Dosa | Plain Dosa, Masala Dosa and Jini Dosa From a Single Batter

A dosa is a thin crepe originating from South India, made from a fermented batter consisting of lentils and rice. The crepes grilled on a Tawa (cast iron dosa tawa) with a spoon of oil with its accompaniments create a medley of flavors in the mouth. Chutneys, sambar, and mash potatoes with a mix of spices are the usual companions of the oh so famous dosas.

Dosa is a protein rich breakfast. Made with a naturally fermented rice and lentil batter, this dish is also probiotic-rich. Paired with sambar and chutneys, this thin crepe is a wholesome delight.

I usually make dosa batter every week. I use the same batter to make different varieties of dosa each morning. In this instructable I have given the steps to make a perfect batter for a crispy dosa and store the batter for a couple of days. Many of us have trouble getting the batter fermented in cold places. Tips that have worked for me to ferment the batter in cold places have been included. I have given the steps to prepare 3 varieties of dosa- Plain dosa with chutney, Masala dosa and Jini dosa. Recipes for Coconut chutney and potato masala are also included.

Making the batter is a labour of love and requires some pre-planning but If you have fermented batter then your breakfast routine will be a breeze.

Ingredients for dosa batter

Idly rice/Raw rice- 2 cups

Urad dal (black gram)- 1 cup

Poha (flattened rice)- 1 cup

Toor dal (split pigeon peas)- 2 tbs

Channa dal ( split chickpeas)- 2 tbs

Fenugreek seeds- 1 tsp

Salt- to taste

Toor dal and channa dal are optional. They enhance the browning.

Equipment

Blender

Flat griddle pan / Tawa- preferably cast iron to get crispy dosas and good browning.

Ladle

Spatula

Rinse rice until the water runs clear. Similarly rinse the lentils and fenugreek seeds in another bowl. Soak the rice and lentils seperately for about 4 hours. Add lots of water as the lentils absorb a lot of water. Rinse the poha and soak about 15 minutes prior to grinding.

Drain the water after soaking for 4 hours. Reserve some of the soaking water from the lentils. Using this water to grind speeds up the fermentation process. This is especially useful in cold climate.

Take the drained lentils and poha in a blender jar. Grind to a smooth paste by adding 1/2 cup of water. Keep adding water as necessary to grind to a smooth paste. Do not add too much water at a time. We dont want the batter to be thin. The batter should be thick and of pouring consistency. The consistency is shown in the picture. Transfer this to a large container.

Take the drained rice in the same blender. Grind rice until slightly grainy. (a little finer than rava/semolina). Add this to the same large container with lentil batter and mix well.

Mix the rice and lentil batters very well. If it is too thick you can add water at this stage.

Cover the container and ferment it in a warm place until the batter rises and turns bubbly. If you live in a warm place then you can leave it on the countertop overnight. It will take anywhere between 8-16 hours depending on the climate.

Fermentation takes less time when the weather is hot (7-8 hours). But during winters or cold temperature it takes longer time than required and sometimes keeping overnight is also not just sufficient.

Some tips for quick fermentation in cold climate

• Batter can be kept in the Instant pot in yogurt setting for 8 to 10 hours.
• Dosa batter can be fermented in the oven. Preheat the oven to the lowest temperature for 5 minutes, turn off the oven and place the dosa batter in the oven for 8 to 10 hours or overnight. It will be well fermented the next morning.
• Turn on the light in the oven, and use that to keep the batter warm.
• Add 1/2 tsp of sugar to speed up the process.
• Wrap a blanket around the container and keep it in a place in your house where it is warm.

Add salt. Mix well . Well fermented batter will be airy, bubbly and light. The perfect batter for crispy dosas is ready!

Fermented batter keeps well in the refrigirator for 2-3 days. However, to make things easier and to have fresh fermented batter every morning, I divide the batter before fermenting into 2 -3 containers. I keep 1 container to ferment overnight and the rest of the containers I keep in the refrigirator before fermenting. When ever I want to have a fresh batch of fermented batter, I take out a container and keep it out to ferment overnight. The refrigirated batter will need a few more hours to thaw.

Grease the skillet/tawa with some ghee/ oil. Make sure that there is no excess oil on the pan by rubbing with a kitchen towel or cloth. Place the tawa over medium high heat. Let the skillet turn hot.

Check if the tawa is hot enough by sprinkling some water. If it sizzles immediately the tawa is ready.

Pour a ladle full of dosa batter. Evenly spread using the back of the ladle to a round shape. Drizzle some ghee/oil. Let the bottom side cook well and turn golden in color. Flip it over and let other side cook if needed.

Plain dosa is Ready!!

Transfer to a plate. Serve warm along with chutney or sambar.

Important note: Ensure to keep the heat on low while spreading the batter. Otherwise the batter sticks to the tawa and you wont be able to spread the batter. Once you have spread the batter you can increase the heat to medium high. To bring down the temperature of the tawa before making the next dosa, sprinkle some water on the tawa.

I made a small slit till the centre and rolled it up like a cone.

Please refer to the gif above to see how to spread the batter.

Ingredients

Grated coconut- 1 cup

Green chilly- 2

Shallots -4

Ginger- a small piece

curry leaves- 5-6

mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Coconut oil

Take the grated coconut, green chillies, ginger and shallots in a blender. Grind to a course paste by adding water little by little.

Heat a pan and pour coconut oil. Whe the oil is hot add mustard seeds. When the seeds sputter add 2 sliced shallots and curry leaves. Saute till the shallots are golden brown.

Now switch off the heat. Add the ground coconut mixture to the pan. Add a little water if necessary. Your cococnut chutney is ready!

Ingredients for the potato masala

Potato (cubed )- 3 small

Onion-1

Green chilli- 2

Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp

Urad dal- 1 tsp

Ginger (grated)- 1 tsp

Curry leaves- 5

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Lemon juice- few drops

Boil the potatoes in sufficient water till soft. I cook it in a pressure cooker for 5 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and urad dal. Wait for the mustard to splutter and urad dal to become golden brown. Then add onions, green chillies and ginger and curry leaves. Saute till the onions are soft. Add turmeric powder and saute till the raw smell is gone. Add 1/2 cup of water and the boiled potatoes. When the water is slightly absorbed lightly mash the potatoes. Add a few drops of lemon juice and saute till the mixture is almost dry. Potato masala for the masala dosa is ready!

Pour batter on a hot tawa. Make a dosa and let it brown. Add the prepared potato masala and fold the two sides.

Masala dosa is Ready!!

Ingredients

Schezwan chutney-2 tbs

Tomato sauce- 2 tbs

Capsicum- 1

Coriander leaves

Cheese- I used a mix of cheddar and mozzarella

Mix the 2 sauces together and keep.

Optional

Onion

Chat masala

Red chilli powder

Pour batter on a hot tawa. Make a dosa and let it brown lightly. Spread sufficient quantity of sauce on the dosa. Add the capscicum, coriander leaves and cheese. Make sure the heat is on low. Allow the cheese to melt a little. Switch off. Make slits on the dosa and roll up.

Jini dosa is ready!! Kids love this fusion dosa.

Different varieties of dosa are ready using the same batter. The proportions used in the above recipes are what I follow. Proportions and ingredients slighly differ from household to household.

Enjoy your crispy dosas!!!

Hope you try this and enjoy it as much as we do. I will be delighted to know your comments and suggestions. If you do make them please share your experience here.