Rava Dosa
Let’s face it. Everyone is busy. It is difficult enough to balance a thriving professional, personal, and social life on top of getting enough sleep and adding a healthy diet into the mix. Who has the time? It can feel like there are not enough hours in the day. That’s why finding quick, healthy, filling meals are so important, especially if you cannot find the time to meal prep for a week (or a month).
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One such time-saving meal comes in the form of a standard, but delicious, South Indian breakfast – Rava Dosa. You may have heard of dosas when the now Vice President elect, Kamala Harris, joined Indian-American celebrity Mindy Kaling for a video to discuss Harris’ presidential campaign at the time while also making a mouth-watering Masala Dosa so that they could additionally talk about Harris’ South Indian heritage – making Kamala Harris the first female and South Asian individual to join the White House. You may have also learned about dosas from our previous article on the renowned “Indian crepe”. For those who didn’t, here’s a quick recap:
What are dosas?
Dosas are notoriously called “the Indian crepe” because of its appearance and texture, both soft and crispy at the same time. The fillings of a regular dosa generally consist of vegetables, starch, and at times meat though these recipes differ depending on the specific type of dosa being made. The three most popular categories of dosas include Masala Dosa, Mysore Dosa, and, of course, Rava Dosa. Check out our last article on dosas to learn more about their differences.
What is Rava dosa made of?
Rava dosas are made out of rice batter and black gram lentil, just like Masala Dosas are. However, the key difference between the two types of dosas is that rava dosas have roasted sooji in it, which is the Hindi word for cream of wheat or semolina. Another word for “sooji” is “rava” hence, “Rava Dosa”. So Rava means semolina in English. Though all of these words mean the same thing, “rava” is used more in South and West India while North India tends to say “sooji dosa”.
Alongside the rava, maida (all purpose flour) and rice flour is included in the batter as well. To add some flavor to the batter, curry leaves, onions, and herbs are often included, providing a mouth-watering aroma to the meal.
Rava dosas, also unlike Masala Dosas, do not need to be fermented, which is why they take much less time to cook and are thinner, crispier, and fragile to the touch. The fermentation process can take as long as one
whole night to complete, which requires a lot of planning, preparation, and overall effort that people simply do not have the time for in this day and age. Despite the lack of a fermentation process, Rava Dosas still have
countless healthy benefits. This means that you can get the best of both a time saving meal and a healthy one!
Is rava dosa healthy?
So, yes, rava dosas are healthy. Rava in particular is a great source of magnesium and phosphorus which is essential for a healthy nervous system. Plus, rava provides a good amount of Vitamin B3 which is known to
increase metabolism and general energy. In general rava contains many minerals and fibers that help improve blood sugar levels. In the world of food and nutrition, rava has become quite a famous superfood that serves
as healthy alternatives for all of your favorite junk meals. Several forms of rava dosa is also made with a little bit of curd that aids digestion and gut health, helps weight loss, and improves heart health. Plus, rava dosas are
incredibly filling which help prevent overeating while also consuming less calories.
Types of Rava Dosa:
1. Onion Rava Masala Dosa: With this dish, the batter is made from the same type of batter as a regular masala dosa, that being urad dal and rice; however, the batter also includes the benefits of sooji as well. After it is cooked, the dosa wrap is topped with chopped onions for extra flavor, served with chutney and sambar.
2. Chili Onion Rava Dosa: Plain rava dosa topped with finely chopped onions sauteed in a compelling chilli sauce, adding a unique touch to the regular rava dosa. This can be eaten with tomato chutney, coconut
chutney, or coriander chutney as well as sambar.
3. Rava Masala Dosa: This meal combines the best of both a masala dosa, with its fermented batter made of black gram and lentils, as well as the benefits of roasted rava, all in one. Stuffed with a vegetarian filling, a rava
masala dosa will satisfy the cravings of just about anyone
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