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Crispy Dosa Recipe

Golden, crispy and light South Indian Dosa made with perfectly fermented dosa batter.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
soaking & fermentation
16 hrs
Total Time
16 hrs 40 mins
Calories: 258 kcal
Course: Breakfast , Lunch , Dinner
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups idli rice you can also use just Sona Masoori rice or half idli rice and half Sona Masoori rice
  • ½ cup urad dal
  • 2 tablespoons chana dal
  • ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 2 tablespoons thick poha
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
For Grinding
  • 1½ cups water divided
For Cooking
  • 4 tablespoons ghee or oil
  • ½ onion optional, for applying oil

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Rinse Urad Dal and Chana dal 2 to 3 times and drain out all the water. Soak dal in 2 cups of water for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
  2. Rinse the rice 2 to 3 times and drain out all the water. Add fenugreek seeds and poha. Soak rice in 2½ cups of water for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
  3. Drain out all of the water from the lentils and add it to the blender jar along with half of the water for grinding. Blend the dal to a smooth batter. Take out the batter in a large bowl or the instant pot insert.
  4. Drain out all of the water from the rice and add it to the blender along with the remaining water for grinding. Blend to a sligthly coarse consistency. Add it to the pot with dal batter.
  5. Add salt and mix well. Place the Pot insert inside the Instant Pot and select the yogurt mode (normal or ferment) for 8 hours. Note: You may need to ferment the batter for upto 12 hours, especially during winter months. Once the batter is fermented it will be light and airy and would have almost doubled in volume.
  6. To make the dosa, mix the batter well. Add more water if needed so the batter is of good pourable consistency. I usually add about ½ a cup of water at this point. Note: This recipe makes 4 cups of batter.
  7. Preheat a cast iron pan/tawa on medium heat. To check if it's hot enough, sprinkle a few drops of water onto the surface; they should sizzle and evaporate quickly. Next, use half an onion to spread oil over the pan: pierce the onion's rounded side with a fork and use its flat side as a tool for oil application. This will prevent the dosa from sticking to the pan. Alternatively, you can use a silicone brush for this task.
  8. Lower the heat. Pour about one-fourth cup of batter into the center of the pan using a ladle and spread it using the back of the ladle carefully moving outward clockwise. Note: If you like thick dosas use more batter or do not spread as thin. Also if you have a bigger pan you may want to use more batter.
  9. Drizzle over some oil or ghee on top and sides of the dosa and cook on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until the bottom starts to turn golden brown. Carefully run a flat spatula under the rim starting from the side and going in the middle. Fold the Dosa and serve.
  10. Repeat with the remaining batter. Between each dosa use a couple of wet paper towels to wipe the pan, allowing it to cool down. This gives you enough time to thinly spread the batter for your next dosa. If the pan is too hot, the batter may stick to the back of the spoon as you spread it, making it difficult to spread it thin and even. Rub the onion on the pan before spreading the batter. Once you are done spreading the batter, increase the heat to medium and cook the dosa until the bottom turns golden.
  11. This recipe will make 16 thin dosas or 8 thicker dosas. Thin dosas are only cooked on one side. If you are making thicker dosas you may want to flip the dosa and cook the top side for a minute or so.

Notes

  • Tips to Make Dosa Batter
  • Make sure to use cold water when blending rice and lentils.
  • Use a high-power blender like Blendtec or Vitamix to make the batter. If using a regular blender, grind in smaller quantities or add an ice cube to prevent overheating the appliance and in-turn the batter.
  • Blend urad dal to a smooth consistency while the rice batter should be slightly coarse
  • In the cooler months, it's best to add non-iodized salt to the batter as it helps with the fermentation process
  • Use a nonlocking lid on the Instant Pot when starting the fermentation process. Sometimes, over-fermentation can cause the batter to overflow or can even lock the Instant Pot lid
  • If you do not have an Instant Pot, simply put the pot of batter covered in a warm place or inside the oven with the oven lights on
  • The water proportions for blending the batter are based on the exact ingredients I use. If you use different rice or use urad dal instead of gota urad dal you may need more or less water.
  • Once fermented, store the dosa batter in the refrigerator. It can be refrigerated for up to a week. Remember to bring it to room temperature before making dosa.
  • Dosa Batter can take up to 12 to 14 hours to ferment and will have a slightly sour taste. If the batter has not fully fermented within this time, you can give it an extra 3 to 4 hours if you like but any longer and the batter will start to get overly sour and will also have an unpleasant smell. The good news is that you don't need Dosa batter to be fully fermented. You can go ahead and make dosas and they will still be crispy and delicious.

Nutrition Information

Calories 258kcal (13%) Carbohydrates 40g (13%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 8g (12%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Cholesterol 19mg (6%) Sodium 315mg (13%) Potassium 46mg (1%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 0.5g (1%) Vitamin A 247IU (5%) Vitamin C 3mg (3%) Calcium 26mg (3%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 258

% Daily Value*

Calories 258kcal 13%
Carbohydrates 40g 13%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g 2%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 19mg 6%
Sodium 315mg 13%
Potassium 46mg 1%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 0.5g 1%
Vitamin A 247IU 5%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 26mg 3%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.