Maravallikizhangu/ Tapioca Dosa

We can see tapioca sold on the roadsides in the market place or in the highways adjacent to the fields, in Tamilnadu; at least I have not seen them fancily packed and displayed in departmental stores here, as they are cheap and neither do they pay-off for the space occupied nor do have many takers. I have heard from my paternal grandpa that tapioca is consumed by villagers/ farmers during the famine period as a survival nutrient; may be that's why people in north eat it on fasting days. These days, not many recipes are very popular even though they make tasty and healthy dishes. Tapioca dosa one such recipe that I would like to share here.

Ingredients:

1. Tapioca - 1

2. Idli rice - 1 cup

3. Dry chilies - 2

4. Salt to taste

5. Asafoetida - 1 pinch

6. Oil - 1 tbsp

7. Mustard seeds -1 tsp

8. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

9. Urad dal - 1 tbsp

10. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

11. Onion - 1 finely chopped

12. Coriander - 2 tbsp finely chopped

Method:

Step 1: Wash and soak the rice for about 3 hours. Grind it coarsely in a mixer with salt and dry chilies.

Step 2: Peel and grate the tapioca finely and mix with the ground batter.

Step 3: Prepare the tempering before preparing; heat oil, splutter mustard seeds & cumin seeds, sprinkle asafoetida, add urad dal, curry leaves and saute onion in that for just 2 minutes.

Step 4: Mix the tempering in the dosa batter, adjust salt and consistency.

Step 5: Heat the greased dosa tawa, pour a ladle of batter and spread with the back of the ladle into a circular shape. Drizzle few drops of oil on it and cover.

Step 6: Flip to the other side when one side is browned, do not cover on the flip side to retain crispness.

Step 7: Serve hot with any chutney or idli podi.

TIPS:

* Tapioca can be chopped and ground along with the rice to escape from painful task of grating finely and to do it quick.

* If you want to make it instant, rice flour can be used instead of wet grinding but there is a little compromise on taste and texture this way.

* Adjust consistency to make thin crisp ones or thick soft ones.