Golden dosas

The humble dosa gets a royal twist in India’s IT capital.

The Indian pancake, popular all over the Indian subcontinent, found its modest beginnings in South India almost 2 centuries ago. Although its birthplace is a matter of conjecture, in popular tradition, its origin is often linked to Udupi, Karnataka. Even the Manasollasa, a 12th century Sanskrit encyclopaedia compiled by the South Indian ruler Someshvara III, contains a recipe for dosa (as dosaka), according to K. T. Achaya’s book, The Story of Our Food.

Today, dosa is known by several names with thousands of variations available across the country. It has been transformed and experimented with countless times from traditional masala dosas and rawa dosas to modern day twists on Chinese dosas and chocolate dosas taking the front stage for experimental souls.

In the heart of Bengaluru, one bold restauranteur ventured where no one had ever been before. For the first time in our history, the Raj Bhog restaurant brought dosas covered in a coating of pure gold to their customers.

Customers are promised a princely meal consisting of a plain dosa topped with 1 milligram of pure gold that has been spread out into a 12 cm by 12 cm gold foil. According to P Sivaramakrishnan from BBC Tamil Service, the luxury item comes at a price of INR 1,011 (around the cost of 20 regular dosas).

Ancient Indians have always been fascinated by gold and the precious metal is even used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat diabetes and arthritis. It is then no surprise then that we are continuing in the footsteps of our forefathers. Only now, this royal food can be enjoyed by anyone looking to splurge a little on their meal.