If you’re reading this right now it’s probably Friday in your part of the world and that dreaded hour has struck. What should I cook for dinner tonight? Friday nights are the worst because the fam usually expects something special. (Can we order pizza mum? It’s Fridayyyyy!) And if the summer holidays have descended upon you, make that pressure multiplied a gazillion fold. (Can we have something NICE mum? It’s the holidays! Also note, nice does not equal roti, sabzi, daal or any combination thereof.)
The last thing you want is to gaze into your forlorn fridge after a manic work week, as the leftovers gaze back at you. Not lovingly, naturally. But, but, but…what if I told you that there was a recipe! A recipe that is fun and exciting (take that, pizza) and healthy too. And that could use up all those leftovers (take that, leftovers). Well I’m telling you exactly that so chin up, my friend. You can get your Friday vibe right back on while you whip up this effortless meal that ticks all the boxes.
So without further ado, let’s dive in. All you need is some dosa batter, the ability to make dosas and a fridge load of leftovers. We’re talking onions, bell peppers, cabbage, carrot, chives of any kind. Did I mention this recipe also uses up any celery you might have? And did I also mention that it is a BRILLIANT way to use up cabbage? You can thank me later. Also, just like with everything else, we have lazy girl hacks for everything. (I mean, what? A girl’s gotta live!) No dosa batter? Fret not my love, ID dosa batter to the rescue. Lack of dosa ability making? Erm, hire a cook! Or give it a go! It’s really not that difficult as this video shows.
And if you’ve read this far, I’m guessing you do have leftovers so now’s the time to show ’em some love. Now’s their time to shine on the tawa! Let’s go!
What Should I Cook For Dinner Tonight? Schezwan Dosa! Ta daaaa!
What you need:
Dosa batter, stacks of leftover veggies, Schezwan sauce
First up, the prep:
- First up, prep those leftovers. Heat up some oil in a wok, bung in some garlic and fry. If you don’t have garlic, fret not. Next, add in those onions. Fry ’em. You don’t need to overdo the garlic and onions. Just fry them till they aren’t raw anymore. If you have spring onions, now’s the time to add in those bulbs. The greens can go in later. Then in go those leftovers. Carrots, cabbage, bell peppers, spring onion greens. You want to chop everything in long, thin strips for this one. Except the garlic and spring onion greens, which you can just chop fine. Stir fry the leftovers at high heat till they’re just done. They should be crunchy and crispy, not mushy. You can also add in some chopped coriander, if you like.
- And, now for the piece-de-resistance. Schezwan dosa typically has noodles in the dosa filling. You could use any old noodles here really, even Maggi works. But if you want to make it extra healthy, millet noodles are a good bet. These millet noodles from Slurrp Farm are a big hit at ours. Or you could opt for rice noodles, like these. Just cook the noodles per the instructions, and bung ’em in with the veggies.
- Add in some salt, a teaspoon each of soy sauce (I use a brand called Lee Kum Kee) and vinegar and a tablespoon of Schezwan sauce (see note below). You can use rice vinegar or regular vinegar for this recipe. Mix everything gently. Make sure you don’t break those noodles. Adjust the sauces and season to your taste and that’s it! Your dosa filling is ready!
And now, the dosa making
- Now for the dosa making part. If you’re using a cast iron or iron tawa, pour some oil on it, spread all over and wipe it with a paper napkin. Then sprinkle some water on your tawa and wipe it off again with a paper napkin. You can skip this if you’re using a non-stick tawa, but I usually find I need a little oil for the first dosa.
- Your tawa is set. Pour a ladleful of your dosa batter and spread it in a circular motion. Once the top of your dosa becomes dry, add some butter and spread it. Then add some Schezwan sauce and spread that too. You can skip the Schezwan sauce here or adjust the quantity depending on how hot you like your dosa. Also, if you’re rolling your eyes right now, you can totally skip the butter and just stick to the sauce.
- Let your dosa cook till the bottom becomes a nice golden brown. Then layer your noodle veggie filling along one side of the dosa, length wise. Roll it up and serve.
- You can serve your Schezwan dosa with any dips or sauces you fancy. Or just more of that Schezwan sauce, or even tomato ketchup (purists, please excuse).
Now all you need to do is sit back, enjoy your meal and the accolades that are sure to come your way. Oh, and you can pop over to your fridge and gaze lovingly at the non-leftover inundated interiors.
Enjoy the rest of your Friday evening and give us a shout in the comments if you like this recipe!
Note (coz we’re all about the extras!):
Remember that celery I told you about? If you have any leftover celery, you could stir fry it up with the other veggies. OR, you could use this brill Schezwan sauce recipe that takes care of any leftover celery. Lazy girl hack? We LIKE this sauce!