Oh, it’s Sunday! I really want to curl up on my sofa, laze around watching Netflix all day.
I slowly maneuver myself towards my coffee pot. I ask my little baby bear, who’s watching his favorite show, if he’s eaten something. He then issues a quick sweet demand: “Can you please make me pancakes?” Turning away from him, I let out an annoyed sigh, with eyebrows almost touching the back of my head. I feel sort of obligated to make him some, as I denied him pancakes even last week for the same reason: we didn’t have eggs. I didn’t have eggs today too. He has to go to his cricket practice at 9.00 a.m. I have to wake my mind up.
The next option was to make these Indian style pancake/crepes. He ate them and quickly gave me a kiss with a happy smile. Off he went to cricket.
My mom worked, so every morning was controlled chaos. I never knew about the morning rush; it all looked so smooth then. Those mornings were my ever-delicious memories. She being the most sweetest person would yield to all my demands (oh, what a fool I was then). Her office bus picked her up from the corner at 8.50 a.m. The concept of a cook or a helper was known but not taken advantage of in my household. So, she had a lot to take care of in the mornings. I remember that there were days when I craved something at 8.00a.m, and she would make it for me. She knew how to make a variety of food and cooked in a jiffy. Never saw her sigh or raise a brow. She cooked with passion and fed me with love. This was a breakfast I craved a lot then and she made a lot of.
We called it Sweet dosa, as we’d never heard of pancakes or crepes then. This does remind me a lot of my morning breakfast. The “sweet dosa” is crispy, caramalized on one side and slightly softer on the other. This recipe calls for jaggery and I don’t find any other sugar working as well as this does. Jaggery has an intense caramalized buttery flavor, it’s a must. The cashew pieces crunch up a bit when cooked and are absolutely out of this world. A touch or more of clarified butter/ghee gives it the finishing touch.
- 2 cups all purpose flour(maida)
- ⅓ cup fine rice flour
- ¾ cup jaggery/panela
- ⅓ cup small pieces of cashew
- ⅓ cup cup fresh grated coconut or thinly sliced coconut
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3-4 cups of water
- Vegetable oil to cook the dosa/crepe
- Clarified butter to add just before serving(optional, but very important for the authentic flavor)
- In a mixing bowl, add the all purpose flour/maida.
- Add in the rice flour, cashew pieces, salt.
- Shave the jaggery/panera finely, add it to the flour mixture.
- Add the grated coconut or finely sliced to the flour and mix all with water.
- DO NOT add all the water at once. Mix ½ cup at a time and use a whip to get all the flour to mix well. The batter should be a thin one like a crepe batter. If the batter is thick, you will not achieve a crispy dosa.
- Use a non stick pan to be thin dosas/crepe. Pour one large ladle of batter on to a medium hot pan and swirl the pan around to make an even perfect dosa/crepe. Use ½ tsp oil to cook the dosa/crepe.
- These are best served hot with a tsp of clarified butter smothered on top.
Its true that Moms of that generation managed everything with an ease. The crepe looks crunchy and I can imagine taste of caramelized jaggery in it. Loved the second picture!!
Reading to story I became emotional . thanks for taking me to those days.
You definitely created those memories, and I will cherish it forever.
Simply damn delicious indian dessert!!!
Thank you.
This dessert is honestly really fantastic. It’s very simple, but they are honestly to die for. Thanks for making this for me Mom! 🙂
Sweets, love you more. xoxo
I like easy and quick recipes. This recipe is definitely bookmarked.
Thank you. I enjoyed your site 🙂
Thanks so much. xo
That looks really delicious!
Clearly, your mom was superwoman and you are pretty close to it in my opinion! : ) I can’t imagine whipping this up quickly. It looks so divine, whatever we call it. I can imagine how they must smell and taste…I love the texture of a soft crepe and I adore the sound of the cashews here. Can’t believe you don’t even need eggs for this!
Monica, girl you are nice. This is quite simple, it really takes no time at all. Yes, it is eggless, give it try sometime. Thanks.
I’m drooling over how good these crepes look!
Thank you:).
These crepes are so evenly thin and beautiful!
Thanks Angie.
I always knew dosa was “pancake” but I hadn’t considered that are closer to crepe. GREG
This form is absolutely very closer to crepe Greg. The normal dosa is made from rice and lentils. But, this one is All purpose flour, and quite like the crepe:).
That looks so good. I love the photos and the recipe!
Thanks so much sweety.
I want to reach into that last photo and snatch one of your sublime crepes from that pile of deliciousness!!! What sweet memories of your mom—and you’re making the same for your son 🙂
Thanks Liz. I surely try. Have a great week my dear.
I grew up eating a similar crepe, only flavored with pandan juice. Its similar to kewra, but tastier 🙂
I really need to try some pandan flavored dish from your blog. I will asap.
Eggless crepes – so delicious! Love the spices! Need to try them right now!!!
The combination of coconut and jaggery is just out of this world. What a lovely dish this is..simple and elegant! Mum’s are the best…I realised this more after becoming a Mum. Love your blog and recipes:-)
What a great story to read and what great crepes. I’ve never had eggless crepes before, I really need to try ’em though!
Thannk you my friend.
What a lovely memory! And fun recipe — I love crepes, and this recipe looks so interesting. Really creative — thanks.
Jaggery dosai is my all time favorite and this looks so perfectly made,
Savory dosa is on my cooking bucket list, but no one will fault me for trying sweet first, right? The cardamom infusion sounds so lovely.
This looks so good! 🙂 reminds me of “meetha cheela” mom used to make and Asha..your post made me miss mom so much.. I feel like flying back to India right now and give her a big hug! Moms are the best 🙂
Oh is it, meetha cheela..interesting.
Aww, I know, being this far is not easy at all. Hugs from me my dear and yes Mom’s are the best.
I so loved the story of your mom! They sure had us fooled into thinking everything was really not as smooth as it seemed huh?
I also so love jaggery – though I don’t use it much – just tend to gnaw on the chunks – but I really need to try these dosas, Asha – they sound wonderful!
Totally fooled us right?…Impressive.
Thanks my dear, this one is fave of ours.
What a beautiful post. Your mom sounds amazing! Moms really are the best and you’re doing an amazing job too:) These crepes look incredible! Love the cardamom in here!
Girl, thanks for stopping by.
That’s why mothers are so great! My mother was very much the same, she could whip up a feast in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately, I’m not as good as her and that’s prolly because I’m an organiser! Love to plan 🙂
These are seriously gorgeous, I don’t remember ever having tried these before. She made sweet roti and crepes for us too but not with jaggery..atleast I don’t remember.
How fun that your son plays cricket! I would do anything to get my son into a club that taught cricket. Nothing like that here 🙁
I’ll have to bring back my brothers bat and pads when I go back to Houston and teach him myself!
Nazneen, cricket is big in the bay area. So many teams, so serious. They play in Dallas every year and now planning on going international. Find a place, I’m sure there’s some organization teaching cricket. Only if you want too. But, I’m sure the kiddos are packed with stuff already..it’s so much commitment…crazy.
They really look more like crepes than pancakes, but they look anyhow just awesome. I definitely will try this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much.
My mum used to make similar ones but with whole wheat flour sans coconut and served these with kheer. i am a sucker for coconut and I am definitely going to try this version.
Served it with kheer, haan..Nice. I will try it sometime.
Your son is such a cutie! Who can’t resist beautiful Mama’s pancakes!? I am obsessed with savory dosas and all kinds of Indian breads. I’ve never tried sweet dosas, but would love to try these kinds! They look decadently delicious!