Adding Ingredients to your dosa

How to make a simple Dosa

Green Chile & Cheese Egg Dosa

Making a Gunpowder Ghee Dosa

Stay cozy in this super soft poly-cotton blend. Features embroidered logo on the sleeve (for Curry and Equation styles) Available in 3 styles: Blue Logo Purple Logo Equation Prawn Curry embroidered locally | art by leah devine pokrasso

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Place a small heavy-bottomed skillet or small tadka pan over medium heat and let it warm for about 1 minute. The pan should be hot but not smoking.

Heat the pan

Add 3 tbs oil and 1 tbs ghee (if using) to the hot pan. Swirl to coat the bottom and heat until the oil shimmers.

Add oil and ghee

Add 1 tsp mustard seeds to the hot oil. Wait 10–20 seconds for them to crackle and pop. Watch carefully to avoid burning.

Temper mustard seeds

Immediately add 1 tsp urad dal, 1 tsp chana dal and 1 tsp cumin seeds. Fry, stirring or tossing, for 30–45 seconds until the dals turn golden brown and fragrant.

Fry dals and cumin

Lower the heat slightly. Add a pinch of asafoetida and 2 dried red chilies (break them if you want more heat). Fry for 10–15 seconds until the chilies darken slightly and release aroma.

Add hing and dried chilies

Add 8 curry leaves, 1 tsp finely chopped green chilies and 1 tsp grated ginger. Stir continuously for 10–15 seconds so the curry leaves crisp but do not burn.

Add curry leaves, fresh chilies and ginger

Sprinkle 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chili powder and 1 tsp salt into the tempering. Stir for 5–10 seconds to bloom the spices in the hot oil.

Spice it

Turn off the heat. If using, stir in 1 tbs lemon juice and 2 tbs chopped cilantro. Taste and add a little more salt or lemon if desired.

Finish and balance flavors

Pour or spoon the hot tempering evenly over about 4 cups of dosa batter or into the potato/onion filling while it is still hot so the flavors infuse. Stir gently to combine. Use immediately to spread and cook dosas.

Incorporate into dosa batter or filling

oil (vegetable, canola or sunflower)

ghee (clarified butter) - optional

mustard seeds

urad dal (split black gram)

chana dal (split Bengal gram)

cumin seeds

asafoetida (hing)

dried red chilies

fresh curry leaves

green chilies, finely chopped

ginger, finely grated

turmeric powder

red chili powder

salt

lemon juice (optional, for brightness)

finely chopped cilantro (coriander leaves) - optional

Rinse 2 cups parboiled rice and 1/2 cup split urad dal separately until water runs clear. Soak the rice with 1/4 cup poha and fenugreek seeds in enough water to cover for 4–6 hours. Soak the urad dal in separate water for 4–6 hours.

Soak

Drain the urad dal and reserve soaking water. Grind urad dal in a wet grinder or high-speed blender with about 1/2 to 3/4 cup reserved water until it becomes a light, fluffy, slightly sticky batter (about 20–30 minutes in a wet grinder; 5–8 minutes in a blender, in pulses). Transfer to a large bowl. Drain rice/poha and grind with 1/2 to 1 cup water to a slightly grainy smooth batter. Combine rice and urad batters in the bowl; mix thoroughly by hand or spatula until smooth and slightly pourable. The final batter consistency should be like pancake batter—adjust with a few tablespoons of water if too thick.

Grind

Add 1 teaspoon salt and mix. Cover the bowl and keep in a warm place (about 25–30°C / 77–86°F) for 8–12 hours or overnight until it rises and becomes airy with small bubbles. In cooler climates, place the batter inside an oven with the light on or use a warm spot.

Ferment

After fermentation, stir the batter gently. It should be slightly thicker than crepe batter; add a little water (1–3 tablespoons) if needed to reach a ladle-able pouring consistency.

Adjust batter

Heat a heavy cast-iron tawa or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. To test, sprinkle a few drops of water; they should sizzle and evaporate quickly. Reduce heat to medium.

Preheat pan

In a small saucepan or the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil or ghee over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and let them pop. Add 1 teaspoon urad dal and 1 teaspoon chana dal (if using) and sauté until golden. Add 1 broken dried red chili, 8 curry leaves, 1 finely chopped green chili (optional) and 1/8 teaspoon asafoetida; sauté for a few seconds until fragrant. Turn off heat and keep the tempering ready.

Make tempering

Lightly oil the hot skillet. Stir the fermented batter once and ladle about 1/3 to 1/2 cup batter (for a 9–10 inch dosa) onto the center of the pan. Using the back of the ladle in a circular motion, spread the batter outward quickly to form a thin circle. Drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon oil or ghee around the edges and a few drops on top.

Spread dosa

Cook on medium heat until the edges lift and the bottom has golden-brown spots (1½–3 minutes). For crispier dosa, increase heat briefly. If you prefer, flip and cook the other side for 30 seconds, but typically simple dosa is cooked only on one side.

