The Blog
A introduction to some of the dishes on offer at Shahi Masala Continental Buffet
What Is A Dosa?
What is a dosa and how do you eat it? If you are unfamiliar with South Indian cuisine, you are not alone. This is mainly because much of the Indian food we encounter in restaurants include Northern Indian curries which are delicious in their own right, but no comparison to the savory goodness of a perfectly cooked dosa. Let’s take a look at what dosa is and how you eat it.
What Is A Dosa?
A dosa is a thin pancake originally made popular in Southern India, but available throughout the country. It is becoming a popular dish around the world as well with restaurants in the UK, EU and the US adding them to their menus. Dosa is made from a fermented batter consisting of rice and black gram. The batter is fermented overnight, then water is added before cooking. To cook a dosa, you ladle some of the batter onto a hot griddle which has been greased with oil or, more traditionally, ghee. The batter is then spread out into a circle, forming a thin pancake. When finished cooking, the dosa is served hot as a wrap or folded in half.
How Is A Dosa Eaten?
Traditionally, dosa is eaten for breakfast or dinner and can be filled with a variety of vegetables and sauces. You will see dosa most often served with vegetarian side dishes including ‘sambar (a lentil-based vegetable stew), chutneys (sauces that are a part of Indian cuisine), and idli podi (a coarse powder mixture of ground dry spices used as a condiment).’
Popular Dosa
Some of the most popular dosa dishes served in India as well as here in the UK include Masala Dosa, which is filled with potato masala, palak (spinach) dosa, light white dosa (rice and coconut), and paneer (fresh cheese) dosa.
Another benefit of dosa is that it is a very healthy part of a traditional Southern Indian diet. Dosa is a good source of protein and vitamin B and vitamin C, which are both increased by the fermentation process.
The next time you dine with us at Shahi Masala, try our dosa and see for yourself just how good Southern Indian cuisine really is.
Contact Shahi Masala
If you are hungry for halal food and want the best dining experience in Birmingham, visit the Shahi Masala Halal Buffet Restaurant today.
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What Is Shawarma?
Any time you visit a Mediterranean restaurant, you might see something on the menu called shawarma. Whether you were curious enough to try it, or you were too apprehensive about trying something new, understanding just what shawarma is can be useful.
What Is Shawarma?
Shawarma is popular dish from Levantine Arab, where beef, lamb, veal, turkey or chicken is placed on a vertical spit. Slices of meat are cooked with spices and placed on the spit. When serving shawarma, the cook will cut off the slices vertically. As a result, shavings of meat can be placed on a plate, in a wrap or on a sandwich. There are many different varieties of shawarma, but it’s usually eaten with fattoush, tabbouleh, taboon bread, cucumber and fresh tomato and toppings can include amba, pickled turnips, hummus and tahini.
Lamb chops should be cooked over a high heat, quickly, and can be quick-roasted, too, depending on how thick they are. Barbecuing, griddling, pan-frying and grilling are all methods that suit chops with an aim to getting lots of colour on the meat and any exposed fat sizzling until brown.
Contact Shahi Masala
If you are hungry for lamb chops and want the best dining experience in Birmingham, visit the Shahi Masala Halal Buffet Restaurant today.
