Dosa is undoubtedly the one meal that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner in a Malayali household. After rice, dosa is one of the most sought-after meals. Though it looks like a simple dish, it is one that can be coupled with any dish or multiple arrays of fillings, and if you are a simp for new food combinations, there are over 100 types of dosas out there. But do you know that contrary to popular belief, dosa did not have its origin in Kerala? It went through a rigorous process before it was accepted as the staple food of Kerala. This simpleton dosa has legends associated with it, myths, and so much more. In this article, we will explore dosa in detail, and we assure you that by the end of the article, you will crave dosa for your next meal.
The history of dosa
For the fancy people out there, ‘south Indian crepe’, or simply put, dosa, is believed to have existed since the 5th century AD. Its history is linked to the temple streets of Udupi as it was perceived as the ‘layman’s or poor person’s meal’. Another historical fact brings in dosa as a strong part of Tamil Culture. Rich in carbohydrates, delicious and light, it was easier to prepare and satiated hunger. Hence was prepared in bulk in the temple premises. The historians out there are conflicted between two possible theories about the origin of dosa.
The Kannadiga History
P Thankappan Nair, a food historian, backs up this history and states that, according to him, dosa originated in Udupi in Karnataka. He states this as the reason why South Indian eateries have Udupi in their name. Another associated fact is the recipe of dosa, which was noted down as ‘dosaka’ by Chalukya King Someshvara II, who ruled Karnataka in the 12th century. The recipe can be found in his book Manasollasa which was considered as the Sanskrit encyclopaedia of the age.
The Tamilian History
Another food historian, KT Acharya, strongly supports dosa as hailing from Tamil Nadu and states in his book ‘The Story of Our Food’ (2003) that dosa has been a part of the Tamil culture since the 1st Century AD. Back in time, the ‘Tamil Territory’ consisted of Tamilnadan, Kerala, Lakshadweep Island, Puducherry and small parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, as noted in the Sangam Literature, the earliest available form of Tamil Literature.
Legend associated with dosa
The legend behind the origin of dosa is very entertaining and is a popular folklore tale in the smaller villages and towns. A Brahmin cook from Udupi wanted to consume alcohol. Since this was against his religious beliefs, he was unable to procure it. But he wanted to consume alcohol in order to feel ‘free’ and liberated. Alcohol was considered to make a person ‘high’. Unwilling to be constrained by societal expectations, he set out to make his own alcohol. He decided to ferment the alcohol using rice. However, after a few hours, he was unable to extract alcohol but accidentally ended up making the dosa batter. He then poured it out on a pan and proceeded to heat it in hopes of drawing alcohol. But the mixture began becoming crispier, which led to a crepe-like structure, now known as dosa.
Why was it called dosa? Dosa derives its name from ‘dosha’. Dosha means at fault, an offence or a vice. Dosha in Ayurveda is now used to denote the unbalances or the description of bad habits, wrong diet etc. This is precisely what the Brahmin cook did when he tried to ferment alcohol. Hence, his creation was named after his sin.
Apart from the plain dosa, another famous type of dosa is the Masala dosa. The legend behind the origin of this dosa states that the maharaja of Mysuru is the genius behind masala dosa, also referred to as the Mysore masala dosa. After a huge celebration at the party, there were a lot of leftovers. He didn’t want the food to go to waste and asked his cooks to come up with an idea to use it. The leftover potato curry and masala were stuffed into dosa and then cooked to perfection, giving us our new favourite dosa.
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The journey to becoming a staple food of Kerala
The reason behind Dosa being a staple food in Kerala has to do with Kerala being one of the largest exporters of rice. Paddy is the major crop of Kerala. Since paddy requires a lot of water and Kerala had greater access to it, rice became the staple food of Kerala. While the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were struggling with water scarcity. Most farmers had little money left to buy food but had hordes of rice. Thus, fermenting of the rice began to make dosa. Because dosa, unlike your ex, is low maintenance. Affordable, easy to cook and tasty.
Kerala is also one of the states which produces most coconut. Anyone who disagrees that dosa tastes the best with coconut chutney should be held for treason. In a scenario where the lower sections of the society had ample access to paddy and coconuts, dosa and coconut chutney became a staple food. The richer sections had the privilege of sambhar and other forms of chutney. Further, Onam, the harvest season of Kerala celebrated by harvesting paddy. Usually cultivated by mid-April, it is harvested during August-September, the Onam season.
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Thus, the celebration of Onam and the harvest of paddy can be associated with the Malayali obsession with dosa and marks the journey of dosa as a staple food of Kerala and into the hearts and homes of Malayalees. Despite where it originated, dosa continues to be a staple food throughout the southern states. In order to suit other cuisines, it has undergone multiple variations. But the basic constituents and the emotion behind the dosa remain the same. May the next Dosa fill your soul more than your stomach.
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