Cook dosa

Spoon the prepared tempering evenly over the dosa (especially around edges) while it finishes cooking—this infuses flavor and gives small crispy pockets where the tempering contacts the batter. Fold or roll the dosa and remove to a plate.

Finish with tempering

Serve hot immediately with coconut chutney and sambar or your preferred accompaniments.

Serve

parboiled rice (idli/dosa rice)

split urad dal (skinless)

poha (flattened rice, optional, for fermentation)

fenugreek seeds (methi)

water (for soaking and grinding)

vegetable oil or ghee

urad dal (split, optional for color and crunch)

chana dal (optional)

dried red chilies, broken (optional)

curry leaves

green chili, finely chopped (optional, for heat)

In a mixing bowl, whisk together rice flour, urad dal flour and semolina. Gradually add 1 to 1 1/4 cups water while stirring to form a thin, pourable batter (similar to crepe consistency). Add 1 tsp salt and 2 tbs oil, whisk until smooth. Let the batter rest for 20–30 minutes to hydrate semolina and for flavors to meld. If batter thickens while resting, whisk in a splash of water to reach pourable consistency.

Make batter

Place a nonstick or cast-iron tawa/griddle over medium heat. When hot, wipe with a lightly oiled paper towel to season the surface.

Heat griddle

In a small skillet, heat 2 tbs oil or ghee over medium heat. Add mustard seeds (if using) and let them pop. Add cumin seeds, urad dal and chana dal; sauté until dal turns golden (about 1 minute). Add asafoetida, chopped green chiles and curry leaves; sauté 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Remove from heat and allow tempering to cool slightly.

Prepare tempering

Stir the cooled tempering (including oil and solids) into the dosa batter. This is the tempering step referenced in the menu section and gives the dosa its green-chile aroma and crunch.

Incorporate tempering into batter

Crack eggs into a bowl, add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper; beat lightly to combine. Keep grated cheese, sliced green onions and chopped cilantro ready.

Prep eggs

When the griddle is hot, pour a ladle of tempered batter in the center and quickly spread in a circular motion to form a thin dosa (about 8–9 inch). Drizzle a few drops of oil around the edge. Immediately pour about 1/3 of the beaten eggs over the dosa and tilt the pan so egg coats the surface in a thin layer. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup grated cheese and a few slices of green onion and some cilantro over the egg. Cook on medium heat until the dosa edges lift and the egg sets (about 1–2 minutes). If desired, fold the dosa in half or roll, pressing gently to melt the cheese. Repeat to make 3 dosas using remaining batter, eggs and fillings.

Cook dosa with egg and cheese

When dosa is cooked and cheese melted, transfer to a plate. Spread a little butter or oil on top if desired and squeeze a wedge of lime over it for brightness.

Finish

Serve hot with green chutney or sambar and remaining lime wedges. Garnish with remaining cilantro and green onion as desired.

rice flour

urad dal flour (or finely ground split urad dal)

semolina (rava/suji, fine)

water (for batter)

oil (neutral, for batter and cooking)

mustard seeds (optional)

cumin seeds (jeera)

urad dal (split, optional, for crunch)

chana dal (split chickpeas, optional)

green chiles (finely chopped)

fresh curry leaves (optional)

eggs

salt (for eggs)

black pepper (freshly ground)

grated cheddar cheese (or processed cheese)

green onions (scallions), thinly sliced

cilantro (fresh, chopped)

butter or oil (for finishing)

lime or lemon wedges

green chutney or sambar (optional, for serving)

If using refrigerated batter, bring it to room temperature for 30–60 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp salt, and if the batter is too thick for spreading, whisk in up to 1/4 cup water to reach a pourable, slightly thick crepe-batter consistency (should flow but hold a thin film when spread).

Check and adjust batter

If using store-bought gunpowder, lightly mix in the toasted sesame seeds (2 tbsp) for extra texture and flavor. Taste and set aside. If making gunpowder fresh, blend toasted chana dal, urad dal, sesame seeds, roasted dry red chilies, coriander seeds, cumin, salt and a little oil to a coarse powder and measure out 1/2 cup.

Place a heavy nonstick or cast-iron tava (griddle) over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp ghee to a small tempering pan or skillet and warm until it melts and becomes aromatic (about 30 seconds).

Heat pan and prepare tempering

Add 1 tsp mustard seeds to the warm ghee. When they start to pop (5–10 seconds), add 1 tsp split urad dal and 1 tsp chana dal. Fry the dals, stirring, until they turn golden brown and emit a nutty aroma (about 30–45 seconds).

Temper the spices

Add 10 fresh curry leaves, 2 dried red chilies broken into halves, and 1/4 tsp asafoetida. Fry for 5–10 seconds more until the curry leaves crisp slightly. Remove the tempering from the heat and stir in 1/4 tsp salt. Pour this tempered ghee mixture into a small bowl and let it cool slightly; reserve 1–2 tbsp of this flavored ghee for brushing on the dosa while cooking.

