Chota / Pancake has been an ideal breakfast meal since growing up. I usually eat chota with scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, or fish. The sweetness of the chota along with a savoury side course is a tasty and healthy start to the day. On occasion, I would enjoy fried bake with eggs. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and you should start it off right by eating foods that can boost your energy to face any challenges throughout the day.
Chota/Pancake/Dosa
Image of Dosa. Photo Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Paneer-Masala-Dosa-South-Indian-Cuisine-v2.jpg
Origin
Originally from South India, a dosa is a thin batter-based meal (often crispy), cooked from a fermented batter primarily made of beans and grains. Rice and black gram are the key components, which are combined in a delicate, smooth batter with a dash of salt, and then fermented overnight. Dosas are a typical South Indian dish that has grown in popularity across the entire Indian subcontinent.
Fun Facts:
- According to historian P. Thankappan Nair, dosa originated in the Udupi town of present-day Karnataka.
- Dosa is not only consumed for being quite appetizing but it also has a few health benefits and is often consumed by diabetics.
Nutritional Facts of Plain Dosa
- Calories 168
- Total Fat 3.7g
- Saturated Fat 0.5g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
- Monounsaturated Fat 2.6g
- Sodium 94mg
- Potassium 76mg
- Total Carbohydrates 29g
- Dietary Fiber 0.9g
- Sugars 0.1g
- Protein 3.9
Vitamins in Sada Dosa
- Vitamin A 0.1%
- Vitamin C 0.6%
- Calcium 0.4%
- Iron 4.7%
Dosa Health Benefits
- Easy to Digest – Because dosa is made from rice and beans which are fermented into the dough it is a great meal that is very easy on the digestive tract.
- Packed with Carbohydrates – Plain Dosa contains 29grams of carbohydrates and gives your body a lot of energy which is why it is a great breakfast. The high energy source is exactly what you need to start the day off right.
- High in Protein – Lentils or Beans are high in protein. Protein is needed for building strong muscles.
- Contains Minerals – Dosa has a high concentration of minerals such as iron and calcium. Iron aids in the production of oxygen-carrying proteins such as haemoglobin and myoglobin, whereas calcium aids in the maintenance of healthy bones.
Here is a simple recipe on how to make Chota / Guyanese Pancake.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of Flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 nutmeg
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup water
- (Optional)…1 egg can be added and 1 tbsp of melted butter
Directions
- Add all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, mix well.
- Pour milk, vanilla, and water and mix well until it becomes a smooth batter.
- Heat a flat pan / tawa and rub oil or butter on so the batter would not stick
- Regulate heat and stay close to stove to continuously flip so as to prevent burning.
- Cook until you see the bubbles then use a spatula to turn it over cook until you see the batter harden and take it off the pan.
- Continue the process until you use up all the batter.
Serve with eggs, pancake syrup, or whatever you like. Having a slice of cheese with it is also good combination.
Here is an instructional video on how to make Guyanese chota/ pancake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5m7n0c0lC4
Fried Bake / Floats and Saltfish
Fried bake is delicious and doughy goodness that can be enjoyed with
a variety of sides such as salt fish, mashed potatoes, eggs, etc. Fried bake originated in Trinidad and Tobago. Many Caribbean countries such as Guyana, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada eat this dish.
Salt-fish Origins
Salt fish was originally used as fertilizer on the plantations. The fish that slave owners did not want to feed the slaves was salted and used as fertilizer. They used fresh fish first but to make it less appealing for slaves to consume they started to add salt. Hungry slaves would still consume raw salt fish wish caused many of them to die from dehydration. In order for the salt fish to be consumed you would rinse the salt off before you are ready to cook. According to other sources salt fish was introduced during the 16th Century by ships coming from North America, Canada carrying lumber along with salted cod which was introduced and was loved by many so much so that salt fish is still imported in Caribbean Countries and Guyana is known for making their own salt fish.
To check out how to make this delicious breakfast dish check out this article – https://www.thingsguyana.com/bake-saltfish-a-classic-guyanese-breakfast/
References:
- https://apollosugar.com/food-fitness/diabetes-recipes/calories-in-sada-dosa/
- http://www.guyanadining.com/chota-roti-pancake-recipe/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dosa_(food) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5m7n0c0lC4
- https://www.thingsguyana.com/bake-saltfish-a-classic-guyanese-breakfast/
- https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/article/section/history-of-slavery/origins-slave-food-callaloo-dumplings-saltfish/
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-salt-fish-2137971
