gm
Water (as needed) - 750ml
Oil For Cooking Dosa
- Add fresh water to the washed rice and soak the rice overnight or for 6 hours.
- Drain water from soaked rice. Take the rice to the mixer jar along with grated coconut.
- Add water little by little and grind the rice and coconut to a smooth batter.
- Take the batter to a mixing bowl. Add salt and remaining water and stir well.
- Heat a tawa. When the tawa is hot, pour 1-2 ladle of batter on the Tawa. Since the batter is very thin in consistency we don't need to spread the batter.
- Add a tsp of oil around the dosa. Close the tawa with a lid. Cook the dosa in low flame.
Mangalore Fish Curry:
Recipe Courtesy – Chef Vignesh, JW Marriott Bengaluru
Ingredients:
Coconut (Extract Thick And Thin Coconut Milk) - 100 ml
Pomfret Fish Slices - 450 gm
Onion (Sliced) - 150 gm
Green Chilli (Slit Lengthwise) - 40 gm
Ginger fine chop - 15 gm
Garlic – 15 gm
Curry leaf – few sprigs
Coconut Oil – 50 ml
For Masala:
Chilli powder – 25 gm
Tbsp Coriander – 15 gm
Jeera – 15 gm
Turmeric Powder – 2.5 gm
Kokum – 25 gm
Coriander Powder – 10 gm
Mustard Seeds - 5 gm
- Heat coconut oil in a cooking vessel, fry sliced onion till it slightly turns brown.
- Add green chili, ginger and garlic and fry for some time.
- Add the ground masala and fry in it.
- Add the masala water, thin coconut milk and wait till the curry boils.
- Simmer the gas flame and add the thick coconut milk and stir it till the curry boils.
- Add the fish, cook and close the lid.
- Best to serve it after 30 minutes.