FOOD NEWS
For The Best Dosa Texture, The Pan You Use Matters
BY CATHERINE NYORANI
A dosa is a South Indian crepe-like pancake known for its crispness, paper-thin quality, and golden hue. These qualities can largely be attributed to the pan used to cook it.
While it may seem like a good idea to use a nonstick pan to prevent the delicate dosa batter from sticking, this choice likely won't yield the proper crispy-papery texture.
A cast iron pan is your best bet for cooking dosas at home. A well-seasoned iron skillet provides even heat distribution, ensuring that every part of the dosa is uniformly crispy.
The skillet's seasoned surface, built up over time with layers of oil, also allows the dosa batter to cling perfectly without sticking, producing the signature crispness.
You can even spring for an Indian-style cast iron pan, called a "tawa" or "tava." These pans have low sides to make the spreading and flipping of the dosa easier.