Dosa Batter

Start soaking the rice and dal the day before, first thing in the morning. When you come home at night, blend and ferment it overnight. I like to use basmati rice for its lovely aroma. Fenugreek seeds are essential for fermentation, while chana dal makes the dosas golden and crisp. These ingredients, along with white urad dal, are available at Indian grocery stores such as Kohinoor on Gerrard St. E. near Udupi Palace.

  • 2 cups long grain or basmati rice
  • 1/2 cup white urad dal (skinned, split black urad lentils)
  • 2 tbsp chana dal (yellow split peas)
  • 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 2-1/4 cups water
  • Salt to taste
  • Vegetable oil or ghee for frying

Wash rice several times until water runs clear; put in large bowl and cover with water. Soak 4 to 12 hours. In another large bowl, combine dals, wash and drain, and cover with water. Add fenugreek seeds and soak 4 to 12 hours.

Drain rice and dals, keeping them separate.

Blend rice to smooth paste in blender with 3/4 cup water. Transfer to deep stainless steel bowl or pot. Blend dals to smooth paste in blender with 3/4 cup water. Add to rice paste. Mix in salt and cover.

Warm oven to 200F then switch off; put dosa batter in oven to ferment for at least 12 hours. Turn on oven light to aid fermentation. Batter should nearly double in volume and have little bubbles. Do not stir batter until ready to cook.

If cold, batter might require another 4 to 5 hours in oven. If it hasn't doubled in size, remove from oven after 16 hours maximum and fold in 1/4 teaspoon baking soda just before making dosas. Batter can be refrigerated for up to a week.

Bring refrigerated batter to room temperature, about 1 hour. Gently stir in 3/4 cup water (don't break bubbles). Mixture should be consistency of pancake batter.

Warm large, flat, non-stick griddle or low-rimmed frying pan over medium high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil or ghee; rub gently with piece of bread to season griddle. Stir batter once or twice to combine.

Pour 1/4 cup batter on griddle. Using ladle, lightly spread batter in circular motion to make a very thin crepe about the size of a dinner plate. Sprinkle drops of oil or ghee around edges of pan. When underside is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, fold dosa in half and transfer to plate.

For stuffed dosas, add filling to centre of dosa when underside is browned, then fold two sides over and transfer to plate. Serve with chutney and sambhar.

Makes about twenty dosas