Learn to make the popular South Indian Crispy Dosa at home with this failproof recipe. I’ll guide you through every step, ensuring your batter ferments flawlessly and you achieve that coveted golden, crispy dosa texture we all love.
Jump to:
What is Dosa
Dosa is a popular and versatile South Indian dish that has gained popularity worldwide. It is a type of thin, crispy crepe made from a fermented batter primarily consisting of rice and urad dal (black gram lentils). Dosa is a staple in South Indian cuisine and is enjoyed as a breakfast, snack, or even as a main course.
Served with piping hot Sambar, Coconut Chutney, and everyone’s favorite Masala Dosa stuffed with Spicy Potatoes it makes for a hearty and nutritious meal.
In addition to the classic rice and urad dal dosa, there are many other types of Dosa such as Mysore Dosa, Ghee Roast, and Paper Dosa to name a few. In the past, I have shared my Quinoa Dosa recipe which has become quite popular. If you love Idli and have some of the leftover Idli Batter you can also make dosas using that batter, although they will not be as crispy.
So let me walk you through the ingredients and steps to create the crispiest dosas that will have you returning for more. And don’t worry, are you team soft dosa? I have you covered.
Ingredients
- Urad Dal – Use the skinned gota urad dal in this recipe. The regular urad dal often has traces of the outer black skin which can make the batter look brownish
- Chana Dal – The magic ingredient that makes Dosa crisp. You can also use toor dal or a combination of both of you like.
- Rice – Short-grain idli rice or Sona Masoori rice works best for this recipe. You can also add half and half of each.
- Poha – you can use either thick or thin poha that helps make dosas light
- Methi Seeds – fenugreek seeds help with the fermentation process and add nutritional benefits along with a good amount of fiber and minerals
- Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt – Table salt, Iodized salt, and even refined kosher salt inhibit the growth of good bacteria during the fermentation process, so use whole unrefined salts such as sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
How to Make Crispy Dosa
- Rinse Urad Dal and Chana Dal 2 to 3 times and drain out all the water. Soak dal in 2 cups of water.
- Rinse rice 2 to 3 times and drain out all the water. Add fenugreek seeds and poha. Soak rice in 2½ cups of water.
- 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 instant pot insert.
- Drain out all of the water from the rice and add it to the blender along with the remaining water. Blend to a slightly coarse consistency.
- Add it to the pot with dal batter.
- Add salt and mix well. Place the Pot insert inside the Instant Pot and select the yogurt mode (normal or ferment) for 8 hours.
- Preheat a cast iron pan on medium heat. To check if the pan has heated properly sprinkle a few drops of water on the pan and it should immediately start to bubble up.
- Lower the heat and spread about half a cup of dosa batter in a thin dosa using the back of the ladle. Note: Pour the batter in the center first. Then quickly spread the batter using the back of the ladle carefully moving outward clockwise. If you like thick dosas use more batter or do not spread as thin.
- Drizzle over some oil or ghee on top 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.
Serving
Breakfast – Serve with Coconut Chutney or Cilantro Chutney and a cup of hot Ginger Tea.
Egg Dosa – Whisk an egg in a bowl and pour over the dosa when the dosa is cooked halfway through. Lower the heat, allowing the egg to cook as the dosa gets golden brown.
Lunch – Enjoy Masala Dosa by spreading a few spoonfuls of Spicy Potatoes in the center of the dosa before taking it off the griddle. You can also serve the potatoes on the side.
Dinner – Enjoy Masala Dosa with spicy potatoes, chutney, and piping hot Sambar
Mysore Dosa – Spread a spoonful of spicy Red Dosa Chutney on top of the dosa just before taking it off the griddle.
Storing
Cooked dosas are best enjoyed hot off the pan.
Dosa batter can be refrigerated for upto a week in an airtight container. Make sure to bring the batter to room temperature before making dosas.
Tips to Make Dosa Batter
- Make sure to use cold water when blending rice and lentils
- Blend urad dal to a smooth consistency while the rice batter should be slightly coarse
- High-power blenders like Blendtec or Vitamix work great to make the batter without heating the jar. Traditionally wet grinders made with stone are used to make the batter.
- 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 dosas.
Tips to Make Dosa
- Before making dosas, give the batter a gentle stir. If it’s too thick, add a little water to adjust the consistency.
- Always ensure that the griddle or tawa is properly heated before pouring the batter. A medium to high heat is ideal for crispy dosas.
- Brush the tawa lightly with oil before pouring the batter. This ensures the dosa doesn’t stick and gives it a nice golden color.
- 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.
- Once you are done spreading the batter, increase the heat to medium and cook the dosa until the bottom turns golden.
FAQ’s
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.
I recommend using a high-power blender like Blendtec or Vitamix to make the batter. If you are using regular blenders or food processors, make sure they do not heat up while grinding. Grind in smaller quantities or add an ice cube to prevent overheating the appliance and in turn the batter
Fenugreek seeds(methi) are not only healthy but they also help speed up with fermentation process. If you live in warmer weather you can skip them and still have a nicely fermented batter.
More South Indian Recipes You’ll Love
Recipe
Crispy Dosa Recipe
Golden, crispy and light South Indian Dosa made with perfectly fermented dosa batter.
Servings: 8
Calories: 258kcal
Ingredients
For Grinding
For Cooking
Instructions
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Preheat a cast iron pan/tawa on medium heat. To check if the pan has heated properly sprinkle a few drops of water on the pan and it should immediately start to bubble up. Then apply oil to the pan using the half onion – poke a fork on the curved side of the onion and use the flat side to apply oil. You can also use a silicone brush to apply the oil.
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.
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.
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.
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
- Make sure to use cold water when blending rice and lentils
- 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
Nutrition
Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 315mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 247IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 3mg
