Davanagere benne dosa

Step 1: Wash 9 oz raw rice (sona masuri), 1 ¾ oz whole husked urad dal, 1 tbsp chana dal and ½ tsp fenugreek seeds together and soak them for 5 hours. In the last 15 minutes, soak 1 ⅜ oz puffed rice (mandakki or kurmura) in water too, then squeeze it out.

Step 2: Drain the rice and dal and grind with the squeezed puffed rice and about 200 ml of the 1 cup water, in batches, to a smooth, thick batter, like pancake batter. Stir in 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar, cover and leave in a warm place overnight (8–12 hours), until risen and bubbly with a pleasant sour smell. The sugar helps it brown to the town's signature deep gold.

Step 3: For the palya, heat 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a pan over a medium heat, add ½ tsp black mustard seeds and let it crackle, then add 8 curry leaves, 1 onion and 2 green chillies and cook for 5 minutes until the onion is soft but not brown. Add ¼ tsp ground turmeric, 3 potatoes and a pinch of salt with a splash of water, and stir for 3 minutes into a soft, chunky mash.

Step 4: Stir the fermented batter gently and loosen it with a little of the remaining ½ cup water if needed; it should be thicker than for a masala dosa and pour slowly from the ladle.

Step 5: Heat a heavy cast-iron griddle over a medium heat for 3 minutes. Pour a small ladle of batter and spread it only lightly into a thick round about 12 cm across and 5 mm thick. Common mistake: spreading it thin like a regular dosa; benne dosa should be small and plump.

Step 6: Dot half a tablespoon of 1 ¾ oz unsalted white butter over and around the dosa. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the base is crisp and deep golden-brown and you hear a steady, gentle sizzle; the top should look cooked with small holes.

Step 7: Add another half tablespoon of 1 ¾ oz unsalted white butter on top, spoon some palya on one half, fold it over and lift off. Cook two or three at a time if your griddle is big.

Step 8: Serve straight away, while the base still crackles, with 1 cup coconut chutney.