Dosa 印度煎餅

Dosa is a thin, savory pancake from South India, made from a fermented batter of rice and black gram lentils. It's crispy and often served with sambar and various chutneys for breakfast or as a light meal.

Nutrition (per serving)

Ingredients

• Raw rice (e.g., Idli rice or Sona Masuri) - 2 cups
• Urad dal (split black gram lentils, skinned) - 1/2 cup
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt - 1 teaspoon
• Water - as needed (approximately 1.5 liters total for soaking, grinding, and adjusting consistency)
• Cooking oil - 2 tablespoons

Steps

1. Rinse the raw rice thoroughly. Place in a bowl, cover with water, and let soak for 4-6 hours.
2. Rinse urad dal and fenugreek seeds thoroughly. Place in a separate bowl, cover with water, and let soak for 4-6 hours.
3. Drain the soaking water from the urad dal and fenugreek seeds. Transfer them to a wet grinder or blender. Add a small amount of fresh water and grind until the mixture is very smooth and fluffy, like whipped cream. Transfer this batter to a large mixing bowl.
4. Drain the soaking water from the rice. Add the rice to the grinder/blender with a little fresh water. Grind until it forms a smooth batter, but slightly coarser than the dal mixture (it should still be pourable).
5. Add the ground rice batter to the urad dal batter in the large mixing bowl. Add salt. Mix both batters thoroughly using your hands. This hand-mixing helps incorporate air and aids fermentation.
6. Cover the bowl with a lid and leave it in a warm place to ferment for 8-12 hours, or until the batter has doubled in volume and appears light and bubbly. The exact time depends on the ambient temperature.
7. Once fermented, gently stir the batter. If it's too thick, add a little water (a tablespoon at a time) to achieve a flowing, pourable consistency suitable for spreading thinly.
8. Heat a non-stick dosa pan or cast-iron griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease the pan with a few drops of cooking oil, then wipe off any excess with a kitchen towel (this helps create a non-stick surface and even spread).
9. Pour a ladleful of the batter onto the center of the hot griddle. Using the bottom of the ladle, quickly spread the batter outwards in a spiral motion to form a thin, even circle.
10. Drizzle a teaspoon of cooking oil around the edges of the dosa. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the edges start to lift and turn golden brown, and the bottom is crispy.
11. Carefully loosen the dosa from the griddle with a spatula. Fold it in half or roll it up. Serve immediately with sambar and chutneys. Repeat for remaining batter.

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