Finish tempering

Return the griddle to medium-high heat and let it heat for 2–3 minutes. Sprinkle a few drops of water; if they sizzle and evaporate quickly, the griddle is ready. Wipe the surface with a thin cloth or paper towel lightly greased with ghee to ensure even contact.

Preheat griddle and test

Stir the dosa batter once more. Pour about 1/3 to 1/2 cup batter (adjust for dosa size) onto the center of the hot griddle. Using the back of a ladle, spread the batter quickly in a circular motion outward into a thin circle (or slightly thicker if you prefer a soft dosa).

Pour and spread batter

Drizzle about 1 tsp of the reserved flavored ghee around the edges and a little in the center. Reduce heat to medium. Cook until the underside turns golden brown and edges lift from the pan (about 1–2 minutes).

Drizzle ghee and cook

Sprinkle 1 to 1 1/2 tsp gunpowder evenly over the dosa (to taste). If you prefer, mix the gunpowder with a few drops of ghee to make a paste before applying so it adheres and melts into the dosa. Optionally scatter a pinch of extra toasted sesame seeds.

Apply gunpowder

Fold the dosa in half or roll it, pressing gently so the gunpowder adheres. Brush the top with another 1 tsp ghee. Slide the dosa off the griddle onto a serving plate. Repeat the process, using about 1 tsp ghee per dosa, until batter is used.

Fold and finish

Serve the gunpowder ghee dosas hot with coconut chutney or sambar. Provide extra gunpowder and additional ghee at the table for people who want more heat and richness.

fermented dosa batter (rice + urad dal)

water (if needed to adjust batter)

store-bought gunpowder (milagai podi) or homemade

freshly toasted sesame seeds (optional, for nuttiness)

ghee

split urad dal (skinned black gram)

curry leaves, fresh (whole)

salt (for tempering mix, optional)

additional ghee (for spreading on cooked dosas)

coconut chutney or sambar (optional)

If not already pre-cut, lay out poly-cotton fabric and cut front, back, sleeves, and hood (if applicable) to the desired pattern size. Use a rotary cutter and ruler for clean edges. Transfer pattern markings (notches, center front, sleeve cap) with chalk.

Prepare panels

With right sides together, align front and back at the shoulder seams. Pin or baste, then sew using a stretch or ballpoint needle and a narrow zigzag or stretch stitch. Press seams open with an iron on a suitable setting for poly-cotton.

Assemble shoulders

Match sleeve notches to the armhole, pin evenly around, and sew the sleeve into the armhole with a stretch stitch. Repeat for the second sleeve. Press seam allowances toward the sleeve.

Attach sleeves

With right sides together, fold garment so edges align and sew from sleeve cuff through underarm to hem in one continuous seam. Finish raw edges with an overlocker/serger or a zigzag stitch to prevent fraying.

Sew side seams

Measure and prepare ribbed cuffs and hem. Stretch ribbing slightly and pin to sleeve hem and bottom of sweatshirt, matching seams. Sew with a twin needle or stretch stitch, stretching the ribbing gently so it fits the fabric.

Attach ribbing

If the style includes a neckline rib or hood, attach per pattern instructions. Use stabilizer or stay-tape at the shoulder seams to prevent stretching. Topstitch around the neckline for a clean finish.

Neckline finish

Obtain the Leah Devine Pokrasso embroidery file or transfer print. Scale the design to the desired sleeve logo size (typically 2–3 inches / 5–7.5 cm tall). Print or load the file to your embroidery machine.

Prepare artwork

Turn the sweatshirt inside out or hoop the sleeve area according to your machine's requirements. Place a piece of tear-away stabilizer on the wrong side of the sleeve where the logo will sit. Baste the sleeve to prevent movement if needed.

Stabilize sleeve

Choose embroidery thread color according to the style: blue for Blue Logo, purple for Purple Logo, curry/orange for Curry, prawn/pink for Prawn. Wind the machine with the correct color and test stitch on a scrap of poly-cotton with the same stabilizer.

Thread selection

Run the embroidery machine with the hooped sleeve, or hand-embroider following the transferred design. Monitor tension and stitch density to avoid puckering. After embroidery completes, carefully tear away stabilizer and trim any loose threads. Press lightly from the wrong side with a cloth over top to avoid flattening satin stitches.

Embroider logo

Sew or apply the care label to the inside neckline and attach the size hang tag to the garment. Ensure labels are aligned and securely fastened.

Attach labels and tags

Inspect seams, embroidery placement, stitch quality, and ribbing tension. Check for stray threads, holes, or puckering. Make any small repairs as needed.

Quality check

Give the sweatshirt a final press (use a protective cloth over the embroidered area). Fold neatly, insert into a packing bag, and add any additional branding inserts. The sweatshirt is now ready for sale.

Adding Ingredients To Your Dosa

How To Make A Simple Dosa

Green Chile & Cheese Egg Dosa

Making A Gunpowder Ghee Dosa

Sweatshirts