Wheat Grain Dosa – From My Mamma’s Kitchen to My Healing Days

 

Wheat grain dosa, or godhuma dosa, is my mamma’s (dad’s mom) recipe, lovingly carried forward by my atta (dad’s elder sister). There’s some magic in their hands—every time they make it, I fall for it all over again. It’s not made very often now, but it’s a tiffin that holds my heart together.

It takes me straight back to my childhood—those days of running to my mamma and atta for dosas. Atta used to make them small to fit my little plate. I can almost hear the loud jingle of my silver anklets as I ran from my home to theirs. And the taste—oh, that taste!—made extra special with peanut oil instead of regular oils. They always used peanut oil, or at least most of the time, and it has a flavor that just soothes the palate.

This memory isn’t just about the dish—it’s also about the first time I made it myself. By then, my sister was married, and it was just mom, dad, and me at home. Both my parents had recently retired, and my mom was very unwell. She was so weak from the medications that there were days she couldn’t even hold a coffee glass or a spoon. It was one of the hardest phases of my life, but also one I’m deeply grateful for—because today I can say she is healthy again.

Back then, I remember calling my dad every hour while I was at work, checking on mom, talking to her, and counting the hours until I could get home. My routine for months was making breakfast and lunch (dal, curry, rasam, sometimes roti pachadi), while dad took care of rice and mom. One day, I decided to make something healthy—a different twist from the regular idli and dosa. I took the recipe from my atta and made wheat dosas, packed them in a hot pack, and made coconut chutney.

That one day turned into many. Mom liked them so much that sometimes they became our dinner too.

If I’ve learnt something from those years of her health struggles, it’s this—this too shall pass. When you’re in the middle of the storm, it feels like it will never end, that you might be stuck there forever. But there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. And if you can’t see it, maybe there’s just a little diversion in the tunnel you haven’t noticed yet.

With this post, I also want to thank my cousins and relatives for showering me with love through those years. Maybe I really am one of the lucky ones to have such good people in my life.

Okay, before I get too sentimental—make this dosa, enjoy it with chutney or chutney podi, and while you eat, remember this: you’ve received more love from the universe than you might even realise. And even if you’re going through hardships right now, take a moment to feel just a tiny part of that love. It’s always there.

Ingredients:

• 1 to 1.5 cups whole wheat grains

• Salt, to taste

• Water, as needed for grinding

• ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (optional, for extra stickiness)

• Peanut oil for cooking (or any oil of choice)

Instructions:

1. Soak whole wheat grains for 6 hours or overnight.

2. Drain and grind with salt and enough water to make a smooth batter.

3. Add fenugreek seeds while grinding if you prefer a slightly sticky texture.

4. Heat a dosa pan and pour a ladle of batter, spreading it into a thin dosa.

5. Drizzle peanut oil along the edges and cook until crisp.

6. Serve hot with coconut chutney or chutney podi.

Srishti’s Secret Tip for the Perfect Dosa:

Grind the wheat batter on a stone grinder if you can. It gives a rustic texture and a taste that feels straight out of a village kitchen.

Srishti’s Healing Tip for the Perfect Plate:

Sometimes, the food you cook in hard times becomes your soul’s comfort food forever. Let this dosa remind you that even in life’s toughest phases, warmth and love can be served on a plate.

Why You’ll Love This:

Every bite is a trip back to simpler times. The peanut oil brings a unique warmth to the taste, and the memory of making it for my mom during her recovery makes it even more special. It is not just a recipe, it is comfort, nostalgia, and love served on a plate.