A 12th-century Sanskrit recipe for dosa appears in what encyclopedia?

A 12th-century Sanskrit recipe for dosa appears in the Manasollasa, an encyclopedia compiled by the Kalyani Chalukya king Someshvara III. The reference is significant because it places a dosa-like dish in a medieval work devoted to far more than cooking.

The Manasollasa, also known as Abhilashitartha Chintamani, was completed in 1129 CE. Its five sections cover subjects including government, ethics, astronomy, medicine, architecture, music, dance, horticulture, and food. The culinary material includes recipes, drinks, preservation and fermentation practices, and descriptions of ingredients.

Modern dosa is usually made from fermented batter of rice and black gram, then spread thinly on a hot tawa. The historical preparation described in the encyclopedia should not automatically be assumed to match every modern restaurant dosa. Regional recipes changed over time, and the potato-filled masala dosa is much later because potatoes reached India after the Portuguese arrival in the 16th century.

The other options are different Sanskrit works: the Natyashastra focuses on performing arts, the Charaka Samhita on medicine, and the Arthashastra on statecraft and economics.