Ad Hoc Brunch: Dosas Wrapped Around Potatoes

Nothing's quite like rolling into your pals' place with their key to get going on breakfast - especially when the key sticks, you don't realize it works and you have to buzz up anyway. Tomatoed potatoes and dosas were this afternoon's delight. This menu was made completely ad hoc, and claims no authenticity whatsoever; we used just what we had on hand (except the box of brewed coffee John bought). Still, I must thank my good pals Satya and Amod, and my old colleague Manoj, for showing be how to make dosas like they've done back home in India. They were my inspiration today and it worked out lovely. As Noel and I were at the stove, and Noel figured lime juice would be the perfect addition to the potato tomato combination, he interjected, "I like where this is going;" and I don't think anyone was arguing.

Grab the dosas as they are hot and ready, use them to scoop up the potato filling and eat up. If you're at John and Noel's, eat with freshly sliced ripe avocado while standing under the tandem bicycle hanging on pulleys from the ceiling.





Dosas (Indian Crêpes)
Night Before:
Soak 2 cups dhal overnight covered in water in the fridge.

Day of, blend (in batches if needed):
Soaked dhal
6 garlic cloves
1 onion
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, smashed or ground
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, smashed or ground
pinch of salt
About 1/2 cup olive oil
Enough water to make this batter runny enough to pour smoothly on the griddle

Pour on to a hot, oiled griddle on low heat and swipe with a spatula to make very thin. Flip when the sides crispen and the top appears dry.



Potatoes
Boil until tender:
6 potatoes, cubed

Pan fry in hot oil on medium:
4 onions, French cut (very thinly)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
pinch of sugar

When onions are crispy, mix in:
2 tablespoons sumac
a few pinches of salt
1 cup roasted pine nuts
1 tablespoon mustard seeds

When the mustard seeds darken or start to pop, smash in the potatoes and mix in everything else; heat until hot:
Boiled potatoes
26-ounce box or jar of tomatoes
Juice of one lime
1 onion, French cut (added at the end to finish with a crunchy onion)
salt to taste





photos: Chris B. and Liz H.
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