IDLI-DOSA SHOOT-OUT<\/p>\n
-by\u00a0Ven Parthsarthy<\/a>\u00a0Thursday, November 29, 2007<\/p>\n <\/p>\n IDLI-DOSA SHOOTOUT<\/p>\n By Vengrai Parthasarathy<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0The Egmore Friends met again, as they usually do on Sunday mornings, at the Udupi Pankaja . They had their cosy corner where they expatiated on their pet themes and peeves.\u00a0\u00a0This time the subject was ,\u201d Idli or Dosa?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Thimmappa, a Dosa aficionado, spoke first. What he said in praise of Dosa was a prosaic list of the Dosa\u2019s merit, as if by rote.. The challenge came from Seeni . He bristled. His hackles were up. His passions were aroused. Thimmappa had spoken not only in praise of the Dosa but he had\u00a0\u00a0also made snide remarks roundly condemning Idli, as tasteless, anemic\u00a0\u00a0\u2018stuff\u2019.<\/em><\/p>\n Seeni began his speech\u00a0\u00a0while his friends sat in awed silence.\u00a0<\/em>“Somebody\u00a0\u00a0has to take up cudgels and spoons and forks in defense\u00a0\u00a0of\u00a0\u00a0the \u2018white, round wonder\u2019 which has been defamed by my friend.. I shall state the case of Idli,\u00a0\u00a0the \u2018Aristocrat of the Breakfast Table\u201d and leave it to you to decide which is tops.. I shall do so without denigrating the flat, dark, light, reddish-brown greasy\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0preparation\u00a0\u00a0which\u00a0\u00a0is variously\u00a0\u00a0known as\u00a0\u00a0dosa, dosha, dosai\u00a0et al.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n I have heard it said that the Dosa is an accident of culinary history. An angry\u00a0\u00a0housewife had\u00a0\u00a0sloshed a little Idli dough\u00a0\u00a0on the Thava.\u00a0\u00a0After a while she\u00a0\u00a0saw the batter transformed into an oval-shaped crepe. She tasted it, liked it and propagated it as\u00a0\u00a0a new dish and named it Dosa.. Thus was an illegitimate dish\u00a0born.\u00a0\u00a0Another theory is that it is a desi variety of the sweet dosa-like pancake, made\u00a0\u00a0popular in\u00a0USA\u00a0by IHOP..<\/p>\n It was claimed that Dosa can be made in dozens of ways.. No,.it is the same vamp\u00a0\u00a0with all sorts of\u00a0\u00a0fillings and vegetables, even butter On the other hand the Idli\u00a0\u00a0stands by itself, in solitary\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0splendor..\u00a0The greasy, calorific dosa will jack up the cholesterol level way above the double century mark. It is fatterning. And, you need an iron-clad stomach to stomach it. No doubt about that…<\/p>\n On the other hand\u00a0\u00a0Idli which is made with fermented rice and black gram (urad dhal) is\u00a0a\u00a0good source of\u00a0\u00a0carbohydrates and proteins .It is no surprise that\u00a0\u00a0hospitals in Chennai, birth place of the Idli, prescribe\u00a0\u00a0the\u00a0\u00a0nutritious Idli even for patients under intensive\u00a0\u00a0care. The doctors\u2019 verdict? Idli\u00a0\u00a0is steam-cooked,\u00a0\u00a0easily digestible and healthy. Cheers!.<\/p>\n The Idli is a bit of a flirt. Some like it\u00a0\u00a0bathed in vengAya Sambhar\u00a0\u00a0(Take a scoop of the Idli with a spoon, dip it in Sambhar and enjoy!) There are others who like it smeared with coconut Chutney and the orthodox few\u00a0\u00a0prefer it with chilli-powder. . The Idli cognoscenti who are picky eaters say that Idlis are never eaten or consumed or devoured. They are savoured. Idli, surely, needs accompaniments. like the Vidwans and\u00a0\u00a0Ustads who\u00a0\u00a0need violin or mrdangam or tabla. Conjeevaram Idli and Rava idli are but colorable\u00a0\u00a0imitations\u00a0\u00a0of the supreme\u00a0\u00a0lord of the breakfast domain..<\/p>\n .\u00a0 \u00a0Left-over idlis? Ammu Patti, the venerable old lioness of the old-world\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0kitchen\u00a0\u00a0says\u00a0\u00a0\u201c Break\u00a0\u00a0up a few idlis\u00a0\u00a0into bite-size chunks, add some chilli powder and the usual\u00a0\u00a0\u2018thaalip\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0gently roast\u00a0\u00a0it in medium heat.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>There you have\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0uslip\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0another incarnation of the Idli . Some plunge Idli pieces in the Bajji batter and fry it, calling it\u00a0\u00a0Idji or Badli\u2026 It takes all kinds to make this world.\u00a0 A simple visual test: A fluffy, geometrical\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0beauty of pristine purity in one corner\u00a0\u00a0and the brown, doubled-up dosa,\u00a0\u00a0reeking of oil and cholesterol \u00a0(lookin ashamedof itself) in the other..\u00a0\u00a0The\u00a0wow-<\/em>meter\u00a0\u00a0will go crazy for Idli. No need to say who the winner is.<\/p>\n Let me add as a consolation to Tthimmappa \u00a0that\u00a0\u00a0the sad-looking dosa has some uses.. Once in a\u00a0\u00a0long while, as an evening snack, it may pass muster.. But Breakfast? No, sirree. It is out and out Idli territory, Idli holds court there..\u201d. Seeni sat down .\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A quick poll resulted in a tie. Everyone waited with bated breath for Venkatachalm the eldest of the group, to give his\u00a0 casting vote. \u201c If you ask me\u2026\u201d, he paused and let the suspense build up .. \u2018 and then paused again and then\u00a0 with a wink he said:\u201dI will go for UPMA ten out of ten times\u201d.\u00a0(Vengrai@hotmail.com<\/a>)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" IDLI-DOSA SHOOT-OUT -by\u00a0Ven Parthsarthy\u00a0Thursday, November 29, 2007 IDLI-DOSA SHOOTOUT By Vengrai Parthasarathy \u00a0\u00a0The Egmore Friends met again, as they usually do on Sunday mornings, at the Udupi Pankaja . They had their cosy corner where they expatiated on their pet themes and peeves.\u00a0\u00a0This time the subject was ,\u201d Idli or Dosa?\u00a0 Thimmappa, a Dosa… <\/p>\n