When I was in Kolkata, I kept finding cheese dosas served with this amazing chutney. The tomato and garlic, with the added zip of chili peppers, tastes amazing on a buttered dosa with mozzarella cheese. My hotel restaurant served them at breakfast, and even the airport had them. I’ve since learned that it’s a popular street food throughout India.

You might be able to find a tomato garlic chutney in an Indian grocery, but fresh is delightful, and it’s a great way to use of some of the extra tomatoes that seem to overtake pantries in late August. I’ve made some adjustments to this recipe to account for the equipment available in my American kitchen.

2 medium-sized tomatoes (or size equivalent thereof)
8 garlic cloves
1 tsp. ground chili powder (or more to taste)
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. sesame oil
½ tsp. mustard powder
4-5 curry leaves

Peel the garlic and chop the tomatoes. Grind in a food processor until you get reasonably close to a puree.

Add the chili powder and salt.

In a saucepan, heat the oil on medium heat and add the mustard and garlic. Sautee for about 30 seconds, then add the puree.

Cook it down, stirring frequently to avoid sticking to the bottom, until it reduces to a thick paste.

To make a cheese dosa: Heat a griddle to medium heat. If you are making dosas from a batter, you’re one step ahead of me! (I may come back and update this someday when I get around to making them from scratch.)

If you’re heating a frozen dosa, place it lighter-side down with a little butter in the pan. Let it cook for maybe a minute, then flip it.

Sprinkle a little mozzarella cheese on top like you would when making a quesedilla. Let it cook for about one minute until the cheese is starting to melt, then fold the sides on top until you get something resembling a squashed burrito.

If you’re really good at making crepes, you should have no trouble getting a crisp exterior on these, which is the goal. Enjoy!