My Jewish grandmother would be proud. After sampling a myriad of South Asian fare, I finally discovered the Indian take on what is essentially a latke shoved inside a blintz: the Masala Dosa...

A prevalent dish throughout South India and dating back to 100 BC, the basic Dosa is crepe of sorts- filled with anything from stewed lentils to egg and cheese. Though it’s typically a breakfast food, the Dosa can easily become a hearty dinner depending upon the filling.

Mildly hungry and craving Indian, I looked passed my usual Veggie Tikka Masala fix and searched for something new. I’ve seen the Masala Dosa on about every South Indian menu, but never thought to give it a try (Masala simply describes a dish with a particular mix of Indian herbs and spices). With below-freezing weather, the thought of curried potatoes and peas wrapped in a warm crepe sounded exceptionally appealing.

The massive Masala Dosa at Aaheli (my new go-to Indian spot) was only $8 and accompanied with coconut chutney and stewed tomato dipping sauce. This was definitely going to fill me up. However, I found the Dosa to be disappointingly soggy- the unfortunate result of steaming in the take-out container for too long. Much like a French crepe, this is a sort of food that needs to be eaten right away. 

The filling, on the other hand, was outstanding. Perfectly seasoned and soft to the bite, the potatoes were well cooked and the peas added a pop of flavor. I also liked the tangy coconut chutney, which was super thick and surprisingly lemony. The tomato dipping sauce was more like a soup than anything, and I spooned a good portion of it over the Dosa (not helping with the soggy factor, but good nonetheless). 

Overall, I'm liking the Dosa. Its texture uncannily resembles that of blintzes I enjoyed as a child, while the warm potato filling reminds me of nothing other than spiced latkes. Like so many other dishes that have endured throughout a culture's history, the Masala Dosa has something familiar going on: it's Grade-A comfort food!